The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Britt praises progress of rookie QB Kizer
Browns veteran wide receiver says he’s seen plenty of progress from rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer. “Once he lines up he knows what he has to do. He’s going to be one of the great ones,” Britt said.
Count veteran wide receiver Kenny Britt among the growing number of people belonging to the DeShone Kizer fan club.
Britt, in his first season with the Browns, was on the receiving end of a pass thrown by Kizer about 15 yards into a tight window at the end of practice July 29.
The rookie quarterback from Notre Dame and Britt did not get the chance to duplicate the play on July 30 because Britt had a scheduled day off.
“He’s growing each day,” Britt said before practice. “From OTAs, I could tell he was a different person. I asked him yesterday if the offense has slowed down for him. He said ‘Yes.’ I could tell because he’s looking at the defense and seeing certain things before the snap count. Once he lines up he knows what he has to do. He’s going to be one of the great ones.”
The Browns drafted Kizer 52nd overall in April. He is locked in a battle with Cody Kessler and Brock Osweiler for the starting job. Coach Hue Jackson won’t say who has the lead.
Kizer was the third quarterback in the rotation during the line portion of practice, in which the defense tackles instead of just wrapping up.
He moved the ball from what would be the Browns’ 30 to the defensive 10-yardline in seven plays. A pass intended for David Njoku in the end zone was dropped. It was unclear whether it might have been tipped by linebacker Dominique Alexander.
Two minute disaster
The two-minute offense was installed during training camp on July 30. The polite way of reporting the results is to say the quarterbacks are fortunate they have until Sept. 10 to improve it.
Unofficially, Kessler was sacked three times in five plays – once each by Cam Johnson, Chris Kirksey and Xavier Cooper. Osweiler was sacked by Joe Schobert in three plays and Kizer was sacked on a blitz by Ibraheim Campbell in three plays.
Goal line offense
The quarterbacks had much better results in the goal line offense. Kizer and Kessler each threw one touchdown pass.
Osweiler threw touchdown passes on three consecutive plays – one to Rashard Higgins and two to Duke Johnson.
Scheduled rest
One reason the quarterbacks were drilled in the two-minute offense is left tackle Joe Thomas and left guard Joel Bitonio were given a scheduled day off. Also rested were guard John Greco, running back Isaiah Crowell, cornerback Joe Haden, tight end Randall Telfer, cornerback Jason McCourty, Britt and wide receiver Corey Coleman.
Jackson is being diligent about resting players and doing what can be done to prevent hamstring injuries and other muscle pulls.
“My goal was to get this team through these practices pretty healthy,” Jackson said. “There have been reports and data and all that stuff that three days of running like this, all of a sudden, that’s when all the pulls and all the soft tissue injuries happen. So my goal today was really take care of them.
“I knew we would because of the two minute and the scoring zone, but then making them get in these ice tubs as a football team, hopefully, that will help with recovery better so that we can miss some of the soft tissue issues.”
The Browns have practiced four straight days.
They will practice on July 31 and then get Aug. 1 off.