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- What I saw and heard at minicamp, coming at you fast (Terry Pluto) - The defense looks different. It’s thinner. It’s faster. That is by design. There were games against Baltimore and Kansas City where the Browns’ lack of speed on defense was glaring. GM Andrew Berry and his staff already favored a leaner, quicker defense heading into 2020. The way the season played out underlined the need for an upgrade.
- Browns takeaways: Odell Beckham Jr., Jadeveon Clowney look great, Baker Mayfield confident (Beacon Journal) - Let’s not pretend to know exactly what to expect from every element of the Browns in 2021 after they held their three practices of mandatory minicamp Tuesday through Thursday. But there are still things that can be gleaned from spring practices, so here are seven takeaways from minicamp.
- 5 takeaways from 3 days of minicamp (Browns Zone) - The Browns won’t be on the field again until training camp in late July. The six-week break provides lots of time to talk about Super Bowl expectations, contract extensions and the regular-season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs. For the first time this offseason, the full team gathered in the same place to practice. While there were no pads and little contact, the action was plentiful enough to make some observations.
- ESPN ranks Browns offseason lower than expected (Browns Wire) - By most accounts, the Cleveland Browns have had a very good offseason. On top of keeping the front office and coaching staff in place therein finally providing stability for Baker Mayfield and Myles Garrett, the team added a lot of talent to the roster. With all of those additions and very few subtractions, the Browns have been getting a lot of positive attention for their offseason. Not everyone is head over heels for what the Browns did, compared to the rest of the league at least.
NFL:
- Titans rookie Elijah Molden’s goal? Prove his NFL veteran dad’s hard work paid off (ESPN) - Elijah Molden was still in high school when then-University of Washington defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake started teaching him the Huskies’ scheme. Lake received a call from Molden’s mother, Christin, saying the young defensive back had sketched out pictures of the defense he had learned and covered his bedroom wall with them like posters.
- John Harbaugh ‘very pleased’ with newcomers on Ravens OL, declares LG job ‘wide open’ (NFL.com) - Mending a reconfigured offensive line will be a point of emphasis for the Baltimore Ravens this summer after the team traded away a Pro Bowl right tackle and signed three free-agent veterans this offseason.
- Steelers’ Diontae Johnson eyes more consistent season after leading NFL in drops (Trib Live) - Diontae Johnson purchased a tennis ball machine in the offseason. It wasn’t so he could improve his volley or sharpen his backhand. After leading the NFL in drops last season, the young Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver bought the machine so he could improve his concentration and hand-eye coordination.