Browns rookies make strong first impression
BEREA — Browns rookies wrapped up their first three days of actual NFL life Sunday, meaning the training wheels are off. Cleveland’s veterans will be joining them going forward.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski best summed up the reality of rookie minicamp at the end of the first practice on Friday.
“We look at it as this week is the start,” Stefanski said. “Then going into next week, it’s really ramping these guys up as quickly as possible so that when they get dropped into the general population, they kind of know what the system’s about, they know what the coaches are about, they know what to expect in the meeting room. All of this is a process.”
So, what was exactly gained from rookie minicamp? Here are a few quick thoughts.
Special teams may be the best way onto the Browns’ roster
A look at the Browns’ depth chart, at least as projected months before the start of training camp, doesn’t show many spots available for the rookies. That’s not just starting jobs, either. Backup roles are hard to come by.
So, the simplest way for many of the team’s young players to earn playing time will be to contribute on special teams. Even the rookies themselves understand the reality.
“Yeah, I mean I do whatever I need to do to get on the field,” sixth-round pick Nathaniel Watson said.
Former Buckeye has set the bar high
If there was a rookie who would be expected to contribute quickly, it would be second-round pick Michael Hall Jr. The former Ohio State defensive tackle certainly has worked to make the adjustment to the NFL as smooth as possible.
“It’s not overwhelming,” Hall said. “I knew what I was getting myself into. They’re holding me to a high standard, and I hold myself to a high standard. I am my worst critic. Just happy to be out here and I got to get on top of my A-game for sure.”
Hall acknowledged that among the questions he was asking his coaches this weekend was what it will take to be the rookie of the year.
However, he’s not apologizing for those expectations. Or as he put it: “I feel like anyone has that goal. You’d be a fool not to in this business.”
Zinter’s leg is just fine
The rookie whose injury history seemed to matter the most coming into the weekend was offensive guard Zak Zinter. The third-round pick out of Michigan was coming off a fractured tibia and fibula suffered in last November’s game against Ohio State.
“I mean, I broke my leg,” Zinter said. “It is what it is. You play in the trenches, injuries happen and all that kind of stuff. But I mean, I think my resume still stands for itself and my leg stronger than it was before. There’s a little rod in there that’s not going to break even if someone tries to break it.”
The on-field work he did at rookie minicamp was the most work he’s done since the injury, and early into the process, Zinter reported no major issues.
“Obviously a little sore just being back out there,” he said, “but I’m not as sore as I thought I was going to be, so that was nice when I woke up.”