BEREA: Browns rookie cornerback Charles Gaines loves a good challenge, so when defensive coordinator Jim O’Neil gave him an ultimatum two months ago demanding he lose weight, the sixth-round draft pick knew he would respond well.
Gaines lost about 20 pounds in about three or four weeks, rehabilitated a hamstring injury that led him to injured reserve with a designation to return and now he’s on the verge of making his NFL regular-season debut Sunday when the Browns (2-7) visit the Pittsburgh Steelers (5-4).
“The real wake-up call was when Coach Jim O’Neil just called me out in front of the whole defense and told me, ‘Since you’re on IR right now, when you come back, if you ain’t in shape or you didn’t lose weight, you ain’t going to be here,’ ” Gaines said. “So I went back to competing. He gave me a goal.”
After a rough start to training camp, Gaines had a promising preseason but suffered a hamstring injury during the third exhibition game Aug. 29 and landed on short-term IR on Sept. 7. He was activated Tuesday.
“He’s back to his weight which he was at the combine,” O’Neil said. “He looks faster, looks leaner, quicker. He’s going to be a part of our game plan this week. He’s a guy that I hated to put on that IR-designated to return because he was playing so well at the end of training camp.”
Browns coach Mike Pettine said Pierre Desir will likely start opposite Tramon Williams in place of two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Joe Haden, who has been ruled out with a concussion for the second consecutive game.
The 5-foot-10, 180-pound Gaines is expected to be a factor, though.
Pettine said Gaines has primarily practiced as a nickel corner covering the slot, but there are some packages in which he’d play on the outside, too.
That flexibility has the coaching staff excited about the University of Louisville product.
“He can blitz. He can play man coverage. He’s got inside and outside versatility, meaning he can play outside corner or he can play inside at the nickel, so he gives us some depth at both those spots,” O’Neil said. “He’s competitive. You like his attitude. He just brings something. He’s charismatic. He’s not scared to talk a little trash and put himself out there. He just brings a different element to that group.”
Gaines is obsessed with competition. He’s always competing, even when he’s away from the football field.
Cleaning duels with his mother, Tonjay, are a common occurrence.
“I’ll clean my bathroom. You clean your bathroom,” Gaines explained. “She’ll come back like, ‘You didn’t do this right. You didn’t sweep behind the door. If you’re going to do a job, finish that.’ We’d compete at that. I’d pay attention to the good things she did like washing dishes, how she washed dishes, a different sponge, she didn’t use the same sponge more than a few times.”
He also chases and races daughters Chelsey, 3, and Melady, 1.
“Especially my oldest daughter,” Gaines said. “She wants to run track.”
Whether he’s sprinting at home or trying to cover speedster Travis Benjamin at practice, Gaines is much faster now than he was before he lost the weight O’Neil told him to drop. An admitted fan of cheeseburgers, fries and milkshakes, Gaines is eating better, sleeping more and ready for his first real NFL action.
“I’m back to me,” Gaines said. “Quick, explosive, now I can make more plays.”
Injury updates
In addition to Haden, the Browns have ruled out starting strong safety Donte Whitner (concussion) and starting left guard Joel Bitonio (ankle).
Rookie Ibraheim Campbell is expected to start in place of Whitner for the second consecutive game. Campbell (hamstring) is listed as questionable, but he said Wednesday he would be able to face the Steelers.
Rookie Cameron Erving, a first-round draft pick, will start in place of Bitonio. It’ll be his first NFL regular-season start.
Starting free safety Tashaun Gipson missed practice Friday with an illness. He’s listed as questionable along with backup free safety Jordan Poyer (shoulder).
Asked Friday if the Browns would have enough at safety on Sunday, Campbell said, “There’s only three of us, right? We’ve got to [play]. We don’t even have a choice, so we’ve got to be ready to go.”
Pettine also said the team is optimistic Gipson will be ready for the Steelers.
“We’re hopeful that it’s minor enough,” Pettine said of Gipson’s illness. “I didn’t get a lot of details on it. I just know he came in this morning under the weather.”
The Steelers ruled out linebackers Terence Garvin (knee) and James Harrison (knee), tight end Matt Spaeth (knee) and safety Shamarko Thomas (knee).
Another debut
Third-string running back Glenn Winston is expected to make his 2015 debut with the Browns on Sunday. He was activated Tuesday after spending all season on the reserve/non-football injury list. He had an arthroscopic knee surgery on Aug. 6.
“I know he’s going to have a big role for [special teams coordinator Chris Tabor] in his first game,” Pettine said. “From a running back standpoint, we’ll likely handle the reps between [Isaiah Crowell and rookie Duke Johnson], and I could see Glenn getting some spot duty if necessary.”
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.