Saturday Dawg Chow: Browns news (8/6/22)

Cleveland Browns:

• Browns rookie CB Martin Emerson Jr. has been ‘as advertised’ so far at training camp (cleveland.com) - If you know anything about rookie Browns cornerback Martin Emerson Jr., it’s not surprising that the Mississippi State product was a part of the first almost-scuffle of training camp as the pads came on this week. Emerson may be shy off the field (he started off his Friday media availability telling reporters he was “a little nervous” before settling in), but on the field he’s made a name for himself with his aggressiveness.
• Injury interferes with Mike Woods’ hot start (Beacon Journal) - Rookie Mike Woods had gotten off to a promising start in his first NFL training camp, but there is now a bump in the road for the young Browns wide receiver. Woods sat out Friday’s practice, the eighth full-squad session of camp, with a hamstring injury, the Browns announced. Woods attended the team’s walk through in the morning and had the back of his left leg heavily wrapped.
• Cleveland Browns sticking with QB prep plan despite NFL’s appeal of Deshaun Watson’s 6-game suspension (ESPN) - Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said Friday that the team is waiting to see what happens with the NFL’s appeal of Deshaun Watson’s six-game suspension before altering its plans at quarterback in practice. To this point in training camp, Watson has gotten the overwhelming majority of the snaps with the first-team offense; backup Jacoby Brissett has mostly worked with the second team.
• Kevin Stefanski awaiting ‘clarity’ on Deshaun Watson suspension before adjusting practice plan (Browns Zone) - Coach Kevin Stefanski is waiting for “concrete” information regarding quarterback Deshaun Watson’s suspension before he adjusts his plan and gives backup Jacoby Brissett more repetitions with the starters. “We’ll just kind of await clarity on the situation, but just continue to move ahead with what we’re doing,” Stefanski said Friday before practice. “I hope in the next few days that those types of questions get answered.”

• NFLPA replies to NFL appeal of Deshaun Watson suspension (News 5 Cleveland) - The NFL Players Association has responded to the NFL’s decision to appeal Deshaun Watson’s six-week suspension. Late Friday afternoon, the union stated, “We have field our reply brief to the NFL’s appeal regarding the Deshaun Watson matter.” No further information from the NFLPA has been provided at this time.

NFL:

• NFL lets bad boy owners get off with slap on wrist (Associated Press) - After Donald Sterling’s racist ramblings were exposed to the world, the NBA moved quickly to banish him from the league. Sure, the forced sale of the Los Angeles Clippers made Sterling even richer, but it sent a clear signal that such behavior would not be tolerated, even from the guys with the biggest checkbooks. Then there’s the NFL, which seems content to let its bad boy owners slide with nothing more than a slap on the wrist, no matter how egregious the offense.
• Rams perplexed by how to address Matthew Stafford’s ‘baseball injury’ (Los Angeles Times) - Had he not chosen to dedicate himself to football, Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford might have been a top baseball prospect. Now Stafford — and the defending Super Bowl champions — are attempting to work through an elbow issue more closely associated with pitchers.
• Can new blood revitalize Brandon Staley’s defense in Los Angeles? (The Ringer) - The Los Angeles Chargers were helpless to stop the run in 2021. Through an aggressive offseason plan that included the addition of Khalil Mack, can the Chargers’ biggest weakness become a strength?
• Baltimore Ravens DL Calais Campbell ‘preparing like this is my last year’ (NFL.com) - At 35 years old, Calais Campbell can still get the job done. He just might not be doing it for much longer. Campbell is keeping his eyes on 2022. As for whatever lies around the bend, he’ll find out when he gets there.