clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Browns Training Camp 2017: Day 11 Clips and Quips

Quotes from coach Hue Jackson, DL Trevon Coley, DL Myles Garrett, TE David Njoku, DB Jabrill Peppers and TE Randall Telfer.

Erik Drost

The 11th day of Cleveland Browns training camp has ended, and you can find our full Day 11 recap here. Let’s check out what Hue Jackson, Trevon Coley, Myles Garrett, David Njoku, Jabrill Peppers and Randall Telfer had to say.

Hue Jackson

“He is making plays. Ball was in the air, and he has to go dominate the ball. He made some plays today.”

  • How many plays will the first team offense will play on Thursday?

“I really don’t. I am going to think about it today. I am going to get with the staff and think about where we are. I know I want us to play a little bit, though, I do know that. Just watching practice and watching the chemistry and things that I think need to start to gel as an offense, defense and special teams, I would like to see our groups play for a little while.”

  • How eager is Jackson to see his rookies perform on Thursday?

“It is going to be exciting to see them. We all look forward to seeing them compete on Thursday night, but at the same time, we saw them a little bit last week. We have an idea of what they could look like, and hopefully, they will take it to another level on Thursday night.”

  • Does Jackson encourage his players to study Browns Pro Football Hall of Famers like RB Jim Brown and TE Ozzie Newsome?

“No question. Jim Brown is around a lot. I think that is motivation within itself. Everyone knows where Ozzie is and what Ozzie has done here. There have been some great players who have played here that have paved the way for these young men. It is always good for these guys to go back and know some of the guys who graced this field and what they meant to the National Football League. We do encourage it, and I'm excited that our guys do that.”

  • News of Corey Coleman not being charged in an assault case broke today. What are Jackson’s feelings on his young receiver’s situation?

“Very much so, and I'm glad that ruling came about. We needed to move beyond that and getting to play football, which he has been. Hopefully, there were some lessons learned in that situation.”

  • How has Coleman been practicing in camp and where’s he headed?

“He is starting to show up. He kind of started off slow. We eased him back into it to make sure that we could get him through a lot of these practices. I think we are starting to see him get in better shape, play more and make more plays. Hopefully, Thursday night he will go out and play football.”

Trevon Coley

  • What helps Coley succeed in the Browns defense?

“Just listening to what the coaches are saying and following the leaders, guys like (DL Danny) Shelton and (Jamie) Meder. Following after their lead and just doing what coach asks. If he asks of something, I try to do it to the best of my ability. That is it.”

  • How has moving to defensive tackle helped him?

“In high school, I always played defensive end. I always played defensive end. I played some linebacker, but it was not like a full SAM (linebacker) position. I always had my hand in the dirt. My freshman year, they just through me inside. I was just one of the guys who could hold my own. I have been playing defensive tackle ever since. For the last four years, I played defensive tackle at FAU. I just transitioned to that.”

  • What are his feelings about being undrafted?

“It happens. If I could have written the story, it would have been written differently, but that is the challenge that was placed in front of me and I am all for it.”

  • Has not being drafted has put a chip on his shoulder?

“Always. Of course, that is what everybody wants, but it does not work out like that for everyone. I come out every day and think about it, what I have been through and just come out here and play as hard as I can every day.”

  • Who on the defensive line has helped him make the transition to the NFL?

“Jamie Meder has been big for me. He has been helping me throughout a lot, and Shelton, also. Every time I get to pick his brain on something small or what he does well, I ask him a lot. The whole defensive line has really been good to me, and (defensive line coach) Clyde (Simmons), of course.”

  • What kind of feedback is he getting from Meder?

“He has also been through the whole undrafted deal. He had to earn everything that he has. It is the same here. Nothing is given to you for anybody here. Just asking him what he went through coming in on his first camp, his second camp, what he did differently that got him noticed or made him play better. Things like that.”

Myles Garrett

  • Does Garrett think he needs to set the tone for his NFL career with a sack on Thursday vs. New Orleans?

“It doesn’t matter, preseason or scrimmage, I want to display the utmost dominance when I am on the field. I am trying to have a dominant performance whether it is preseason or first series, whenever I get out there.”

  • On what he expects in his first preseason game.

“Not sure. I have no idea. Hopefully, it is a good atmosphere, and we can have some good competition.”

  • Does competing against another NFL team rather than teammates change things up for him at all?

