Thursday wasn't a normal offseason day in Berea.
Associate head coach - offense Pep Hamilton, defensive coordinator Ray Horton and special teams coordinator Chris Tabor met with reporters for the first time since coach Hue Jackson anointed them to their respective titles.
We've already covered the homecoming angle from Horton and will roll out a handful of other features in the coming days. The following are the five details worth noting from today's press conferences.
1. Hamilton comfortable in his role, 'on board' with Jackson's direction
In his last position, Hamilton was the play-caller for one of the NFL's top offenses. In 2014, the Colts ranked third in the league in total offense and sixth in points per game.
In Cleveland, Hamilton will work closely with Jackson, who will call plays, and the other experienced members of the Browns' offensive staff. Asked if it was a drawback that he wouldn't be the one calling plays for the Browns in 2016, Hamilton quickly shook his head.
"I want to win. I want to win this division, get to the playoffs and win some games, and ultimately, hoist the Lombardi. That's what it's all about," Hamilton said. "It's not about me. I do know that for a fact. I do know that ultimately in order for us to have a chance to be successful, everybody has to be all in and support each other and ultimately support the head coach. I'm on board with whatever Coach wants to do."
Hamilton described his role as facilitating "what it is that Coach wants to do and to make sure that we organize things that we can implement it to our plays and go out and have a chance to be successful on Sundays."
"Excited to be a part of this tradition-rich franchise," Hamilton said. "We're looking forward to doing all the things that (Head) Coach (Hue Jackson) talked about with regards to being a competitive team that can go out and have a chance to win each Sunday."
2. Philosophical carryover an 'advantage' for Browns defense
Horton, of course, was the Browns defensive coordinator in 2013. A number of the team's top defensive players, such as Paul Kruger, Joe Haden, Desmond Bryant, Craig Robertson and Tashaun Gipson, were around for that season and were cogs in Horton's 3-4 defense.
The Browns continued to utilize a base 3-4 defense during Mike Pettine's two-year stint as head coach. Horton said the similar philosophies and carryover from veterans is a "definite advantage" but stressed the game is "ever-evolving."
"I go back to our players," Horton said. "If our big guys will run for us and our little guys will hit, we'll be OK. We have a lot of work to do. We are not there. We are not close, but I like the effort of our guys. We are going to be a 3-4. We are going to be a four-man [front].
"I am excited because the players that were here when I was here worked hard, played hard for us and had some success. That's what we want."
3. Different role for Mingo?
Horton coached outside linebacker Barkevious Mingo as a rookie in 2013. In terms of statistics, it was arguably Mingo's most productive season with the Browns, as the first-round pick out of LSU finished with 42 tackles and five sacks.
In 2014, Mingo played the majority of the season with an injured shoulder and primarily worked as a coverage linebacker. He did the same this past season in a limited role.
Horton said Thursday the Browns need to utilize Mingo's "God-given ability."
"He is a tall, lean, fast young man. We have to utilize that," Horton said. "Now, what do we have on the table for him? Some things different than it's been in the past. Hopefully, he will come in and say, 'I embrace what you are trying to do with me, and I'll do whatever you ask me to do.'"
4. Hamilton, Browns coaches in early stage of QB evaluation
Hamilton, a former offensive coordinator at Stanford, is familiar with some of the top quarterbacks available in this year's draft but stressed it was too early in the evaluation process to have any concrete opinions on them.
The focus of recent weeks has been implementing Jackson's offense with the coaches and preparing for the team's offseason workout program, which begins in early April. He expects to be active on the Pro Day circuit, which will pick up some steam after next week's NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.
"You have an opportunity to evaluate guys and then share your opinion, but ultimately, it's not my decision to make," Hamilton said. "It's my job to help whoever we decide to make our quarterback transition into a winning quarterback."
5. Tabor confident Coons can improve in 2016
Tabor's meeting with Travis Coons at the end of the season was brief because of the team's coaching change, but Cleveland's special teams coordinator provided the young kicker with some advice that could be applied whether Tabor would be his coach or not in 2016.
Tabor cited the improvement he's seen from Kansas City's Cairo Santos, who has gone from barely kicking it far enough for touchbacks to becoming close to automatic, as an example of a kicker who improved his lift as his career progressed. Coons was next to automatic on short and mid-range field goals and logged a number of touchbacks but also had a handful of long field-goal attempts blocked during the second half of the season.
"At the end of the day, the kicker is playing 20 games," Tabor said. "Your first time through toward the end, you have to account for that they could be getting tired and all of those things. The strength part is quite important. I know Travis is going to address those things."
