Included below are select quotes from interviews with the following Browns players during today's media availability:
- RB Isaiah Crowell
- DB Justin Gilbert
- RB Raheem Mostert
- DL Carl Nassib
- OL Austin Pasztor
- WR Terrelle Pryor
RB Isaiah Crowell:
On his reaction to the first preseason game against the Packers:
"Really just see where we're at physically and mentally and just get a feel for the game, just see where we're at and be able to come out here and come into the week and work harder and get the W."
On if it was hard to not get many reps or carries during the Packers game:
"It is preseason, but every touch counts and you try to do the best you can with every touch. We didn't do as good as we wanted to and we'll get that together this week."
On if he's confident that the run game will be ready by Week 1:
"Yes, I feel confident about that. I feel like everything will be good. The run game will be fine by Week 1, and I feel like we'll have everything together."
On the Browns running game:
"The offense as a whole, it takes everybody to get the run game going. The receivers running the DBs off, me hitting the right track, the linemen getting on the right people so I feel like us as a whole, we have to just get better."
DB Justin Gilbert:
On how training camp has been, as well as receiving reps with the first team:
"It's been going pretty good so far. (DB) Joes (Haden) is back so he's obviously getting the one reps now, but Coach (defensive coordinator Ray Horton) still finds a way to work me in there with them at the same time."
On how receiving reps with the first team has helped him:
"At the end of the day, we're just out there trying to make plays, all on one mission and trying to win and help this team win games. So far in the DB room, we've all been showing effort and improvement each week."
On if working against the top WRs helped his development this preseason:
"I think everyone gets better with repetition so I would say yeah, most definitely."
On if he enjoys playing for this defensive staff:
"Oh, I love it. I love it. It kind of reminds me a little bit of the defense that I played at Oklahoma State, where we got to mix it up a little bit. Hopefully, this will give us some opportunities to make some plays this year."
RB Raheem Mostert:
On the Browns' first preseason game:
"Friday, it was a good experience getting out there and being under (Head) Coach (Hue) Jackson, practicing all hard and stuff like that all throughout training camp and then going out there and trying to execute. Having a couple good runs and doing some good assignments and then having the dropped kickoff after the safety, it kind of hurt me a little bit inside, but I got over it and just had to continue playing the game. Whether that happened or not, I had to move onto the next play."
On if he received many reps at RB last season or if he was brought primarily for special teams:
"I was brought in just as the returner and to play core special teams, which I was fine with. That's something I enjoy doing so I came in and they primarily wanted me to be a returner. It was like the last two games of the season so understanding a new playbook was kind of challenging the last two weeks so I was at running back after (RB) Duke (Johnson Jr.) and Crow (RB Isaiah Crowell) because (RB) Glenn (Winston) was hurt at the time, I believe. They just wanted me to come in and be a special teams guy so that's what I came to do."
On getting an opportunity at RB now:
"It's a blessing. I just I have to continue to strive and try to be perfect in my game like Coach Kirb (running backs coach/run game coordinator Kirby Wilson) talks about. He always says, 'Focus on the little details and that ultimately helps your career.' That's just something that I've been trying to work on throughout this training camp is just focus on my details and fundamentals and trying to figure out how I can be a better back."
On if he's returned many punts during his career:
"No, I have not returned a lot of punts at all so it was a new thing, but once (Chargers WR) Travis Benjamin was gone and stuff like that, I texted (special teams coordinator) Coach (Chris) Tabor and I was just like, 'Hey, look, I know that position is somewhat open and wherever the draft goes and stuff like that in (WR) Corey Coleman, that's a challenge that I want to do just to add value to the team and to show that I do have versatility in that phase and that I can provide some type of value to that part of the game.' That's what I've been trying to work on. I've been doing it since I was younger. I just never really got into the game and done it. It was a new experience for me, but I enjoyed it. I took on the challenge.
DL Carl Nassib:
On his biggest takeaway from the Green Bay game:
"We need to correct some things so we come out with a victory next time. It was a big learning experience for me so I just want to continue to learn."
On if he was pleased with his performance:
"Yeah, I went out and I just tried to do my job every play as hard and fast as I could every time. In that aspect, yeah, I did my best."
On his comfort in the Browns 3-4 scheme:
"It took some getting used to it, but I'm pretty comfortable with it now and I'm having fun with it, definitely."
On if he feels like he has made an impression on the Browns coaching staff during training camp:
"Hopefully, I did it before camp and hopefully, I did it during the game. I'm just going to strive to continue to impress them and continue to make them look so I just have to keep that rolling."
OL Austin Pasztor:
On if he's surprised that he's currently in line to start at RT, given the competition at the position:
"I'm not focused about the competition. I'm focused about trying to get myself better. The game really showed me some things I need to work on so that's where my focus is now."
On his expectations coming into training camp and if he thought he'd be in the mix to start at RT:
"I think in the spring the coaches had me focusing on guard so that's where my main focus was working right or left, but I've played tackle before. You always have to be prepared to move around. In the NFL, you only keep between seven and nine guys on the O-ine, so the backups have to be able to play multiple positions. I've always had it in my mind to be able to play different positions."
On how the Browns offensive line performed against the Packers:
"I would say that we all have to pick up our technique and our fundamentals and make sure we're on top of things."
WR Terrelle Pryor:
On hurting his hand against Green Bay and how it's feeling now after showing some signs of discomfort in practice:
"I don't even know how it happened or at what part during the game, but it's just a little sore, just like everybody else. Guys' hamstrings are sore, quads, whatever it may be. I just have to get through it. I catch a lot of balls on the jugs. Sometimes, muscles, tendons, whatever can get sore so I just have to get through it, keep doing my treatment the right way and it should be fine."
On if his hand has improved since he initially hurt it and if there were lingering effects today:
"It got a lot better from Friday. It got a lot better in these two days. I almost felt it a little bit but not as much, and then I got hit on the last play so it kind of came back. Everything checked out in terms of the X-ray so I guess it's just a contusion or something like that."
On doctors evaluating his hand and if there were indications of ligament damage:
"The doctors felt around it, and every single ligament that they felt, they usually could tell [if there was damage]. The guys that we have are pretty sharp so it definitely isn't [ligament damage]. It doesn't hurt in any areas like that."
On whether or not he had a MRI:
"No, I didn't."
On the nice catches he had against the Packers and if he feels as though they show how far he's come:
"I don't really look at it as that. I just look at it as I'm just competing every day. It's just like being out here – I don't let the game, like when I stepped on the field it wasn't bigger than practice. It wasn't bigger than going against – you know, it's just another guy that I have to defeat. A lot of times when you do great things in practice, like (Head) Coach (Hue Jackson) said, it's either you're going to do real well or you're not going to do real well. So it's good that we can stay on that path and just continue doing it – going to Atlanta and so on and so forth. Like I said before on Friday, it's all about making plays, and that play is past me. I really don't care anymore. I'm ready to make the next play and get a loud cheer from the crowd."
