TAMPA, FLA.: Browns rookie wide receiver Corey Coleman avoided a scare and confirmed he’s healthy in a single bound.
Coleman caught a deep pass out of bounds Wednesday during the last play of the second and final joint practice between the Browns and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and his momentum sent him barreling toward an orange, mesh fence surrounding the field. The first-round draft pick simply hurdled the obstacle.
“He’s an athlete. He better jump over,” Browns coach Hue Jackson said with a laugh. “He’s fine. He’s OK.”
A left hamstring injury suffered Aug. 5 during a scrimmage at team headquarters caused Coleman to sit out five practices and the first two exhibition games. However, he’s expected to make his preseason debut when the Browns and Bucs face each other in the third exhibition game beginning at 8 p.m. Friday at Raymond James Stadium.
“I sure do believe he will [play],” Jackson said.
Former All-Pro wide receiver Josh Gordon is also slated to play his first exhibition game of the summer after being sidelined for the first two weeks of training camp with a quadriceps injury. So the combination of receivers Coleman, Gordon and Terrelle Pryor should be unleashed this preseason for the first time
“That sounds really good,” Jackson said. “I’m looking forward to that. I think so. I think we have a good chance for that to happen.”
Coleman is eager, too. He anticipates serving as a punt returner against the Bucs in addition to playing receiver. He insisted he’s not apprehensive about his hamstring.
“It’s been tough [sitting out]. I was watching. I was happy for my team. The guys are making great plays out there,” Coleman said. “I wanted to be out there to help them, and now I’m back and I’m ready to roll.”
Coleman dominated the Aug. 5 scrimmage by catching three passes of at least 35 yards and a touchdown, though he’s been trying to re-establish his rhythm recently. Jackson explained the NFL route tree hasn’t been a problem for Coleman despite him running only four patterns at Baylor University, but the verbiage of the Browns’ offense has tripped him up at times.
“I understand he’s going to have some up-and-down days, but I think he’s going to be fine,” Jackson said. “There is no question in my mind about that.”
Quarterback Robert Griffin III befriended Coleman through their Baylor connection. Griffin and Gordon have been close friends since their days as Baylor teammates.
Now Griffin will finally be able to throw to them in an NFL game, albeit preseason.
“It’s just about attention to detail with Corey,” Griffin said. “You watch him get off the ball. It’s extremely impressive to watch him run every route like it’s a go route. That’s what you want to show teams, show defenses and defenders that you have to defend every cut. Corey is an impressive young man.
“Josh, if you look at him, he’s a physical specimen. It’s fun to see him go out there, a man that big, that strong, that fast, and play wide receiver. It’s incredible.”
The Browns have high hopes for their receivers, headlined by Coleman, Gordon and Pryor.
“We have a lot of talent on the field,” Coleman said. “It’s kind of scary. So many guys can do different things.”
Or as Griffin put it: “There are a lot of fish in the tank, and it’s up to us to feed them the right way.”
Pleased with progressions
Griffin fed tight end Randall Telfer with a short touchdown pass in a seven-on-seven drill against the Bucs, and the play thrilled Jackson. He approached Griffin with a high-five.
Jackson was excited because instead of forcing a pass elsewhere, Griffin went through his progressions, checked down to Telfer and produced a touchdown.
“We play progression football. At the end of the day, we’re not a team that just flips the ball up anywhere. There is a reason we do what we do on every play, and as long as our quarterbacks are progressing, I get very excited because you can always call another play,” Jackson said. “If you give the ball to the other team, you can’t call another play. We have to continue to stress taking care of the ball in scoring-zone situations if we’re going to be a winning offense.”
Griffin was amused by Jackson’s reaction to a throw no one would deem sexy.
“It’s funny because you can throw a check down, and Coach will just go berserk,” Griffin said. “You throw an 80-yard bomb, and he’s just like, ‘Next play, guys. Next play.’
“It’s just all about understanding the process. When it comes to football, check downs sometimes can be the best throw because it’s the only throw that you need to make in that moment. Coach has been hard on me and the rest of the quarterbacks to make sure we are making the right decisions.”
Jackson believes Griffin is “a little ahead” of schedule in mastering the reads and progressions built into the offense.
Griffin explained his understanding of the offense is constantly evolving.
“Every day you have to go in there and look at the reads and watch the tape and understand that reads change from team to team from week to week because of the coverages that they play or who you’re trying to attack or who we’re trying to get the ball to on a certain play,” he said. “All those reads change week by week, day by day, honestly. You have to be light on your feet and ready to adjust.”
Comeback corner
Browns two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Joe Haden intercepted a pass from Bucs starting quarterback Jameis Winston in an 11-on-11 period for the second consecutive day.
“Keep getting them. Please, keep getting them,” Jackson said. “We need to get our hands on the ball on defense. That’s what it’s all about.”
Haden has had a strong week. He’s also expected to make his preseason debut Friday after sitting out the first two exhibition games. He had ankle surgery March 16, so the Browns had been easing him back into the action.
“I’m glad he’s back,” Jackson said. “He’s one of the leaders of our team, one of the better players in the National Football League. We expect him to play that way.”
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Browns blog at www.ohio.com/browns. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/NateUlrichABJ and on Facebook www.facebook.com/abj.sports.