LANDOVER, MARYLAND - JANUARY 01: Head coach Kevin Stefanski of the Cleveland Browns looks on against the Washington Commanders during the first half of the game at FedExField on January 01, 2023 in Landover, Maryland.Photo: Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
Amari (Cooper) and Dawand (Jones), any update? Are they expected back on the field today?
“Amari not just yet, but progressing well. And then Dawand, I didn’t get an update yet this morning, but he’s feeling better. He participated in the walkthrough yesterday, so he’s feeling better.”
Kevin, given how much Deshaun (Watson) likes to throw the ball downfield and can do so effectively, I mean, given your personnel this year, how much more of the deep ball do you think can be a weapon for you guys this season?
“Yeah, I think the deep ball is certainly a part of what we want to do, what everybody wants to do. I think there’s varying ways to get there. There’s the old school, just take five (steps) and a hitch and launch a go ball, and that’s certainly good ball when you like your matchup. Then there’s varying ways in the play action game to try to get the quarterback on the perimeter and give him time to set up and push the ball down the field. So I think it’s so dependent on what the defense is allowing you to do, and then it’s really dependent on your guys. Who do you want to put where, who do you want to put on the go ball? Who do you want to put on that deep post? On that far cross? Those type of things. So certainly will be part of what we do. How we get to it, I think, will vary.”
Given Nick’s (Chubb) ability and then Deshaun, to get outside the pocket, you would think that could be something you guys could be really effective at?
“Yeah, for sure. I mean, like we talked about the other (day), having Nick Chubb on our team, we’re obviously excited to use Nick like we have in the past few years to great success. And then defenses know that we have Nick Chubb, so they’re going to try to take him away, and that opens up things with game.”
Kevin, when you add a guy like Rodney (McLeod), how important is (to have a) guy (like that) in the room, especially with all those young guys?
“Yeah, I think over the course of time, you’ve seen us add guys that really help us on the field, and then they also help us off the field in the locker room and in those meeting rooms. I think of a guy like Malcolm Smith, who we were fortunate to have in 2020 and 2021. A veteran who had been there, done that, won a championship, and played really good football for us, maybe in a smaller role, but played good ball and provided great leadership off the field as well.
Then another guy, (the) coach in that group, Ephraim (Banda), I want to ask you about (him). What was it that you liked about him, that Jim (Schwartz) liked about him?
“You know, we were looking for a lot of things in that role, but somebody that was really a good young football coach with energy and experience, and I think Ephraim, he’s a really good coach. He came highly recommended, (we) talked to a lot of people about him. That was an expansive search when we hired Ephraim, so he won that job, and he did a nice job throughout that process. But very, very intelligent for a young coach, has really seen a lot, has been everywhere, if you will, and I think relates really well to our players.”
I know you’ve seen all your defensive linemen individually, and even some of them play, but is there a mystery there at all as to how they will fit together with Z (Za’Darius Smith) coming and Ogbo (Okoronkwo) coming, and even Dalvin (Tomlinson)?
“Yeah, I think that’s the fun part for us and for Jim and for our defensive staff is putting all those pieces together, like you mentioned. I mean, it’s not a mystery in the success that Za’Darius has had in this league, and you’ve seen what Ogbo can do. So now it’s just a matter of taking all of our guys and taking a Dalvin Tomlinson along with our established guys that have been here, and figuring out a formula that makes sense for us.”
Is that one of the main things you’re looking forward to when the pads finally get on? Because we talked in minicamp, you can’t really see exactly what they?
“I think the padded practices, the games, really the whole month of August will allow us to see how we want to deploy those guys.”
Kevin, with a number of receivers sidelined right now, do you have enough this camp to get the job done, or did you maybe pull Demetric (Felton Jr.) over?
“I think we have enough, Mary Kay (Cabot), but you’re right at (the) wide receiver position, every training camp, you start to run out of guys. So Coach (Chad) O’Shea, as you know, does a great job of getting the guys in there that need the reps, getting a lot of young guys reps. You mentioned Demetric Felton that could be something where we pulled Demetric if we need him. I don’t think we’re there just yet. Demetric’s really focusing on that running back position, and he’s doing a nice job as well.
When you evaluate Greg Newsome’s two seasons with the Browns, how much of the zero interceptions on him? How big a factor is that in the evaluation?
“I think you have to be so careful with interceptions similar to sacks. With sacks, it’s a stat that everybody uses for the defensive line and for defenses, really, for that matter. But really we’re looking at quarterback pressures, (they) are so important to us when it comes to (the) defensive line. Similarly with the secondary, you need the ball to get thrown your way in order to have an interception, and then so how many balls are coming your way? What are you doing when the ball does come your way? Are you defending the player? Are you knocking the ball away? Those type of things obviously goes without saying. We love interceptions. Our DBs love interceptions, and that’s something that’s a goal for all of our guys. But I think it can be a little bit misleading.”
