syd Posted March 30, 2023 Report Share Posted March 30, 2023 Kevin Stefanski: ‘Nick Chubb will always be a big part of our offense’ and other Browns takeaways from NFL meetings Updated: Mar. 30, 2023, 7:32 p.m.| Published: Mar. 30, 2023, 6:46 p.m. Deshaun Watson’s excited about Browns’ roster additions says Kevin Stefanski Signed-in readers now can bookmark stories to read later. NEW! By Mary Kay Cabot, cleveland.com CLEVELAND, Ohio — With the Browns loading up on pass catchers and gearing up for a more explosive offense with Deshaun Watson at the helm, folks have wondered if Nick Chubb will be as integral as he’s been the past five seasons. But Kevin Stefanski answered that with a resounding yes during the AFC coaches breakfast at the NFL Annual Meeting in Phoenix. “Nick’s a major part of our offense, always will be,” Stefansi said. “He was I thought very productive last season and had a good amount of attempts. You’re always trying to get the best version of Nick. So that’s always part of our plan, to make sure he’s fresh for a 17-game season plus. Nick will always be a big part of our offense.” Recommended Browns stories Why Ogbonnia Okoronkwo is such an underrated signing by the Browns PFF Mock Draft Simulator: Who are some options for the Browns in round 3 of the 2023 NFL Draft? How much better will the Browns defense be with all the new players and DC Jim Schwartz? Hey, Mary Kay! (video) He also said 2022 fifth-round pick Jerome Ford has a chance to take over for Kareem Hunt as the No. 2 back now that Hunt was permitted to walk in free agency. “That’s something we’ll have to work through and see who earns that role so to speak,” he said. “But that’s definitely an area we need to look at, and Jerome’s a candidate for that. We’ll see how it goes through the spring.” Elijah Moore is more than just a slot Stefanski corrected the perception that Moore, acquired in a trade with the Jets for a move down from No. 42 in the second round to No. 74 in the third, will primarily play inside. “(We’ll use him) in a bunch of different ways,” Stefanski said. “I don’t think he’s just a slot. I know a lot of players that are his size (5-foot-10, 178 pounds) kind of get, ‘OK, he must be a slot.’ He’s won plenty on the outside as well. He’s the type of player you would just want to get the ball in his hands. And I think if you go back to his college tape, there’s a ton of down the field throws. There’s opportunities to hand it to him, throw it to him over the middle, throw it to him outside him. I just think there’s no shortage of ways that you want to get him the football.” Stefanski talked to his friend and Jets coach Robert Saleh about Moore before the trade. “I feel very comfortable,” Stefanski said. “Elijah is someone we did a lot of work on coming out. We were able to talk to a bunch of different people. I feel very comfortable with the person we’re getting. I was able to spend time with him last week, sit down and talk about all sorts of things. I’m thrilled about adding him to the group. Left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. earns praise The Browns will likely pick up Wills’ fifth-year option for 2024 — worth $14.75 million — by May 1 in part because of the progress he made last year. Wills ranked 60th among offensive tackles in the NFL according to Pro Football Focus, but the Browns had a much more favorable evaluation of his third season. “In the moment, in the season, you felt it because he was healthy and was playing well,” Stefanski said. “But as you go back and watch a lot of the tape over and over, he’s doing a nice job in the run game and the pass game. He’s winning his one-on-one matchups. Never perfect because it’s hard to be perfect as a left tackle in this game. But he played well. I really think if he stays healthy, the trajectory continues to ascend.” Browns GM Andrew Berry also had a glowing report. “Pleased with Jed’s progress,” he said. “Thought he had his best year this past year. We’re happy with Jed.” Stefanski bullish on DT Dalvin Tomlinson Stefanski didn’t overlap with Tomlinson in Minnesota, but he’s thrilled to have him here. “I’ll start with the person,” Stefanski said. “He’s a really, really good person. Awesome in the building. Provides great leadership to some of our young players. And then he’s a big man -- and he’s a big powerful man. He gets off the football so we feel like he’s a plus in the run game. He’s pushing the pocket in the pass game. So just was a key piece for us in this free agency.” He said Jim Schwartz and the rest of the defensive coaches are excited about all the new additions. “You’re always looking for more and I promise you every coach wants more,” he