WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, West Virginia (92.3 The Fan) – Another round of storms forced the Browns to pivot again Tuesday.
One on one competition for receivers and defensive backs as well as offensive and defensive linemen as well as a strong showing from Deshaun Watson during team periods stole the show.
Here’s the top Brownie Bites from Day 5 at The Greenbrier for training camp.
Another curveball – The Browns moved practice to the afternoon due to a line of thunderstorms that blew through the area Tuesday morning. Monday they moved practice up earlier in the morning to avoid the rain, unsuccessfully.” It's just a little rain,” Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said. “It's easy for us as coaches. We just got to go to the next meeting. We don't have to be so responsible for setting up this field and setting up the video. So our group does a great job. You can't predict the weather.”
Vroomin’ Vrabel – If you watch any Browns practice, Mike Vrabel doesn’t look like a consultant. “He's awesome,” Browns executive vice president of football operations and general manager Andrew Berry said. “And we are lucky because I think we're probably on borrowed time with him, but we're going to maximize it as much as possible…. There's nothing that he hasn't seen or that he can't provide insight into.” Stefanski has had Vrabel working mostly with the offense – especially tight ends – as well as special teams. “I can bounce things off of him, helps our personnel group,” Stefanski said. “He's got a very good eye for personnel. And then I just think it's valuable to have a former defensive player, former defensive coach in the offensive meeting.” Vrabel, who will have his jersey retired by Walsh Jesuit in the fall, grew up a Browns fan. “Absolutely ate dog bones,” Vrabel said. “I don't think you were a Browns fan in middle school in northeast Ohio if you didn't try to get down a couple of those.” In between head coaching jobs after being fired by the Titans at the end of the 2023 season, Vrabel is lending his eyes, ears, football knowledge and energy on and off the field. “It's been amazing to be able to get back on the field and coach and try to help where I can,” Vrabel said. “And most importantly, learn, be a part of a great staff with some really great veteran coaches with some really great young and up and coming coaches. So wherever I can help, I'm more than willing to try to do that.” Every practice Vrabel ends up racing backup quarterback Jameis Winston. The videos of the sprints have gone viral. “We do the routes on air and after the last balls thrown, they started taking off in off season and I thought, well, it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to get these old bones moving,” Vrabel said. “So now we just try to have a little bit of fun with it and certainly those guys are trying to get their work in and focus on the timing with the receivers, but then also they're not wasting a rep and they're taking advantage of getting their conditioning in and also getting back down to the other side to where we can get going again.”
Let it rip – Deshaun Watson skipped a couple throws during some drill work, but still went through the motions of the drill while handling a full workload during 7-on-7 and 11-on-11. Watson completed all five passes during an 11-on-11 series and in a 7-on-7 red zone drill threw four consecutive touchdowns to Amari Cooper, Cedric Tillman, David Njoku and Elijah Moore respectively.
Play of the day – Backup quarterback Jameis Winston threw a bomb deep over the middle of the field that receiver Matt Landers hauled in with ease in 11-on-11.
Back to work – Offensive tackle Dawand Jones and defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. were back on the field after not practicing Monday. Cornerback Cameron Mitchell, who had missed the previous practices, took the field for the first time in West Virginia.
Roll Call – RB Nyheim Hines (NFI-knee), CB Greg Newsome II (NFI-hamstring), S D’Anthony Bell (PUP-shin), RB Nick Chubb (PUP-knee), T Jack Conklin (PUP-knee), DT Dalvin Tomlinson (PUP-knee), T Jedrick Wills Jr. (PUP-knee), CB Cameron Mitchell (right leg), OG Wyatt Davis (undisclosed), and WR Jerry Jeudy (undisclosed) did not practice.
