Cleveland Browns Training Camp Recap: Day 6 - Major Change at Left Tackle

After a day off on Tuesday, the Cleveland Browns were back at it Wednesday for Day 6 of training camp. Our full practice report summary is below.

Cleveland Browns Training Camp Report - Day 6 (8/1/18)

1. Your New Left Tackle: With a day off to evaluate, the first huge storyline of minicamp is that head coach Hue Jackson has decided to move Joel Bitonio to left tackle with Austin Corbett bumping up to the first-team offense at left guard.

Bitonio spent the majority of practice at left tackle; there were only brief spurts when Shon Coleman was back with the first teamers at left tackle, with Bitonio sliding back to left guard. But based on the post-practice comments by Jackson and Bitonio, this is a change the team is committed to now after evaluating the tape from the first five practice sessions. They are going full-speed ahead with it.

We have much more on the left tackle situation in Mike Hoag’s article here.

2. Drill of the Day: Today’s drill we are featuring is of the running backs working on their pass protection in one-on-one situations. First up, we have RB Duke Johnson against LB B.J. Bello, followed by RB Carlos Hyde getting a good pop on LB Christian Kirksey.

3. A Change at Right Guard: Some more news on the offensive line with the first-teamers: Kevin Zeitler is out at right guard, and Spencer Drango is in. “What!?!” you might be screaming. This one is for a very different reason, though — he suffered a calf injury during practice, so the team pulled him and will evaluate him.

4. Two-Minutes Drills (Taylor): The Browns worked on some two-minute drills on Wednesday, which always adds an exciting element to practice. How did everyone do? From what we can gather, the scenario for the first- and second-team offenses were that they were down by 4 points, so they needed a touchdown, not a field goal.

QB Tyrod Taylor got hit unit close with this connection to WR Antonio Callaway. However, the defense was able to force an incomplete pass into the end zone to conclude the series on downs.

5. Two-Minute Drills (Mayfield): QB Baker Mayfield has been sharp this camp, but one of the stories that might matter more short-term is the production the team is getting out of WR Rashard Higgins, who is stringing together good practice after good practice. Below, you can see him making a short catch, but then putting a “slick move” (as Emory Hunt of Football Gameplan puts it) on the defense to get a few extra yards.

Mayfield went right back to Higgins for another good gain. However, Hunt (and others) say that Mayfield took a sack on the next play, which pretty much ended the drive’s momentum and eventually led to a turnover on downs.

6. Some Third-Team Love: Per Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal, the third-team offense got some work with QB Drew Stanton. The scenario must have been a little different for them, because they were able to go for a 40-yard game-winning field goal attempt, which K Ross Martin connected on.

7. Mesmerizing: I mentioned this drill a couple practice sessions ago, where the quarterbacks try to drop the ball into the bucket. Daryl Ruiter of 92.3 the Fan recorded a minute of it, and it is pretty mesmerizing to just stare and anticipation to see which (if any) of the quarterbacks (or coach) get it in.

Ruiter also said that the quarterbacks “practiced throwing balls high and deep out of bounds.” Hey, sometimes you do need to really make sure those intentional out of bounds passes aren’t left lazily in play for a defender to make a tiptoe-sideline interception, right?

8. Kicking Competition: According to Scott Petrak of the Chronicle-Telegram, there was a kicking competition at camp on Wednesday. Each kicker got three attempts: from 37, 47, and 52 yards. Zane Gonzalez was 2-of-3 on kicks, missing from 47 yards. Ross Martin was a perfect 3-of-3.

9. Brownies: LB Mychal Kendricks returned to action and has received credit for the presence he has. ... CB Briean Boddy-Calhoun continues to see some action with the safeties. ... Before practice, CB T.J. Carrie acknowledged that he hasn’t had a dominant day of practice yet, and that puts him on eggshells knowing the competition in camp this year. ... LB Christian Kirksey laughed it up saying how his teammates say he is playing up to the cameras for Hard Knocks. ... A total of 61 puppies have been adopted at the Browns Puppy Pound at training camp this year. ... Smoothie King had tons of smoothies available for players and VIP’s against the fieldhouse, per Jeff Ridson of Browns Wire. ... QB Baker Mayfield has upgraded his RV.

10. Next Up: The Browns will practice on Thursday from 3:00 PM to 5:55 PM before Friday’s shortened “Orange & Brown Scrimmage” in Berea.