Position depth:

practices because of a hamstring injury but did practice Monday. “He didn’t open it up yet today, but he’ll be ready for game one,” Meyer said. “We’re just being cautious. Hamstrings are really just something you’ve got to watch closely.”

The absence of Weber created opportunities for other running backs: Antonio Williams, J.K. Dobbins and Demario McCall, who has taken snaps as a hybrid back, as well. “I kind of like where we’re at at tailback,” Meyer snaps with Cleveland’s starting offense.

He completed several long passes, including a deep one to wide receiver Corey Coleman, who made a onehanded grab.

“Brock k nows how to play,” said Jackson, who added he met with the Browns’ front office executives before making the call. “He’s very conscientious. He works extremely hard.

“He’s gained a lot of respect in the locker room because of the way he prepares, so he did a good job today and obviously it’s his first opportunity with those guys so we just need to keep fine-tuning some things.”

When the Browns acquired Osweiler in March, taking him and his guaranteed $16 million contract simply so they could get a 2018 second-round pick, it appeared the 26-year-old wouldn’t be in Cleveland for long.

But Osweiler is still around, and he could wind up beat- said. “Every one of them made really nice strides this summer, and they’re playing pretty well.”

Impressive freshman:

Freshman quarterback Tate Martell would seem to be buried on the depth chart because of his youth. The offense belongs to J.T. Barrett, after all, and Joe Bur- row looks like the obvious choice as a backup. Dwayne Haskins is another talented young quarterback.

However, Martell earned praise from several Buckeye defenders after a scrimmage on Saturday, and Meyer said Martell is in the fight for playing time.

“He did do very well in ing out Kessler and Kizer, the team’s presumed future QB.

“This league gives you opportunities,” Osweiler said. “Sometimes, you don’t know when they’re going to come. Sometimes, you do know when they’re going to come.

“I think the key is making the most out of that oppor- tunity, and if you do, the rest will take care of itself.”

Osweiler has impressed the Browns with his attitude, work ethic and leadership. He went 8-6 during his one season with Houston but didn’t connect with coach the scrimmage the other day,” Meyer said. “Guys like that have to fight for those reps, and the terms we use around here are game reps and mental reps, and he’s really matured. He was not very mature in the spring. He took some maturity pills or something, and he has grown up here in the last two months.”

Position battle:

The Buckeyes are no closer to picking a starter at right guard. Malcolm Pridgeon, Matthew Burrell, Demetrius Knox and Brandon Bowen continue to compete for playing time.

Starting job:

Ohio State coaches call the families of Bill O’Brien, and the Texans were eager to move him before striking the deal with Cleveland.

There’s no guarantee the Browns won’t shop him, too. Miami coach Adam Gase, who coached Oswei- ler in Denver, reportedly reached out to Cleveland last week after Ryan Tannehill injured his knee. The Dolphins signed Jay Cutler on Monday.

Osweiler isn’t taking any extra satisfaction in work- ing his way onto the depth chart — and now up it.

“No gratification,” he said. players who earn starting jobs. Wide receiver John- nie Dixon’s family is close to getting that call.

“He’s within probably a week of getting that phone call,” Meyer said. “It’s really cool to see. He had a really good day today, by the way.”

Freshman milestone:

Two freshmen have seen the black stripes removed from their helmets in the first eight practices: Dobbins and Isaiah Pryor. The black stripes stay on the helmets until a player proves himself to coaches. “This is just one step. There’s a lot of chemistry to be built. There are a lot of fine details that need to be cleaned up through meetings and more practice sessions.”

Osweiler played the best of Cleveland’s four quarterbacks on Friday night in a scrimmage at FirstEnergy Stadium. He led his team to two field goals, and Jackson said that performance factored into his decision to start him Thursday.

Kizer, who missed a wide- open touchdown pass during the scrimmage, said it’s crit- ical for one of the quarterbacks to step forward.

“It’s very vital,” said the former Notre Dame starter. “There needs to be a peck- ing order in order for the leadership to happen the way it needs to.

“Brock was named that guy, and this week he’s already out there running things the way he needs to run them as a true one quar- terback, and if that guy does happen to change to a new guy, then that guy needs to step in that week and treat it as if it’s his team.” into Monday’s game leading the majors with 21 first-in- ning stolen bases and he is batting .340 (32 for 94) in the first.

Votto extended his hit- ting streak to a season-high 12 games before widening the lead to 3-0 in the third, following Cozart’s one-out infield single with an oppo- site-field homer into the left-center field seats — giving him one home run in three consecutive games.

Votto’s homer was his 30th of the season, one more than he hit all of last season, as well as the 136th of his career at Great American Ball Park, snapping a tie with Jay Bruce for first. Votto also moved into a tie with Ted Kluszewski for fifth place on the franchise career home run list. They have 251. Adam Dunn ranks fourth with 270.

Tim Adleman, reprieved from going to the bullpen by the injury to Robert Stephenson’s right shoulder, sailed through the San Diego lineup the first time, retiring all nine with two strikeouts.

The right-hander’s second trip through wasn’t as smooth. The Padres greeted Adleman with two doubles and Jose Pirela’s two-run homer off the upper deck in left field.

The damage wasn’t greater because Jesse Winker tracked down Manuel Margot’s leadoff double to right and fired the ball to second baseman Gennett, whose relay to third baseman Eugenio Suarez was in time to catch Margot.

The outfield assist was Cincinnati’s 27th of the season. The Reds went into the game one behind Cleveland and the White Sox for the major league lead in outfield assists.

Adleman wriggled off the hook in that inning, but was unable to qualify for a win after manager Bryan Price lifted him with two outs in the fifth, two runners on base and Pirela due to bat. Blake Wood (1-4) came on and got Pirela to ground out.

Michael Lorenzen pitched 12/3 scoreless innings, snapping at five his streak of consecutive appearances in which he allowed at least one run.

Duvall hit his 25th homer of the season, a shot into the netting above the Cincinnati bullpen in left-center field in the sixth.

The Reds s cored five earned runs off starter Jhoulys Chacin (11-8), who hadn’t given more than three in his past 12 starts.

Cozart followed an inning later with a drive into the leftfield seats, his 13th homer of the season.

Pirela added his second homer of the game in the eighth, off Wandy Peralta.