Going back to Demetric for a second, the first couple of years he spent a lot of time with the receivers, not a lot of time with the running backs. Are you pleased with where he is as a running back right now or do you kind of feel like that portion of his game needs a little more polishing at this point?
“Well, first of all, he’s a good football player and he’s played both. He played both in college. I think it’s premature to say anything about what he’s done for us at running back just because we haven’t had games yet. But he’ll get plenty of reps throughout the preseason, both in practice and in games where I think we’ll see where he’s come. I mean, it’s not a new position for him because he’s played in college, but it’s new for us, so to speak.”
Kevin, you’ve been around Ogbo a little bit. Now what’s maybe something that just in getting to know him that kind of surprised you?
“I didn’t know he was a skateboarder. That’s new. We have a lot of skateboarders on this team. I’m not going to out them, but we have a bunch of guys. Ogbo, really diligent worker, does a nice job both in practice and post practice. He’s kind of the guy leading the charge and getting guys to do extra. So he’s a worker. I think he’s had an interesting career to date. As he would tell you, there’s always different paths to it, but we’re really fortunate to have him and we’re excited for what he’s going to do for our defense.”
How much going from what he was doing when he first came in with the (Los Angeles) Rams to what he’s doing now, how much of a transition?
“Yeah, he’s played in different schemes and systems. I think as we talked to him about adding him this offseason, he’s very excited about what he can do in a system like this and how we’re going to utilize him and really let him go and let him rush the passer, let him get off and disrupt blocks and those types of things. So I think he’s excited about it. But those are all conversations that we had as we’re trying to sell him on our opportunity.”
We saw Myles (Garrett) giving some tips to Alex and Isaiah during the drill. What kind of impact can that have if Myles really gives some of the knowledge and tips that he has?
“Yeah, I think you see that really at every position that’s being a great teammate is passing on some of those tips and those things that you’ve really gotten from others. I mean, that’s paying it forward. I’m sure there were guys that took Myles under their wing when he was a young player. I can picture Amari (Cooper) and Marquise (Goodwin) out here taking our young receivers through some things. So that’s what you do as a good teammate.”
With Myles, just how effortlessly he seems to go through a lot of the drills that are out here. With Jim coming in and kind of tweaking how that front line is going to operate. Guy coming off back to back, 16 sack seasons. How excited do you get as a coach knowing the impact that Myles can have, but also that increasing just by some of the changes that you guys made?
“This I mean, I think all changes, scheme to scheme, there are obviously changes. There are obviously changes, but I’d say they’re more nuanced than major. And Myles has had a lot of success for us in a four down front. He’s one on the right, on the left, inside. We talked about Nick the other day. Myles is very similar in that he can fit in any scheme, but we’ve seen him in these four down fronts to be very disruptive. So I think for us, it’s unlocking the next step for Myles like it is every player. I think any one of our players would tell you there’s more than they can give. I don’t care where they are in their career, what they’ve accomplished. I always think there’s more that they can give.”
When you say unlock the next step for him, what does that mean?
“I don’t know what exactly numbers or that type of thing, but I would just tell you that there’s no player on the field today that can’t get better. And for Myles, I think that’s the truth. It’s also a mentality. That’s why we’re out here working.”
Kevin, what does Joel (Bitonio) apart from other guards in the league?
“That’s a good question. There’s guys that you come across in your career and you watch them on tape, and as you’re watching it, you’ll say, ‘teach tape,’ and you’ll tag the play. I’m going to grab that clip and that’s going to be how we teach that technique, because he does it so well. Joel’s somebody that is constantly in game, in practice, doing it exactly the way you want it done. So he’s a teach tape player. He’s done it at a high level for a very long time. But in terms of his skill set, I don’t know that there’s many guards that have the combination of power, movement skills, the ability to pass, protect. So he’s really a guy I see a very complete player and a great person off the field as well. I mean, he’s a huge part of what we do. He’s a huge leader for this football team.”
About a month ago, Malik Jackson was on NFL Network and he kind of questioned Myles’ leadership, not on Sundays, but during the week. And I took it to mean that not practice, but meetings, he doesn’t seem to meet during the week with his teammates. Are you satisfied with that part of his work?
“I don’t know exactly what Malik said or meant. Malik’s a guy that played for us and did a great job here. I would tell you with Myles and how he leads and how he works. I think he does a really nice job. I think the young players see a guy that has come a long way, Myles he’s not a pup anymore, but he is growing into that leadership role and does a nice job of it.”