CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Browns have another week before organized team activities begin, and have had almost a week to process and analyze the schedule release. But there’s still plenty to kick around even in this relatively quiet week.
The Browns are in the third and final week of Phase Two of the voluntary offseason, with on-field workouts that may include, according to Article 21 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, individual or group instruction and drills, as well as “perfect play drills,” and drills and plays with offensive players lining up across from offensive players and defensive players lining up across from defensive players, conducted at a walk-through pace. No live contact or team offense vs. team defense drills are permitted.
Phase Three consists of the next four weeks of the program, during which teams may conduct up to 10 days of organized team practice activities, or OTAs. 11-on-11s, 9-on-7s and 7-on-7s are permitted for the first time (except for rookie minicamp when all were permitted) and no live contact allowed.
The offseason workouts have been closed to the media to this point, but will be open for OTA No. 2 on May 28, and OTA No. 5 on June 4. The mandatory full-squad minicamp June 10-12 will also be open.
In the meantime, here are 10 things I think about the schedule, OTAs, the tush push, and more:
**1\. The early gauntlet in the schedule**
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Not only did the NFL not give the Browns any prime time games this season — one of three teams with that dubious distinction — they inserted a poison pill in the first half of the schedule that they must survive to remain in the hunt in the second half.
It’s a grueling stretch of 5-of-6 games on the road from Week 4 to Week 9 that can easily make or break them if they’re not ready to be road warriors from the jump.
After their tough opening at home against the Bengals and on the road vs. the Ravens, the Browns embark on a road-centric stretch in Week 4 at Detroit, in London to face the Vikings, at Pittsburgh, at New England, and at the New York Jets.
The game at Huntington Bank Field in that span is a visit by the Dolphins in Week 7. Granted, the Browns have a bye on Nov. 2 before the final road game of that stretch at the Jets, but their season could be over by then if they’re not prepared for the noise, adversity and challenges of the cold and lonely road.
That’s why it’s imperative the Browns settle on their starting quarterback as early as possible in camp, and why it should probably be a veteran.
**2\. The home stretch**
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If the Browns do survive that first-half gut check, they’ll have five of their last eight at home. But their final three games will be an enormous test if they’re still fighting for a wild card spot at that point.
They finish against the Bills, Steelers and Bengals, meaning it could be Josh Allen, Aaron Rodgers (if he signs with the Steelers) and Joe Burrow, unless the Bengals can rest Burrow in the finale.
But powering through those 5-of-6 road games is the key.
**3\. The Browns voted to keep the tush push**
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I don’t like the tush push, which survived another year after 10 NFL teams voted against banning it, because I don’t feel like it’s a real NFL play. But the Browns voted against the ban because of their close ties with the Eagles, which Kevin Stefanski indicated at the NFL Annual Meeting in March they’d do.
“The quarterback sneak is the most effective play,” he said then. “It’s 1 yard to go. Whether you push or not, I think that’s part of our game that’s never going away. We had Jacoby (Brissett) a couple years, he was outstanding on sneaks. He didn’t want to be pushed. He said get everybody away from me. So I think there’s elements when you do have those pushes in there, you’re not allowing the quarterback to pick the ball up and sneak over to the C gap to the right, sneak over to the C gap to the left.
“So if you do do that, you’re kind of saying, we’re going one way. You have played now as teams try to sell out and stop that play. You have perimeter plays that have come off of that. You’ve seen that over the course of time. So to eliminate a quarterback sneak from getting pushed, I don’t know that it’s something that needs to be legislated out of the game. The injury that is not there for it. So I would be in favor of keeping the rules as they are. You’re welcome Coach (Nick) Sirianni.”
The Browns will conduct two joint practices against the Eagle before the their preseason game in Philly in Week 2, and might have a chance to experience the Brotherly Shove firsthand. Butt who knows?
**4\. Will new offensive line coach Mike Bloomgren tush push?**
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Bloomgren is known for his innovative and aggressive style, and might want to incorporate the tush push this season.