said. “But yeah, Jim and the staff, they’re excited. We’re meeting for a long time right now, just trying to figure out where we want to go with this defense and hammer it away so that April 17, we’re ready to go when the players show up.” Stefanski on Joshua Dobbs as his QB2 Stefanski is completely okay heading into the season with Joshua Dobbs back as his No. 2 quarterback after signing a one-year deal worth $2 million. “I’m very comfortable with where we are,” Stefanski said. “Getting Dobbsie back was great for us. I think the world of Josh Dobbs, the person, the player. He got an opportunity to play some meaningful football games last season, which I think was good for him. But Dobbs, he’s a favorite of our building. He’s beloved in that building. I think everybody saw what he can do in our system or just in game settings. He’s a playmaker, so we’re really thrilled that he is back.” Dobbs, also a close friend of Watson’s since they were in high school in Georgia, started two games for the Titans at the end of last season and held his own despite going 0-2. Stefanski believes that Dobbs and third-string QB Kellen Mond make a good support system for Watson. “I think it helps when you have guys that you’ve been through it, the battles with them and you know what makes them tick and those type of things,” Stefanski said. “I think the role of the backup quarterbacks is to both support the starter and challenge a starter. Challenge a starter in the way that you prepare. Make sure that you’re constantly pushing each other and I think that’s what Dobbs, and I think Kellen does that as well.” Stefanski all about A-Walk Stefanski lost one of his best team leaders in Jacoby Brissett, but got one back in middle linebacker Anthony Walker Jr., who returned on a one-year deal after missing most of last season with a torn quad. “A-Walk. I love the guy,” Stefanski said. “Love everything about him. Love what he brings to our team. He was playing really good football before he was injured last season, unfortunately. But he’s a good football player. He’s awesome in the locker room. He’s a son of a coach. When he’s done playing 10 years from now, I’m going to try to convince him to coach. He’s just rock solid.” Stefanski thrilled to get center Ethan Pocic back Stefanski is happy he doesn’t have to worry about who’s snapping the ball to Watson. Ethan Pocic is back on a three-year deal worth $18 million. “Big, literally,” Stefanski said of his 6-6, 309-pound anchor. “I think he’s somebody in this division, with these nose tackles that you face, he’s somebody we saw go head to head with those zero noses and it was important to have that size. And that’s Ethan working together with Wyatt (Teller) and Joel (Bitonio) and did a great job for us.” Stefanski acknowledged he was an under the radar signing last year after Nick Harris suffered the knee injury in preseason. “Ethan earned everything, but we take great pride in developing players,” he said. “(Offensive line coaches) Bill (Callahan) and Scott Peters, those guys love veterans that want to work and see if we can get them better.” One less week of OTAs for the Browns With the Browns playing in the Pro Football Hall of Fame game Aug. 3 and starting training camp a week early, Stefanski eliminated one of the three weeks of organized team activities. The Browns will have two weeks of voluntary OTAs, May 23-25, and May 30-June1. The mandatory full squad minicamp is June 6-8. He said the players appreciate the abbreviated OTAs. “It still gives them the same amount of time off in the summer, which is a sacred time for everybody,” he said. “But yeah, I think we’ll be ready to work come July.” 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
syd Posted March 31, 2023 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2023 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orion Posted April 1, 2023 Report Share Posted April 1, 2023 On 3/30/2023 at 7:48 PM, syd said: Left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. earns praise The Browns will likely pick up Wills’ fifth-year option for 2024 — worth $14.75 million — by May 1 in part because of the progress he made last year. Wills ranked 60th among offensive tackles in the NFL according to Pro Football Focus, but the Browns had a much more favorable evaluation of his third season. “In the moment, in the season, you felt it because he was healthy and was playing well,” Stefanski said. “But as you go back and watch a lot of the tape over and over, he’s doing a nice job in the run game and the pass game. He’s winning his one-on-one matchups. Never perfect because it’s hard to be perfect as a left tackle in this game. But he played well. I really think if he stays healthy, the trajectory continues to ascend.” I Really Hope his trajectory continues to ascend - I'm betting is what Stef says to Berry if they're alone in one of their offices instead of talking to Mary K. I know that tia evaluated him favorably, but I, and I know some others 'round here weren't much impressed. I remember after one game saying something like, He blocks for 3.5 seconds and then stands there and watches the rest of the play...as if it's in his contract that he only blocks for the 3.5 seconds per play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
