:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69648128/20210728_MS_09.0.jpeg)
On Wednesday, Day 1 Browns training camp kicked off. As we do every year, we will compile a summary of what happened before, during, and after each practice, based on notes from the local media and the team.
Cleveland Browns Training Camp Report - Day 1 (7/28/21)
1. Another Year Begins: Training camp is officially underway in Berea, although the first day for fans won’t be until Friday, July 30. The first padded practice will take place on Tuesday, August 3, which is standard procedure as the beginning of camp is an acclimation period.
2. Sidelined Today: Players not practicing on Day 1 of camp included RB D’Ernest Johnson (just had a child) and LB Tony Fields (foot). No players are beginning camp on injury or physically unable to perform lists. LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah is out for 10 days, but is keeping up with things virtually. Still, those 10 days represent valuable missed time for rookie.
3. Fan Seating Update: We’ll know more next week, but fans will not enter training camp through Beech Street this year. There will be a different entrance, and I believe the only seating will be in the grandstand bleachers that are on the east side of the field.
If memory serves me correct, the bleachers have been shifted away from the facility, and the VIP tent(s) are now on the opposite side of the bleachers compared to where they used to be.
The tents and bleachers for #Browns camp this year are all on the east side of the facility pic.twitter.com/GqyrsKBn9H
— Daryl Ruiter (@RuiterWrongFAN) July 28, 2021
4. Drill of the Day: This is an easy way to get a highlight in for WR Odell Beckham Jr., who took part in camp today, less than a year removed from his torn ACL.
OBJ and Landry together again pic.twitter.com/oKnDAlGeO4
— Jake Trotter (@Jake_Trotter) July 28, 2021
5. Punt Return Action: Players fielding punts on Day 1 included WR Donovan Peoples-Jones, WR Ryan Switzer, WR Ja’Marcus Bradley, and WR JoJo Natson. Jackson noted that rookie RB/WR Demetric Felton was working as a gunner.
6. Catch of the Day: You’re not really having intense 11-on-11 drills on Day 1 of camp, but WR Donovan Peoples-Jones had the highlight catch of the day, catching this pass over the middle from QB Kyle Lauletta:
DPJ starting #BrownsCamp off with a bang! @dpeoplesjones pic.twitter.com/92GggjoKpP
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) July 28, 2021
7. Hold Your Horses: Toward the end of practice, every beat reporter started tweeting that athletic trainers were walking off the field with CB Greedy Williams, who missed all of last season with a shoulder injury. This was Williams’ first real “return to action,” so fans were grumbling “now what?” Fortunately, it was only a heat-related issue, so he is fine. It was an eventful day for Williams, who was playing opposite of CB Denzel Ward:
An eventful Day 1 of #Browns training camp for CB Greedy Williams. He broke up an out to Rashard Higgins, got beat deep by rookie Anthony Schwartz, who had to wait for the throw from Baker Mayfield, and left practice early with a trainer.
— Scott Petrak ct (@ScottPetrak) July 28, 2021
Expecting update on possible injury later
8. Brownies: WR Jarvis Landry lost weight this offseason. ... Rookie Demetric Felton was with the running back unit. ... Rookie OT James Hudson was playing left tackle with the second-team offense. ... The first group of linebackers up were Sione Takitaki, Anthony Walker, and Mack Wilson. ... Below is Nathan Zegura’s recap video, which includes a few of Mayfield’s passes on the day.
11. Next Up: The Browns will practice on Thursday at 2:25 PM ET. The first practice open to fans is on Friday.
Shameless self promotion, I did a walking tour during my lunch break today on the Guardians and footage around Progressive Field: