Cleveland Browns Training Camp Recap: Day 3 - Pads spark one team fight and an injury

Cleveland Browns Training Camp Report - Day 3 (7/29/17)

1. First Day in Pads: In case you missed the news yesterday, Saturday was billed as being the team’s first day in full pads, and head coach Hue Jackson also promised live tackling. Here is a drill of the running backs working on keeping their pad level low (and another clip of that is here).

2. Sound the Sirens: Pads and contact mean the first sirens of the season too, signifying the start of team drills. Unfortunately, video clips are not permitted during team drills. From what I could gather, the first team drill period was dedicated to running plays (tackling allowed), and then the regular offense vs. defense period commenced after that (no tackling allowed).

During those running drills, multiple reporters noted that LB James Burgess got the biggest hit in on RB Matthew Dayes.

3. Concern Over Ed Reynolds’ Injury: Contact is of course going to increase the odds of a player suffering an injury, and that appears to be what happened to S Ed Reynolds. According to Daryl Ruiter of 92.3 the Fan, Reynolds walked off with trainers after hurting his left knee on the final play of the first contact period. Piecing together other information, the injury happened on an inside run play to new RB Brandon Wilds. The run went for 17 yards and a touchdown.

4. The Great One Returns: LT Joe Thomas made his training camp debut and was taking part in team drills...but the teasing of the match-up continues, as DE Myles Garrett remained on the second-team defense. Like I said the other day, this is a classic WWE setup of a storyline.

5. Offense Implodes: When it came time to start throwing the ball, the offense immediately imploded. As detailed by various reporters, here is what happened in a sequence of about five pass plays:

• QB Cody Kessler throws it deep to WR Kenny Britt, who drops the pass.
• TE Seth DeValve gets open and has a good catch-and-run, but then S Derrick Kindred came over and popped him, forcing a fumble. However, I think we can give DeValve the benefit of the doubt because Hue Jackson went up to Kindred afterward and “straightened him out,” according to Scott Petrak of the Chronicle-Telegram, because it was not supposed to be a tackling drill.
• QB Cody Kessler has a pass swatted backward by DE Emmanuel Ogbah.
• QB Brock Osweiler overthrows RB Duke Johnson, per Ruiter.
• QB DeShone Kizer throws an on-target pass to a wide receiver (unknown who it was), and then this happened:

That’s good news for S Kai Nacua, who was known as a ball-hawk in college and it comes after S Ed Reynolds had already left the field to an injury. Funny enough, Dan Labbe of Cleveland.com said the best pass of the day actually ended up coming from the quarterback no one talks about: a deep connection between QB Kevin Hogan and WR Corey Coleman.

6. Another Fight: We’re not clear who the offenders were this time, but Zac Jackson of The Athletic says that multiple fights happened after the same play:

NT Danny Shelton also reportedly jumped into one of the piles, which is obviously a no-no. After practice, Hue Jackson addressed what he said:

“Yes, I did [address the team]. It is just about the way we want to do things. We are all men and tempers are going to flare from time to time. We just have to take care of each other. I know there are going to be some scuffles, but I want them to be the right kind of scuffles. We are teammates. We are a team. As long as we do it the right way, I’m fine with that. Once it goes across the line, it is my job as the leader of all of this to get everybody back and on the right course. We just had a little discussion, a little conversation.”

7. Drop Still Plagues Njoku: It might have been just one drop, but with three straight days of issues to open camp, the pressure will mount on rookie TE David Njoku. QB DeShone Kizer was complimented by multiple reporters for two other bullet throws he completed, but everyone also noted the drop by Njoku over the middle.

8. Offensive Line Notes: OG John Greco (Linsfranc) was participating in team drills with the second-team offense, and C Austin Reiter (knee) was also participating in team drills. OL Chris Barker was carted off with an ankle injury. After a couple of days of Shon Coleman at left tackle, he moved over to right tackle on Day 3.

9. Not Ideal Kicking Results: The Browns held a competition between the kickers to end practice, and each of them went 3-of-5, although it was a windy day again (not a great excuse, considering we know how Cleveland weather on Lake Erie).

Reporters weren’t on the same page in terms of reporting the kicker results, but through comparing multiple reports, I assumed the following: each kicker attempted kicks from 34, 40, 45, 50, and then 55 yards.

• Both kickers made their 34- and 40-yard attempts.
• Both kickers were wide left from 45 yards.
• Gonzalez connected from 50 yards, but Parkey missed it.
• From 55 yards, Parkey connected while Gonzalez missed it.

Ultimately, it sounds like a push, right? After practice, head coach Hue Jackson addressed the wind:

“Just get the ball in the upright (laughter). Too many times it is going on the other side. That kind of puts a little damper on everything. I know those guys are working hard, but we do have to play the elements. We play in the elements. We are going to deal with that wind and all of that down at our stadium, and that is what I said to them. We have some work to do there.”

10. Brownies: ... Dan Labbe of Cleveland.com says that MLB Tank Carder almost intercepted a deep pass by QB Cody Kessler intended for WR Kenny Britt, and that Britt had to break it up. ... Practice ended a little earlier than 90 minutes because of the live tackling. ... CB Jason McCourty is not seeing work at safety, but it’s not ruled out. ... 26 puppies have been adopted at the Browns Puppy Pound at training camp this year. ... RB Jim Brown watched practice again. ... Today was the team’s annual blood drive.

11. Next Up: Practice continues Sunday in Berea, from 3:25 PM to 5:55 PM. It will be another padded practice.

• What did Hue Jackson say after practice? Plus, some player interviews before practice.