The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Stefanski planning for offense to evolve
Players, staff have familiarity with system; opposing scouts also have had time to study
There is a catch-22 to the Browns offense and coaching staff returning intact from their successful 2020 season under first-year coach Kevin Stefanski.
Training camp opened for the Browns on July 28 on a sultry afternoon in Berea. Fans won’t be allowed in until July 30. The first practice in pads won’t occur until Aug. 3.
A year ago, after an offseason with no direct contact because of the novel coronavirus, Stefanski was meeting most of his players for the first time when training camp opened. The early stages of the 2020 training camp dealt with applying what players learned on Zoom to live practice. This summer, the Browns are building off last year instead of starting from scratch.
“The familiarity of the play, the play style, the play system — it’s something that can benefit us,” wide receiver Jarvis Landry said before practice. “And we don’t have that learning curve. It’s just kinda growing from what we already do. So I think that’s the best thing about having a system for multiple years.”
But having the same offense means opponents have had an entire offseason to figure out how to stop Baker Mayfield from rolling out and throwing passes downfield to Landry and the other receivers.
Stefanski isn’t tearing up last year’s playbook, but it won’t remain the same, either.
“There’s a bunch of tape on us from last year on offense, defense and special teams,” Stefanski said. “That’s where teams playing us, especially early, will start.
“It’s ver y natural i n this game to evolve your schemes over a given season. We i mplemented a bunch of changes in the offseason and minicamp. We’ll constantly try to grow. You can’t stay stagnant in this league, because from an offensive standpoint there are too many good defensive coaches out there.”
Being familiar with Stefanski’s offense won’t help Landry as much as being healthy for 2021 will. Landry spent all last season rehabbing from hip surgery. On top of that, he suffered broken ribs in a 3223 win over Indianapolis in the fifth game. He dropped passes he normally would easily catch. He said he didn’t start feeling like himself until midway through the season.
This recent offseason he was able to work on ways to become a better receiver. He lost weight, though he wouldn’t say how much.
“It’s given me a lot more motivation,” Landry said. “It’s given me a lot more just love back for the game.
“When you go through a surgery, they don’t tell you about the mental part of trying to recover and things like that. Having an offseason the way that I had this year was very important to me.”
Landry caught 72 passes in 2020 — the fewest of his seven-year career. The three touchdown catches also marked a career low. He averaged 100 catches a year in his four seasons with the Dolphins and then had 81 and 83 receptions in his first two years with the Browns.
Injury report
Cornerback Greedy Williams walked to the team complex with a trainer with about 20 minutes remaining in practice, but it was a heat-related reason and had nothing to do with the shoulder injury that kept him out all of 2020. He is expected back at practice July 29. … Rookie linebacker Tony Fields is sidelined with a foot injury. … Running back D’Ernest Johnson was excused from practice for personal reasons. … Rookie linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah remains on the reserve/COVID-19 list. … Stefanski declined to reveal his team’s vaccination rate.
“When you go through a surgery, they don’t tell you about the mental part of trying to recover and things like that. Having an offseason the way that I had this year was very important to me.” — Browns receiver Jarvis Landry