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- How Callie Brownson found the door to the NFL and Kevin Stefanski’s Browns coaching staff (cleveland.com) - The NFL combine is all about the future. It’s what the draft prospects represent and what coaches and GMs spend the week talking about. Each year, the Indianapolis Convention Center and nearby Lucas Oil Stadium become part of the pipeline for that future. But on the first day of the 2020 event, you could walk two blocks down from the convention center, over to the JW Marriott hotel, take an elevator to the third floor and enter Grand Ballroom 4 to see a different kind of NFL pipeline.
- Browns hire Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, Ryan Grigson as GM Andrew Berry’s lieutenants (Beacon Journal) - The Browns have hired Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Ryan Grigson as General Manager Andrew Berry’s top lieutenants in their player personnel department, a person familiar with the moves confirmed Friday. Adofo-Mensah will essentially serve as an assistant GM for the Browns, though his title is vice president of football operations.
- How a makeshift workout room in his garage helped Nate Wieting earn an opportunity with the Browns (clevelandbrowns.com) - Each morning at 7 a.m., Nate Wieting wakes up, walks downstairs and goes into his garage. An organized mess awaits him as he opens the door. A couch, stacks of hunting gear, two mopeds, coolers and some oil cans are spread across the concrete floor inside his Iowa City home. Wieting walks around the clutter and takes a seat on the black workout bench neatly set up on the right end of the two-car garage. Across from the bench are a pile of dumbbells and iron weights.
- Did the Seahawks really try to trade Russell Wilson to the Cleveland Browns in 2018? (The Seattle Times) - The headline on the Pro Football Talk story was undoubtedly eye-catching — “Could Russell Wilson be traded by the Seahawks?” Well, could is a powerful word.
NFL:
- Aaron Rodgers says his desire to stay with Packers for entire career ‘may not be a reality’ (ESPN) - Aaron Rodgers still wants to finish his career with the Green Bay Packers, but he knows that became more difficult when his team traded up to No. 26 to select his possible replacement, Utah State quarterback Jordan Love, in last month’s NFL draft. Rodgers admitted Friday he was surprised and not “thrilled by the pick, necessarily,” but he added, “I understand.”
- Owners to vote on resolution to incentivize minority HC, GM hires (NFL.com) - During his state of the league address three months ago at Super Bowl LIV in Miami, Commissioner Roger Goodell acknowledged a need to increase the opportunities for minorities to become head coaches and general managers.
- NFL players embracing group workouts at home gyms, local fields amid pandemic restrictions (CBS Sports) - The NFL officially extended its virtual offseason through the end of May this week, and with NFL teams reportedly already planning contingencies for summer training camp, it’s a safe bet that normal, in-person preparations for the 2020 season are still a ways off.
- NFL team facilities can reopen in states where allowed to do so starting next week (mlive.com) - The NFL will allow team facilities to reopen as soon as Tuesday in states where they are allowed to do so, according to a memo from commissioner Roger Goodell.