BEREA, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Deshaun Watson is starting to look and feel like the player the Cleveland Browns traded for last year.
Watson is moving faster during drills and the chemistry with a retooled receiver corps has evolved quickly the last four weeks.
“I'm pretty far ahead of where I was last year,” Watson said Wednesday.
“I feel really good. The biggest thing is just the confidence level. Just knowing who I am, trusting what I do, trusting the work that I put in these past couple years to get back to this position that I'm in and have the opportunities to go out there and try to win some games and do it with the guys that we have on the field. So I'm enjoying myself, I'm having fun and just keep stacking the days.”
Watson has seemed to really have found his rhythm with newcomer Elijah Moore. Marquise Goodwin’s speed appears to have injected life into head coach Kevin Stefanski’s offense and rookie Cedric Tillman shows a little promise too. Amari Cooper is getting healthy and Donovan Peoples-Jones seems to be picking up where he left off last year.
“It’s awesome,” Watson said. “Everyone can do everything. So you never know going into a game plan or a situation what personnel we have in and what we can do out that personnel grouping. So it's awesome.”
Stefanski, who has downplayed Watson’s success during seven-on-seven drills during this minicamp because that’s the way it’s supposed to look, has been pleased with what he’s seen from No. 4.
“He's doing everything we're asking him to do,” Stefanski said. “We're trying some different things. Like, even in that last period, we made an adjustment right before the play… So it's all about trying to see what our guys can handle, see what our guys are good at, quarterback included. Right. Want to see what Deshaun is comfortable with, but he's doing a really nice job.”
The comfortability of Watson is noticeable – not just to reporters or coaches but his teammates.
“I showed up the other day and he just feels more comfortable, I think, calling plays, breaking the huddle, leading, all those things where you’re around the guys for over a year now, he’s getting more comfortable doing that kind of stuff,” left guard Joel Bitonio said. “And anytime you’re in an offense, this is our fourth year with Stefanski, there's obviously wrinkles and new things that we’re putting in, but I think everybody's continuing to get comfortable, but quarterback’s probably the most important position in sports, and so he’s feeling more comfortable and hopefully we can translate that on the field.”
Watson revealed Wednesday what had been speculated by many following the 2022 season would happen has happened – the offense has indeed been overhauled.
“Everything’s new,” Watson said.
Watson didn’t want to get too specific but what is clear is that Stefanski, Van Pelt and Watson have been putting their heads together and coming up with familiar concepts with new wrinkles that play to the quarterback’s strengths.
“I would just say just the foundation and the structure of the offense is the same, but as we build and continue to get ready for the season, everything else is new,” Watson said.
There’s nothing surprising here. If anything, it speaks to Stefanski’s willingness to evolve, a point Watson made multiple times Wednesday.
“I'm very excited,” Watson said. “It’s just a lot more responsibility for myself, but I like the weight on my shoulders and for me to be able to go out there and show what I got and help me lead this team to a lot of victories, that’s where I want to get to.”
Here are more top Brownie Bites from Wednesday in Berea.
Recruiting Hopkins – NFL Network reported that free agent receiver DeAndre Hopkins will visit the Tennessee Titans this weekend. So where do things stand with the Browns? “Really, I have no idea,” Watson said. “That’s more of an AB or Kevin question. But for me, I have no idea where that stands. But like I said last week, of course we would love to have him and we'll see how things go.” Last week at the Cleveland Browns Foundation annual golf outing Watson said he’d love a reunion with the five-time Pro Bowl wideout and had already made his pitch. So, how receptive to it was Hopkins? “Hop, me and him have always had that relationship. So me and him is locked in,” Watson said. “That's my brother. I talked to him yesterday because it was his birthday, but nothing about football, just about life and just how he can just enjoy his day and more blessings to him.”
Reunited and it feels so good – Defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson was thrilled when he found out defensive end Za’Darius Smith was joining him in Cleveland after the two played together in Minnesota the last few years. “I remember I was at home on my computer and somebody text me and was like, 'We got Za’Darius; we got Za’Darius,’” Tomlinson said Wednesday. “I was just super excited. It was like, yeah, we’re going to make some crazy stuff happen with this up front.” During minicamp, Tomlinson and Smith have been teaming up inside on some snaps, a wrinkle that we’ll likely see this season. “It’s going to be super exciting,” Tomlinson said. “I guess because some of the similar stuff we ran last year in Minnesota together with me and him running games and stuff together. Just like the chemistry’s already there between me and him.” During defensive line drills, Tomlinson and the rest of the group have turned them into competition. “I feel like if you don't have that you're not going to build a chemistry all along,” Tomlinson said. “But with the younger guys, we just bring them in as little brothers and stuff and just teach them the ropes and we all just keep working that chemistry and, just, having fun out here is the biggest thing. So as long as we’re having fun together, sweating together and grinding together, the chemistry’s going to come along great.”
Smith on The Fan – Smith joined Afternoon Drive with Nick Wilson and Dustin Fox following Wednesday’s practice. Listen to their conversation in the audio player above.
Play for 32 – Prior to former general manager John Dorsey drafting Nick Chubb in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft, Jim Brown told Dorsey how much he liked the Georgia back. “Joe Sheehan has been telling me that story since I got here. I never believed him until I got a text from Dorsey telling me that it was true after he passed away,” Chubb said. “Just hearing that, it was a blessing. He saw something in me and it’s special. I’m definitely playing for him from here on out.” Chubb ranks fourth in franchise history with 6,341 yards and is just 934 yards shy of passing Leroy Kelly for the No. 2 spot. He’s 5,972 yards shy of passing Brown for the Browns record. Like Brown did, Chubb is averaging 5.2 yards per carry. “I know it’s a big gap between when he played and I'm playing now,” Chubb said. “What he did stood for a long time, the yards, the stats, only in nine years. So it’s unbelievable what he was able to do in those in just nine years. It’s crazy.” As for what Chubb took most from the time he was able to spend with Brown prior to his passing last month, his answer was simple. “Just stand for what you believe in,” Chubb said. “He was a strong man. He stood for a lot of things and he was himself. I think that's the biggest thing I take from it – just always be true to yourself.”
Kickin’ with Cade – Cade York made five of six field goal tries during a team kicking period Wednesday. The viewing angle made tracking accurate distances difficult but another try was aborted after a snap by Charlie Hughlett was low and bounced to the holder.
Not taking a chance – The expanding legalization of sports gambling plus the growing list of players around the NFL running afoul of the league’s gambling policies has Stefanski taking time this week to review those policies with his players to prevent any of them from running afoul of the rules, and ultimately hurting the Browns chances to win this fall. “We take it really seriously,” Stefanski said. “You could ask the players. We've talked a lot about it throughout this offseason. Just because you're teaching off of things that are happening around our game and happening with other teams, and we don’t want to lose a guy for any reason. We don’t want them to get injured. We don’t want to lose a guy for breaking a rule of any sort. So you have to educate them on the rules because there is some things that are new, as you know, with sports gambling. So part of my job and our job with this organization is to educate our players.”
Winfrey woking inside – Defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey worked inside for the second straight day but is healthy according to Stefanski. “He's working inside, but not going to get into all the specifics,” Stefanski said.
Quote of the day – “My boy’s slinging that s***, huh? He's slinging that….He's locked in. The energy's there. He's, so far, I think every single ball he's thrown is precise on the money, so that excites me as well as the rest of the team, the offense. So we're all excited.” Tight end David Njoku on Watson during minicamp.
Roll call – WR Amari Cooper, LB Anthony Walker Jr., WR Jakeem Grant Sr., LB Sione Takitaki and OG Dawson Deaton worked on the side.
