BEREA, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Browns defensive end Takkarist McKinley remains away from the team due to personal reasons.
It is unclear when McKinley, who signed a one-year, $4.25 million contract in March, will return.
“I just do not have a timeframe yet, but I can’t really get too far into it,” head coach Kevin Stefanski said prior to Saturday’s practice.
McKinley left practice on back-to-back days – July 30 and 31 – due to illness. He did not return to practice this week and on Friday Stefanski reveled he was excused for personal reasons.
Stefanski was also unsure if McKinley would be back in time to be ready for the season opener Sept. 12 at Kansas City.
“I am hopeful, but I do not have a timeframe,” Stefanski said.
Light day – Stefanski indicated he planned to bring the temp down Saturday, especially the second half of practice, and he wasn’t joking.
Saturday’s practice was one of the lighter one’s we’ve seen this camp with most of the second half of the session at a walk-through pace without pads.
The Browns will practice Sunday at noon at FirstEnergy Stadium, which is expected to feature plenty of situational work.
Human after all – For the first time this camp, second-year receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones had a tough day at the office.
Peoples-Jones came close to hauling in a deep ball from Baker Mayfield up the near side with Greedy Williams in tight coverage, but he couldn’t bring it in. He dropped another pass from Mayfield and had another knocked from his hands by cornerback Kiondre Thomas.
OBJ’s plan – During lulls in practice Odell Beckham Jr. and Mayfield have been working together on routes.
“There is great value in the work those guys are getting,” Stefanski said. “It is scripted. The coaches know exactly what throws they want to get an in what order. Those two, that battery has gotten a ton of great reps over there.”
Beckham has been held out of team drills as the team remains cautious not to push him too hard.
“We are just taking in all the advice of the medical team and Odell himself, and just making sure we do this the right way,” Stefanski said.
Uninvited – After having to take a year off, the quarterback RV has returned to the player’s lot. Mayfield uses it as a private getaway for quarterbacks and select teammates during camp.
“I did not get an invite to that either,” Stefanski said.
The RV, which debuted during Mayfield’s rookie season in 2018 and returned in 2019, was unable to be used last year due to COVID health and safety protocols.
Weight loss plan – Defensive tackle Andrew Billings went to Atlanta to get himself ready for training camp where he dropped 20 pounds.
“I went down south, back to the heat, and I lost it in about five weeks,” Billings said.
Billings is one of the strongest members of the team. In high school he deadlifted 705, squatted 805 and benched 500.
Billings, who suffers from asthma, admitted that he struggled with the decision whether or not to opt out last year during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It was really nerve-wracking especially when it got down to the wire,” Billings, who is vaccinated, said. “Coming out here, I was a little nervous just about getting back on the field, and I was nervous about putting on the pads. So far so good. I am back in the groove.”
Injury report – LB Tony Fields II (foot), S Ronnie Harrison Jr. (hamstring), WR Alexander Hollins (hamstring), LB Montrel Meander (hamstring), S Sheldrick Redwine (ankle), WR Anthony Schwartz (hamstring), LB Anthony Walker Jr. (knee) did not practice due to injury.
Puppy pound counter – Seven more puppies were adopted Saturday bringing the 2021 camp total to 38. Since the program’s launch in 2015, 610 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 – Orange & Brown Practice at FirstEnergy Stadium, noon-2 p.m.