“I don’t think they gameplan for me that much. I don’t have much film to go off of, at least not of me now, and they don’t know what I have to offer. Looking forward to sending a message through this first game.”

  • How excited is he to be able to hit a quarterback on Thursday?

“It is kind of a relief. It is really harder to avoid hitting them than it is to actually wrap him up and take him down. Now that I can follow through, I can actually show that I am getting them and I am making big plays.”

David Njoku

  • Njoku was asked to describe his back injury.

“It just got a little tight on me. We are just trying to take the right precautions for it. Hopefully, this process will move faster.”

  • He said it was the first time his back tightened up on him.

“Yes, it is.”

  • Is he going to play Thursday?

“That is up to (Head) Coach (Hue Jackson). We will have to see how it is. Obviously, I want to be able to play. I just have to follow the process of the trainers, and we will be fine.”

  • How does he feel about being listed third on the team’s unofficial depth chart?

“I had an injury and so I couldn’t play. I just follow whatever the coaches say and do the best that I can do at whatever they tell me to do. Whatever happens, happens.”

  • Are things getting a littler easier for him as camp progresses?

“It is different than college. The NFL is a lot faster. I’m just getting into it, going through the process and working hard.”

Here’s a video of his comments, courtesy of ClevelandBrowns.com.

Jabrill Peppers

  • Did Peppers enter the Orange & Brown Scrimmage determined to hit hard?

“Not really. I was just doing my job. As a safety, they ask you to do a couple things so that is what I try to do to the best of my ability.”

  • Does he pride himself on those big hits?

“I pride myself on tackling. If it is a big hit, it is a big hit, but the main thing is if he got to the ground.”

  • Is there a difference between free and strong safety in the Browns defense, and if it matters which position he plays?

“There is really no difference. I just feel like in this defense, we all have to be able to play both, and that is what we are all doing. It is as simple as that.”

  • What are his thoughts on being listed second on the team’s unofficial depth chart?

“Just taking it as being No 2. Still a lot of work to be done and still have a lot of work I need to do, a lot of things I need to improve on. Preseason is a great start for that. Get to play against some other guys so the ante definitely goes up. I just get to show what I can do in full live contact without worrying about hurting one of your teammates or anything like that. It is definitely feels good to know I am going to be getting into the action.”

Randall Telfer

  • Does Telfer put much thought into being slotted as the starting tight end on the team’s first unofficial depth chart?

“The way we use our tight ends, we could all be thrown in at any moment. We all have something to offer. It is a pretty good tight end group. I am excited to see what we all do this year.”

  • Is his blocking ability a point of pride?

“Yeah, it is definitely something that I take pride in. When I was back at USC, I learned from a young age that that is really important. (Former Southern California Head Coach) Lane Kiffin and (former Southern California TE) Rhett Ellison kind of brought me along to be a good blocker. It is most important in football.”

  • What’s next in his development?

“As far as right now, I am just looking to become a more complete player, even continuing to hone in on my skills in blocking and hone in on my skills in pass catching. That is really my main focus. Anything I can do to be a better Brown.”

  • Are the coaches buying in on his talent level?

“Whenever a new coaching staff comes in, it is like another tryout for everybody on the team. That is what I felt like when they first came in. I am glad that they believe in me. I have worked my tail off to get to this position as did everyone else on this team. We are just looking forward to winning some games this season.”

  • How’s he feel about the void at tight end left by Barnidge’s departure?

“Like I said, Gary is a great leader. He has done a lot for this team. I kind of had to fill into some big shoes once he left, but I am up to the challenge.”

  • What’s his focus as a focal point and leader of the tight end group?

“Of course, any way that I can. The way that our tight end group works is that we all build and work off each other. There is not really one guy that is the main leader. I could even say that there are some things that I could learn from David (Njoku) and some things that I could learn from Seth (DeValve), and some things that David could learn from me or Seth. That is the way it works. It is really just one unit rather than here is the starter and here is the second guy.”

  • What does he see as the potential of his tight end group?

“I definitely think that the group could be really good. David, I compare him to an Avatar he is a freak of nature. Seth has got great route-running ability, great hands. Everyone in our tight end group has something to offer. From where we started in OTAs to where we are now, we definitely have improved a lot. There is definitely a lot more room to improve.”

Here’s a video of his comments, courtesy of ClevelandBrowns.com.