The Cleveland Browns open their offseason “practice” to the media today. It’s the first of three Tuesdays when a workout will be open, followed by three days of open minicamp June 16-18.
The NFL mandates the open work to give the media access to the team, which in turn provides a glimpse at how certain players are doing and what changes have been made.
For the Browns, there are several points of interest to monitor, with the proviso that these practices are supposed to be “non-contact” and are nowhere near as revealing as training camp.
All quarterbacks, for instance, should be able to take advantage of a situation where the pass rush is limited and contact is prohibited.
The most obvious person of interest for the Browns will be Johnny Manziel, who is coming off a disastrous rookie season and a 10-week stint in rehab. Manziel has had to learn a new offense, adjust back to life with teammates and grow as a player and person this offseason.
That all won’t happen in a short time, but the reviews from teammates have been positive. One year ago there were photos of floating swans and Vegas parties; this year there’s been nothing but praise.
Manziel’s challenge is not simple, and a long road awaits him. But seeing how he handles John DeFilippo’s new system, how he handles the basics of being an NFL quarterback and how he handles the pocket passing game for the first time will be interesting.
What might be more interesting is how much of Manziel is seen in practice. Does he share the second-team reps equally with Thad Lewis and Connor Shaw, or will there be a clear delineation between those three, which would indicate one of them has a leg up on the backup job.
Of course it goes without saying that Josh McCown bears a close eye, as well. The Browns have removed all pressure from the veteran by basically saying if he holds his own, he’ll start. He was given the same chance last season in Tampa Bay and lost 10 of 11 games. The Browns found a way to offer excuses for that record. Now he gets his second chance.
Running back Terrance West spent much of the offseason tweeting about his workouts and weight loss. West had maturity and consistency issues last season, at times worrying more about his playing time than anything else. He did run well, though, and finished with a good game in the finale in Baltimore. Has the offseason work paid off?
Dwayne Bowe has made lots of promises in his career, so when he promised he’d revert to his top form of 2010 (15 TDs) it should be taken with a grain of something. Bowe steps in as the Browns’ No. 1 wideout without ever truly filling that role in Kansas City, aside from that 2010 season. The Browns need him, and he should stand out in this kind of practice. The Browns probably know what to expect from Brian Hartline; what they can expect from Bowe remains to be seen.
Linebacker Barkevious Mingo deserved some sort of courage award last season. He played with a shoulder problem that meant he had to have it strapped and could not lift his arm above his shoulder. Offseason surgery addressed the issue, but the Browns still took Nate Orchard in the second round. How Mingo is moving and acting will show how far he’s come since the surgery.
Tramon Williams is another very important player for the defense. The Browns need two corners who can cover and play man-press coverage. Williams is 32, but the Browns clearly feel he has something left, and that he can complete the secondary. If Williams is healthy and capable, the secondary picture becomes much clearer -- in a hurry.
Those are the main folks to be watched. Other items of interest include:
Who starts at tight end?
Do the Browns have a fullback?
Where does first-round pick Cam Erving fit?
Who will line up with the first unit at running back?
Who starts at safety with Tashaun Gipson AWOL due to that contract situation?
How much will Phil Taylor be able to do, if anything at all?
How does center Alex Mack look coming off his broken ankle?