Cleveland Browns Training Camp Report - Day 7
The Browns came out in shells on this hot Saturday afternoon and, for the most part, looked like a team that wanted to take a second day off.
Myles Garrett returned to action and looked fast and agile -- with no lasting effects of the reported hamstring injury. Nick Chubb returned as well, looking no less like Nick Chubb.
Coming off a day 6 practice that looked every bit designed to give Baker and the offense some much-needed confidence, the offense (and particularly Baker and Jedrick Wills) again looked ragged today.
Baker's early camp struggles.
It is too soon to panic. This is an entirely new offense, and the team has been on the field only one week to execute it. The scheme seems well-suited to Baker's skill set. Stefanski promises a heavy dose of Chubb and Hunt (both as runners and receivers), a tight-end focus in the passing game (with quick high-percentage throws down the seam), and will mix in play action and quarterback boots. Baker will not be asked to drop back in the pocket and scan the defense -- something he struggled to do consistently last season.
Stefanski's plan is what the plan should be for all young quarterbacks -- what McVay and Pederson did for Goff and Wentz -- keep it simple and provide first read success. It's what we thought Kitchens would continue to do from the second half of 2018. To date, however, it has yet to translate for Baker.
Let's begin with the good. There was a beautiful play where Baker faked a hand-off to the left, booted out to his right and threw back across his body to a wide open Austin Hooper for an easy touchdown. That is the promise of this offense and takes advantage of Baker's good mobility and his plus arm. It was the aberration on Saturday, however.
More emblematic of the day was the play where Myles Garrett blew past Jedrick Wills to tap Baker and Baker extended the play, only to throw an interception to B.J. Goodson. There was also a disastrous 7-7 session where Baker looked as bad as any quarterback this team has seen since 1999.
Remember, this is a defense that is subpar in linebacker pass coverage -- especially without Mack Wilson. Additionally, with Kevin Johnson sidelined, a player that the Jaguars recently cut is playing the role of the slot corner. In 7 on 7's an offense has such an advantage that the ball should seldom touch the ground. Instead, it seldom found a receiver.
When Baker wasn't throwing an extended hand off to Chubb or Hunt, his throws were routinely off-target. Most of the throws were high. Others were wide. Baker looked frustrated. With the exception of Day 6, where Stefanski gave Baker the 1's against the 2's and 3's (and by this I mean OBJ against guys who will not make the team), this has been the norm.
If Baker and the offense built any positive momentum during day 6 of practice, they took two giant steps back on day 7.
A boy among men.
Jedrick Wills continued to struggle mightily in pass protection. If anyone can remember what Shon Coleman looked like lining up across from Myles Garrett, Wills' debut looked worse.
To some degree, that is expected. Garrett has a size/speed/bend attributes that Wills has likely never seen before. At the same time, he's being asked to retrain his muscle memory to do the mirror image of what he's used to doing. He now has one week of doing it at full speed. Nevertheless, it is concerning. All comers have had their way with Wills so far: it's not just Myles. Can Wills be ready for the Ravens?
Wills has something going for him that doesn't show up in these practices. He is a mauler in the run game. With a higher percentage of running plays, play action, and moving the pocket for Baker, the offense may be able to compensate for Wills while he learns on the job. It will also likely require the Browns to identify a tight end who can consistently help Wills in pass protection. That doesn't seem to be the strong suit of either Njoku or Bryant.
To a large degree, Wills and the Browns have been placed at a severe disadvantage by the loss of much of the offseason program. To their credit, they are not making excuses. But don't expect to be spared some growing pains for Wills and the offense as a whole during the early part of the schedule.
The overall feel of Day 7's practice.
The practice did not feel crisp or even particularly productive. When the offense struggles, it is often cause to praise the defense. Today if felt more like self-inflicted harm. The practice slowed down to the point where the offense and defense began practicing against air and running plays at half speed. It was what you might expect for a practice of a college all-star game -- not one of the few essential practices the team has left to prepare itself to open against the division-champion Ravens.
I'm very bullish on the moves his team made during the offseason. But my seven-day impression of training camp has slapped me back to a harsh reality: this team will be among the teams most hurt by the lack of a regular offseason. That is not an excuse -- it is realism. Also it's hard to ignore that they also are not a deep team on defense beyond the front 4 (and even then they have been hurt by a Billings opt-out).
If the team starts slowly, Cleveland fans should practice patience. The hope is that if healthy and schemed up properly the Browns will be able to outscore its opponents more often than not and make a playoff push. Nobody should expect everything to be running like clockwork on week one, however. If you do, you will likely be disappointed.
Injuries.
Donovan Peoples-Jones left practice with trainers during the special teams portion of the team practice and did not return. KhaDarel Hodge (personal), Kevin Johnson (liver), Robert McCray (eye), David Njoku (wrist), Larry Ogunjobi (groin), Damion Ratley (groin) and JC Tretter (knee) did not practice.
