BEREA, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski did not have much in the way of an update on injured linebacker Mack Wilson Wednesday.
Wilson suffered what appeared to be a hyperextended knee during Tuesday’s practice and was carted off the field.
Stefanski didn’t want to speculate on the timetable or severity of the injury.
“I feel for him,” Stefanski said. “I talked to him [Tuesday] night. I don't know the extent and how long it will be, but I'll just defer to the medical staff.”
The Browns linebacker corps was thin in experience to begin with, and losing Wilson would be a significant blow, but Stefanski is confident the young players – Tae Davis, Solomon Ajayi, Sione Takitaki, Willie Harvey and Montrel Meander – will be able to step up, and step in.
Takitaki showed up in a big way during Wednesday's practice with a couple of run stops in the backfield during 11-on-11 work.
“I think there is a lot of good youth out there and I think there are some really athletic players, and we are excited about those guys,” Stefanski said. “Do not feel good about the injury to Mack and feel for him, but at the same time, that is what happens in this game, and it opens up opportunities for others. I would not necessarily say one person over the other at this moment.”
Veteran linebacker B.J. Goodson, signed this offseason to a one-year deal, is the most experienced player at the position.
“Just have to keep leading them and steering them in the right direction,” Goodson said. “With not having the experience of a guy like myself, just have to keep pounding and grinding a day at a time with them and let them know that the little things are not big in the end result.”
The struggle is real – There have been very few highlights for Baker Mayfield and the offense through three padded practices, then again, it’s the first week and they’re still in an install/teaching phase.
With Jarvis Landry inactive and Odell Beckham Jr. limited Wednesday, Mayfield and the first team continues to look like they’ve not spent much time together.
“You can have as many virtual meetings as you want, but until you physically get out there and do it, you are going to make mistakes,” Stefanski said. “Our big thing is we like to identify and correct. Some of the best teaching moments are when someone does something wrong, and you get to teach off of it.”
Mayfield appeared to be frustrated following his first series that saw him get virtually sacked twice and on the first play of his second team drill his deep ball intended for David Njoku sailed over the tight end’s head and into the waiting arms of safety Andrew Sendejo for an easy interception.
The ball seemed to sail a bit for Mayfield during the first half of practice before he settled in during the second half of the afternoon.
Despite the struggles offensively, and the appearance that the defense is ahead, Stefanski made it clear winning the day is not on the priority list as they continue the on-field install of their systems on both sides of the ball.
“We are really teaching systems on either side so our coaches are not scheming against each other,” Stefanski said. “I want our guys to compete every play, obviously, take every rep and try to win their one on one, but at the end of the day, we are truly teaching on either side and not trying to determine who is winning practice.”
Sack attack – Defensive end Porter Gustin is making the most of his opportunity after getting bumped up Tuesday with the first team defense.
Gustin blew around the edge twice to record virtual sacks of Mayfield during the first 11-on-11 series of the afternoon.
Play of the day – It took nearly three practices in pads, but we finally got an offensive touchdown from the first-team unit late in practice during an 11-on-11 session.
Mayfield rolled to the right off play action, the defense bit, and he threw a perfect strike to a tightly covered Donovan Peoples-Jones in the end zone.
Forget play of the day, it might be the offensive highlight of camp. There have not been many of them this week.
Beard barbs – Backup quarterback Case Keenum and Stefanski have history from 2017 with the Vikings and the two traded playful jabs during Zoom video conference calls Wednesday with Keenum delivering the first shot when asked about the difference between his former position now head coach then and now.
“Yeah, there is one thing about Kevin that was not there,” Keenum said. “I always say I do not like to see a guy change very much from being a position coach to head coach, and he said he has a lot more gray in his beard. I am trying to catch him a little bit and mine are catching up here.
“He has a lot more salt than pepper in his beard these days.”
Stefanski credits Keenum for the salt.
“Because I spent time with him, that is where all these grays in my beard come from,” Stefanski said.
Puppy pound counter – A total of 37 puppies have ben adopted from the northeast Ohio SPCA. Since the program’s launch in 2015 there have been 532 adoptions.
Injury report – RB Nick Chubb (concussion), DE Myles Garrett (hamstring), P Jamie Gillan (illness), S Karl Joseph (foot), WR Jarvis Landry (hip), DT Larry Ogunjobi (groin), WR Damion Ratley (groin), C JC Tretter (knee) and LB Mack Wilson (knee).