BEREA, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Through eight practices, there hasn’t been a day where No. 11 didn’t make a play.
Friday was no different.
Donovan Peoples-Jones continued his impressive training camp with another explosive play – fighting through a Greedy Williams holding penalty to haul in a deep ball from Baker Mayfield during 7-on-7 and take it to the house.
“I feel pretty good,” Peoples-Jones said prior to practice when asked about his fast start in camp.
With Odell Beckham Jr.’s on-field work being limited by the team as to not overwork their star receiver coming off a torn ACL last October, Peoples-Jones has seized the spotlight with his speed and hands.
“He has done a nice job,” head coach Kevin Stefanski said. “Physically, when he showed up on campus here, he was ready to roll and looked great. Worked very hard in the offseason. He has been productive in practice, catching balls that are coming to him. Probably the most impressive thing is special teams – running around returning kicks and covering kicks. He is an all-day guy right now.”
The Browns found Peoples-Jones in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft leaving some to ask after watching him on the field, ‘How on earth did that happen?’
“I am not an evaluator,” the Michigan product said. “I am not sure.”
As a rookie, Peoples-Jones had just 14 catches for 304 yards and two touchdowns in limited opportunities but in year two, if training camp is any indication, he’s carving out a role to factor into the offense a lot more.
Fight through it – Cornerback Greedy Williams’ shoulder still isn’t 100% but he’s getting closer each day and is facing no restrictions in camp on contact or time on the field.
Williams, who spent his offseason rehabbing the injury which included a problem with a nerve in his shoulder, is back in pads and getting regular team reps, a monumental step for the 2019 second-round pick.
“I'm a fighter,” Williams said prior to Friday’s practice. “I ain't going down unless it's a fight. It's kind of what I figured out about myself. I'm just going to keep fighting through this injury and see how far I get.”
Williams is competing for a starting job with Greg Newsome II, picked 26th overall in April, during camp and maintains he wasn’t surprised or upset at the selection.
“Great pick,” Williams said. “We need depth.”
Step on it – Running back Nick Chubb made the play of the day in 11-on-11 team work Friday.
Chubb took a handoff from Mayfield, went off left tackle, dodged a defender and hit the gas up the far sideline for 64 yards and a touchdown.
Made you flinch – Defensive end Myles Garrett caused left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. to false start. On the very next play beat Wills and would’ve had a sack of Mayfield.
Pick me – Cornerback Brian Allen, buried on the depth chart in the secondary, ended an 11-on-11 series by picking off third-string QB Kyle Lauletta and returning it for a touchdown.
Roster move – The Browns waived running back Tre Harbison with an injury designation and signed running back Corey Taylor II to take his place.
Harbison was carted off Wednesday and evaluated for a concussion.
Taylor is a 2021 undrafted rookie out of Tulsa who had 2,034 yards and 26 touchdowns in college.
Injury report – LB Tony Fields II (foot), S Ronnie Harrison Jr. (hamstring), LB Montrel Meander (hamstring), S Sheldrick Redwine (ankle), WR Anthony Schwartz (hamstring), LB Anthony Walker Jr. (knee).
Puppy pound counter – Four more puppies were adopted Friday bringing the 2021 camp total to 31. Since the program’s launch in 2015, 603 puppies from the Northeast Ohio Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) have been adopted by Browns fans at training camp.
Up next – Practice Saturday afternoon at 2:25.