“We’ve run a lot of quarterback sneaks over the years,” Stefanski said at the meetings. “We’ve done it, I mentioned Jacoby, Harrison Bryant. So the quarterback sneak is something that we believe in. Whether we push or not, doesn’t change the mechanics a lot, very much. But Coach Blum, if you’re around an offensive line coach that loves to sneak and wedge and come off the ball, coach Blum understands the job. He understands what’s entailed there. I think he’s excited about coaching the technique and then we’ll see how we get out from these meetings. So what’s allowed and what’s not.”
**5\. Dawand Jones participating in the offseason program is a great sign**
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Jones excelled in his three-game tryout at left tackle last season before suffering his broken fibula, and has the inside track to the start at the position. He’s not only out there practicing already coming off the surgery, but he’s kept his weight under control and he looks good. If for some reason he’s not ready, the Browns have journeyman swing tackle Cornelius Lucas, a free agent pickup, waiting in the wings. He’s started 54 of his 129 NFL games over 11 seasons.
**6\. Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel already learning a lot from the vets**
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One silver lining to the quarterback competition: rookie quarterbacks Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders have plenty of veterans to learn from, and are taking advantage of it already in the offseason program. In addition to Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett, they have Deshaun Watson in every meeting to ask questions of and learn from.
Some rookie QBs might have only one vet’s brains to pick, but these guys have three, and one of them is coming off a Super Bowl victory (Pickett), one of them is a Super Bowl MVP (Flacco), and another is a three-time Pro Bowler. They can learn about different styles, philosophies and experiences from all of them.
**7\. Mike Hall Jr. is progressing well**
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The unfortunate news is that Hall isn’t ready to practice yet coming off of his knee surgery, but he should be ready at some point in training camp. Browns GM Andrew Berry is reluctant to make a prognosis after being overly optimistic last season about his offense tackles, but all signs point to Hall being ready for the season. The Browns can’t wait to get him inside with No. 5 overall pick Mason Graham.
**8\. David Bell is catching passes from Deshaun Watson**
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It remains to be seen where receiver fourth-year receiver David Bell is in his rehab from surgery last season to repair a dislocated hip, but the fact that he’s catching passes from Deshaun Watson (retorn Achilles) inside the Browns fieldhouse is a good sign. With the Browns not drafting a receiver, young wideouts such as Bell, Jamari Thrash and Michael Woods II will have a chance to make their mark this spring and summer. With concurrent passing drills being conducted to get the four QBs as many reps as possible, they’ll all have a chance to elevate their games.
**9\. If I’m WR Diontae Johnson, here’s what I’m doing**
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Johnson knows this is probably his last chance to revive his career after three teams gave up on him last season because of attitude issues. This offseason, Johnson, a 2021 Pro Bowler in must attend every voluntary workout he possibly can, and mentor the young receivers. He’s an excellent route runner in the mold of a Jerry Jeudy, and has plenty to offer the young guys. It will be a treat in training camp to watch Jeudy and Johnson juking and double-moving their way open, and the young receivers can learn a ton. Jeudy has also been working this offseason with Kenny Pickett, and Johnson, Pickett’s former Steelers teammate, should do the same during the break. He has a great opportunity here to become the best version of himself.
**10\. Kudos to Denzel Ward**
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We haven’t been able to watch offseason workouts yet, but in the Browns’ photos on their site and social media, Denzel Ward is always there, front and center. Ward told us at the start of the program last month that it’s important for him to be there to set the tone for the young guys and to help the Browns rebound from 3-14. He did the same thing last year in an effort to try to maintain the Browns’ No. 1 ranking on defense.
A four-time Pro Bowler, doesn’t need to be at the offseason program as much as some of the younger guys do, but he’s 100% committed to the Browns, his hometown team. He’s one of the best leaders of the team, and has gotten better every year. Kudos to him. If they get it turned around, he’ll be one of the reasons.
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