BEREA: Browns cornerback Justin Gilbert has played just 31 defensive snaps this season, eight Oct. 4 against the San Diego Chargers and 23 Nov. 5 against the Cincinnati Bengals, and he was a healthy scratch this past Sunday in a 30-9 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The franchise envisioned Gilbert as a starter when it drafted him eighth overall last year, but he can barely get onto the field as a corner.
Coach Mike Pettine recently said there were no off-field issues that kept Gilbert from being active against the Steelers.
So what does Gilbert need to do to earn more playing time?
“Be consistent in practice with his technique. Be consistent in the meeting room. Come out every day and compete. Show us and his teammates that he deserves to be out there on the field,” secondary coach Jeff Hafley said Wednesday before the Browns departed for their bye-week break. “I think what everybody has seen is that the guys that go out and practice the best and the guys we believe give us the best chance, we are going to play those guys.
“There is no magic to this game. It is not a fairy tale where you have a bad week of practice and then you play a guy and he goes in and plays great. It doesn’t happen. We have to keep working to get him better.”
Hafley said Gilbert’s issue “is not effort. It is just technique, being consistent.” He said the Browns have no plans to throw Gilbert into the fire for the final six games of the season just to see how he responds. In other words, he must earn it.
The Browns (2-8) won’t play again until they host the Baltimore Ravens (2-7) on Nov. 30.
Preparing like a pro
Quarterbacks coach Kevin O’Connell gushed over Johnny Manziel’s preparation this season and cited it as a reason he was named the starter Tuesday. O’Connell said Manziel will study the Ravens on his tablet during the break.
“I have been so proud when Johnny has gotten in the game. He has been prepared,” O’Connell said. “He has worked extremely hard to be prepared. When he had the opportunities, whether it be the three starts or the other games he played in, grading the film, there was always a lot to be really encouraged about.”
Right tackle Mitchell Schwartz and running back Isaiah Crowell are among the players who support the decision to go with Manziel.
“I think we all have a good feeling that Johnny’s got a really good grasp right now, and it’s not like we’re taking a step down with him,” Schwartz said.
“I believed in him the whole time ... and anytime he’s been in, I feel like he’s made plays,” Crowell said. “So I feel like he deserves it.”
Lack of experience evident
Offensive line coach George DeLeone said rookie Cameron Erving played with great intensity in his NFL starting debut Sunday, but the 19th overall draft pick made some costly mistakes, too.
“To be fair about it, the mistakes he made were, I would say, advanced calculus,” DeLeone said. “There were some tough situations that came up that an experienced player would have done better. We love his enthusiasm. We love the way he played hard. There are a couple plays on that film you could say, ‘Wow, this guy’s going to be a really good player.’”
Extra points
• Strong safety Donte Whitner returned to practice Wednesday after missing two games with a concussion. Cornerback Joe Haden and wide receivers Andrew Hawkins and Taylor Gabriel are still out with concussions. Left guard Joel Bitonio (ankle) and defensive lineman Randy Starks (knee) also did not practice Wednesday.
• Starks, who suffered his injury Sunday, is expected to miss some time but not the rest of the season, defensive line coach Anthony Weaver said. “He’s not going to miss much time,” Weaver said. “He’s too tough.”
• Although Barkevious Mingo usually receives the least amount of playing time among the outside linebackers, his position coach, Brian Fleury, said, “He plays probably with the best effort of any of the guys in the room continuously. ... He has elite coverage skills for the position.”
• Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who came off the bench Sunday with a mid-foot sprain and torched the Browns, was named the AFC offensive player of the week. His 379 passing yards are the most in NFL history by a quarterback who did not start.
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.