Myles Garrett returned to action and looked fast and agile -- with no lasting effects of the reported hamstring injury. Nick Chubb returned as well, looking no less like Nick Chubb.
Coming off a day 6 practice that looked every bit designed to give Baker and the offense some much-needed confidence, the offense (and particularly Baker and Jedrick Wills) again looked ragged today.
Baker's early camp struggles.
It is too soon to panic. This is an entirely new offense, and the team has been on the field only one week to execute it. The scheme seems well-suited to Baker's skill set. Stefanski promises a heavy dose of Chubb and Hunt (both as runners and receivers), a tight-end focus in the passing game (with quick high-percentage throws down the seam), and will mix in play action and quarterback boots. Baker will not be asked to drop back in the pocket and scan the defense -- something he struggled to do consistently last season.
Stefanski's plan is what the plan should be for all young quarterbacks -- what McVay and Pederson did for Goff and Wentz -- keep it simple and provide first read success. It's what we thought Kitchens would continue to do from the second half of 2018. To date, however, it has yet to translate for Baker.
Let's begin with the good. There was a beautiful play where Baker faked a hand-off to the left, booted out to his right and threw back across his body to a wide open Austin Hooper for an easy touchdown. That is the promise of this offense and takes advantage of Baker's good mobility and his plus arm. It was the aberration on Saturday, however.
More emblematic of the day was the play where Myles Garrett blew past Jedrick Wills to tap Baker and Baker extended the play, only to throw an interception to B.J. Goodson. There was also a disastrous 7-7 session where Baker looked as bad as any quarterback this team has seen since 1999.
Remember, this is a defense that is subpar in linebacker pass coverage -- especially without Mack Wilson. Additionally, with Kevin Johnson sidelined, a player that the Jaguars recently cut is playing the role of the slot corner. In 7 on 7's an offense has such an advantage that the ball should seldom touch the ground. Instead, it seldom found a receiver.
 |
| Baker wildly overthrowing a ball to Hooper during 7 on 7 drills |
If Baker and the offense built any positive momentum during day 6 of practice, they took two giant steps back on day 7.
A boy among men.
 |
| Jedrick Wills trying to speed the learning curve in Berea |
Jedrick Wills continued to struggle mightily in pass protection. If anyone can remember what Shon Coleman looked like lining up across from Myles Garrett, Wills' debut looked worse.
To some degree, that is expected. Garrett has a size/speed/bend attributes that Wills has likely never seen before. At the same time, he's being asked to retrain his muscle memory to do the mirror image of what he's used to doing. He now has one week of doing it at full speed. Nevertheless, it is concerning. All comers have had their way with Wills so far: it's not just Myles. Can Wills be ready for the Ravens?
Wills has something going for him that doesn't show up in these practices. He is a mauler in the run game. With a higher percentage of running plays, play action, and moving the pocket for Baker, the offense may be able to compensate for Wills while he learns on the job. It will also likely require the Browns to identify a tight end who can consistently help Wills in pass protection. That doesn't seem to be the strong suit of either Njoku or Bryant.
To a large degree, Wills and the Browns have been placed at a severe disadvantage by the loss of much of the offseason program. To their credit, they are not making excuses. But don't expect to be spared some growing pains for Wills and the offense as a whole during the early part of the schedule.
The overall feel of Day 7's practice.
The practice did not feel crisp or even particularly productive. When the offense struggles, it is often cause to praise the defense. Today if felt more like self-inflicted harm. The practice slowed down to the point where the offense and defense began practicing against air and running plays at half speed. It was what you might expect for a practice of a college all-star game -- not one of the few essential practices the team has left to prepare itself to open against the division-champion Ravens.
I'm very bullish on the moves his team made during the offseason. But my seven-day impression of training camp has slapped me back to a harsh reality: this team will be among the teams most hurt by the lack of a regular offseason. That is not an excuse -- it is realism. Also it's hard to ignore that they also are not a deep team on defense beyond the front 4 (and even then they have been hurt by a Billings opt-out).
If the team starts slowly, Cleveland fans should practice patience. The hope is that if healthy and schemed up properly the Browns will be able to outscore its opponents more often than not and make a playoff push. Nobody should expect everything to be running like clockwork on week one, however. If you do, you will likely be disappointed.
Injuries.
Donovan Peoples-Jones left practice with trainers during the special teams portion of the team practice and did not return. KhaDarel Hodge (personal), Kevin Johnson (liver), Robert McCray (eye), David Njoku (wrist), Larry Ogunjobi (groin), Damion Ratley (groin) and JC Tretter (knee) did not practice.
Cleveland Browns Training Camp Report - Day 7
Reviewed by AT Dawgger
on
11:38 AM
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Reviewed by AT Dawgger
on
11:38 AM
Rating:
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