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Brownie Bites: Deshaun Watson has keys to offense; Grant Delpit injured at practice

BEREA, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Moments after head coach Kevin Stefanski indicated his intention to practice in the rain, the lightning detection siren sounded, and practice was closed and moved indoors.

Players worked in pads and much of practice was scout team style with the offense and defense working off cards so there is not a lot to glean from whatever “highlight” plays were made because many of them did not come during full speed competition.


Here’s our Top Brownie Bites from what was a Thursday practice on a Wednesday.

Grabbing the keys – As Deshaun Watson enters his second year with the Browns, but first full season, his comfort level with the offense continues to grow and show during practice. “AVP and Kevin gave me the keys and they’re letting me control a lot of things that we do on the field,” Watson said. “Me understanding this offense, understanding what they want to do and what schemes that we want to do in the run game and the passing game and then just being able to build that trust and build that ownership of taking control of the offense and being on the field and being that coach and player at the same time. So all that stuff is just keep stacking and building that trust and we have another opportunity this weekend to continue to build up.” Watson and most starters will see 20-25 snaps Saturday at Kansas City. “I’m excited to get out there with the guys to kind of get my routine going to prep up for the season and just go out there and compete,” Watson said. “That’s the ultimate goal is to compete and go out there and try to help the team, whatever I can do to have successful drives and put points on the board.” In his only drive against the Commanders Watson pulled it down and ran three times to pick up 20 yards. Preseason or not, he doesn’t discriminate when it comes to trying to make plays. “When I step on the football field, I don’t think about if I should run or not should run just because it’s preseason,” Watson said. “When you’re out there, you're competing. Everyone’s competing for a job, everyone’s competing to be successful. So when I’m out there I just let my instincts take over and I’m not trying to win the Super Bowl, but at the same time I want to go out there and compete and be successful for the team.” With the preseason comes annual quarterback rankings and Watson has been left out of the top tier in many of them, something he understands and will not allow himself to get upset about. “I stay focused on what I got to do and control what I can control,” Watson said. “The rankings, there’s always a rankings each and every year. So at the end of the day you can’t focus on that because that ranking is always changing. And for me, I mean, I missed two years of football, so I mean I shouldn’t be in those rankings to be honest. If you’re asking me, I haven’t played ball, I haven’t played enough football the last two years to even be up there. So I’ve got to go out there and prove and show what I’ve got to do to get back in those conversations.”

Delpit down – Safety grant Delpit is day-to-day with an arm injury after suffering it following a collision away from the ball with receiver Jalen Wayne. You could hear a pin drop inside Casey Coleman Fieldhouse while trainers attended to Delpit but he was able to get up and walk off with them as his teammates applauded. Delpit, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract, appears poised for a breakout season.

David v Goliath – Myles Garrett going against Jedrick Wills in practice is just an unfair fight that has seen the four-time Pro Bowl defensive end dominate daily. Wills seems to know it too. “There’s always a reason why he’ll win, but I mean, he’s just good at what he does,” Wills said. “But you just have to look at the things that I do well and what I can fix to put myself in a better position to block him.” Stefanski explained how he looks at and evaluates those reps. “I think it’s great work for [Wills],” Stefanski said. “We judge all the work that we get. It’s not just the work that he gets versus Myles, but he’s going up against an All-Pro caliber player every day, which will only make him better.”

Grant-ed a spot? – It sure seems like Jakeem Grant is going to make the team as the Browns returner and sixth or seventh receiver despite the NFL altering the kickoff return rules to add a fair catch outside the goal line to put the ball at the 25. Stefanski doesn’t need to see Grant get offensive snaps this weekend. “Jakeem will get return kicks and punts in this game, so we’ll get some live reps of him doing that,” Stefanski said. “But you know, we value the return game. I don’t know that anybody understands how the new rule is going to affect the number of returns. I think it’s way too early to say. I think we all kind of have our guesses on how that might go, but we definitely value the return game.”

Tight squeeze – Regardless what is said publicly – and that is that football operations hasn’t asked for or said they needed one, the Browns desperately need a full-size indoor facility. First, the weight room remains in the field house, taking up valuable real estate and leaving the team with 60 or so yards to work with indoors. Running backs coach Stump Mitchell got taken out on the sideline and luckily was unharmed after a defender bumped a receiver out of bounds. Then cornerback Denzel Ward had to dodge tackling dummies before avoiding the cinderblock wall after running down to deflect a pass. It’s not a safe environment and the Haslams need to make this a priority. There are high schools in northeast Ohio that have full size indoor facilities, yet the NFL club doesn’t in 2023.

Roster move – Cornerback Chris Westry was waived prior to practice.

That’s a wrap – Thursday’s practice is the final one open to fans.

Roll call – WR Marquise Goodwin, CB Cameron Mitchell, OT Tyrone Wheatley Jr. and TE Harrison Bryant worked on the side. WR Anthony Schwartz, WR Michael Woods II, RB Jerome Ford, DE Isiah Thomas, G Wes Martin, G Drew Forbes and DE Alex Wright did not practice.