syd Posted April 1, 2023 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2023 1 hour ago, Orion said: I Really Hope his trajectory continues to ascend - I'm betting is what Stef says to Berry if they're alone in one of their offices instead of talking to Mary K. I know that tia evaluated him favorably, but I, and I know some others 'round here weren't much impressed. I remember after one game saying something like, He blocks for 3.5 seconds and then stands there and watches the rest of the play...as if it's in his contract that he only blocks for the 3.5 seconds per play. Conklin to left and Wills to right ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flugel Posted April 1, 2023 Report Share Posted April 1, 2023 8 hours ago, Orion said: I Really Hope his trajectory continues to ascend - I'm betting is what Stef says to Berry if they're alone in one of their offices instead of talking to Mary K. I know that tia evaluated him favorably, but I, and I know some others 'round here weren't much impressed. I remember after one game saying something like, He blocks for 3.5 seconds and then stands there and watches the rest of the play...as if it's in his contract that he only blocks for the 3.5 seconds per play. Was it PFF that ranked him 60th out of 64 starting Offensive Tackles according to their criteria? Since Berry is the guy that drafted Wills 10th overall in 2020 - we're not going to be reading he's really worried about Wills. We've seen enough games to see that Wills has developed a reputation for quitting after the initial hit and/or some frustrating inconsistency. Left tackle is a very important position; especially if it's the blind side of a 230 million $ investment. Is this article part of a strategy to assure Wills he doesn't need to panic if/when the Browns draft a Left Tackle in round 3 or 4 or later? Barring any exceptions to the rule, rounds 3 and later for that position usually doesn't have an immediate starter purpose. However, it would show that the Browns would at least like to get a reliable backup first. If he shows up ready to work and compete - that should push Wills just like the competition at Bama probably did. Quite often, backups and practice squad guys are used as the scout team that scrimmages against the starters every week. This means that any LT the Browns would draft in round 3 (or later) would learn against Myles Garrett. As rough as that sounds, if this guy ever got pressed into game action ahead of schedule - it should feel a lot easier than facing Myles Garrett. I looked at film with @tiamat63 and we tried to get some answers for his inconsistencies. Tia did show some plays where Wills got to his block and did a good job. We also looked at why he wasn't successful on other plays. Tia mentioned his balance and different issues that came up. I noticed Wills didn't always keep the same stance, which can be a disaster if he faces a well prepared team that reads their cues well on defense. The Ratbirds back with Ed Reed and Ray Lewis were enormous students of the game during weekly film study of their opponents to the extent they pounced on players and teams tipping off tendencies at the line of scrimmage. Other teams today prepare very well like that too. Stances of Offensive Linemen give away a lot of information as to whether they may be trapping/pulling vrs firing out straight ahead vrs preparing to pass block. Shifting weight one way or another or changing a pad height rewards the opponent who has studied what follows the change of stance. To be inconsistent at something as important as the stance doesn't show me a guy that's putting the work in at this point of his career. Left Tackle is way too important for that kind of attitude IMO. I'd be stunned if the Browns were more worried about Wills' feelings than trying to strengthen the LT position in this draft. Because the Browns have done an admirable job of addressing needs this off-season, I am able to say that about Left Tackle. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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