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- Olivier Vernon ready to “get it rolling” with Browns (NFL.com) - Perhaps one day the answer to a trivia question, defensive end Olivier Vernon was the first player of the 2019 offseason sent from the New York Giants to the Cleveland Browns. While the pass rusher didn’t draw the same notice as Beckham, he’s expected to make an impact in a salient season for the franchise as it looks to carry on the positive momentum from a promising 2018 campaign and a much-ballyhooed offseason.
- Baker Mayfield: Beware of Nick Chubb (ohio.com) - Those who doubt the Browns’ No. 1 back can become a star on the order of a certain former Steeler might take note that Nick Chubb’s rookie year was better than Le’Veon Bell’s.
- Browns may not use more than two linebackers very often (Browns Wire) - If you are expecting new Browns defensive coordinator Steve Wilks to deploy three, or perhaps even four, linebackers with Cleveland’s defense, you will be disappointed. Wilks used more than two LBs less than any other coach during his 2018 one-year stint as the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals.
- Jhavonte Dean aims to make most of latest uphill battle (clevelandbrowns.com) - On a chilly, overcast day in Berea, Jhavonte Dean was again living life on the edge. Lined up at the familiar position of cornerback, Dean dropped back in coverage and was faced with a choice: break up a pass or go for the interception. He chose the riskier approach and ended up in the end zone, bringing the football along for the ride. The pick-six was one of two for Dean on his first day as a tryout player at Browns rookie minicamp in early May. Now, he’s a member of the 90-man roster, the latest development on his improbable path from Homestead, Florida, to the NFL.
NFL:
- Jets could make a run at Peyton Manning for front office (CBS Sports) - From the outside looking in, the Jets are a mess. Maybe reality doesn’t match perception but in the wake of the dismissal of general manager Mike Maccagnan on Wednesday -- and the subsequent report that new coach Adam Gase and Maccagnan didn’t see eye to eye on signing Le’Veon Bell -- it certainly appears as if the organization is going in the wrong direction.
- Will Daniel Jones get a chance to compete? (PFT) - The biggest question regarding the Giants is one that really hasn’t been asked. Will quarterback Daniel Jones get a chance to compete for the starting job?
- Rookie minicamp takeaways (PFF) - Projecting Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year honors off of overwhelmingly positive headlines born in rookie minicamps isn’t a sound process. However, some of the early praise is worthwhile, as are the early tidbits on unique usage or positional changes for the NFL’s newest crop of offensive and defensive talent. Here, we take a look at some of the budding headlines surrounding the 2019 NFL Draft class coming out of rookie minicamp.
- Gas station burritos and one stoplight: Seahawks rookie rises from tiny hometown (ESPN) - L.J. Collier, the Seattle Seahawks’ first-round draft pick, comes from a West Texas town that’s so small he could guide a tour over the phone.