New offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt and defensive coordinator Joe Woods along with other assistant coaches visited him often with a list of questions about the players they’re inheriting.
“They know I know the whole team,” Priefer said Wednesday.
“I think I have eased that transition from the coaching staff perspective.”
Priefer was one of three holdovers from last year’s staff – run game coordinator/running backs coach Stump Mitchell and assistant special teams coach Doug Coleman were also retained by Stefanski.
His history with Stefanski in Minnesota certainly helped keep him in Cleveland. So did the performance of his unit on the field, which showed marked improvement from what he inherited following the 2018 season.
Priefer isn’t looking back. He’s looking forward and what it will take for the special teams unit to take more steps forward, starting with his two young kickers – punter Jamie Gillan and place kicker Austin Seibert.
“We have a long way to go,” Priefer said. “Our young kicker and punter, our young guys have to improve in Year 2. Some of the things that maybe are not allowed to happen but we did not get it as much of hitting a sub-par punt or missing a PAT, which are obviously unacceptable, we have to make sure that stuff does not happen again.
“We are going to be more consistent. We are going to be stronger. We are going to be better kicking PATs and field goals and better situational punting.”
Seibert made 25 of 29 field goals, including 15 for 15 inside 39 yards, and 31 of 35 PATs while Gillan’s gross punting average was 46.2 yards and his net 41.6. He was able to down 28 punts inside the 20.
“The big thing I stress is what I just said – consistency,” Priefer said. “They did so many good things. There is a reason why they made our football team. There is a reason why they won those jobs. If you are not going to be most consistent, then have to start making our list and looking elsewhere. I do not think we are there yet. We are not even close to being there yet.
“There are always going to be young men, young kickers and punters behind them that are on the street that are willing to do whatever it takes to get on a NFL team. If they look it that way and they push themselves in a positive direction, then I think we are going to be OK because they do have the talent to do all the things that we are asking them to do.”
The Browns ranked 17th in punt return average, fifth in kick returns, 18th in net punting average and fourth in field goal percentage.
“Our return games have to improve immensely. I think we have a long way to go there,” Priefer said.“I think our two young returners did a good job. Our two running backs did a good job last year for us for the most part. Whether we continue to get them developed or we bring in new return man, that remains to be seen, but at the end of the day, we have to improve the return unit, as well.”
Priefer’s message Wednesday afternoon was essentially a refresher of what he said when it was announced he would be retained – unfinished business.
Mistakes made a year ago – be it in the kicking or return game – can’t be repeated in 2020.
“We have to take advantage of our stadium,” Priefer said. “We have to not miss PATs in the Dawg Pound end. We have to make everything. We have to make sure our opponents miss on that end like we have talked about for. I am excited about where we are, but I am really excited about the future.”