K Travis Coons:
On his reaction to winning the kicking competition:
"Nothing is set in stone yet. I am just here trying to focus on myself and do what I need to do and whatever that is to help the Cleveland Browns."
On what he needs to do Thursday night to make sure he stays on the roster:
"There is a lot. I need to work on a lot still. I need to get better on my kickoffs. I need to get better on my field goals. Making one field goal is not going to seal anything. I need to go out there and keep competing like every day is my last."
On how his time with the Tennessee Titans last year prepared him for training camp:
"Just a little bit of experience. Being in a couple games there, it helps me out."
On his relationship with special teams coach Chris Tabor and how Tabor has guided him process:
"It is good. Really good dude. Always high energy. It is fun to be here and play for him."
On if he has any DL Danny Shelton stories:
"There are a lot of stories. A lot of funny stories. I can't really think of one off the top of my head, but he is always messing around, having a good time, singing and doing whatever he wants."
On if the weather in Seattle is comparable to the weather kicking in Cleveland:
"It is hard to compare right now because I haven't seen it here at its worst. In Seattle, it is definitely hard with the rain and the wind. You get used to that after a while."
On if he has been told about what it is like to kick by the lake and how he has to adapt:
"I have been told that it gets really windy and obviously gets cold. That is how it was in Seattle, too. Just have to get used to it and kick your ball."
On why the Browns kept him over former K Carey Spear:
"I can't tell you that – I have no idea."
On if the Browns told him why they kept him instead of Spear:
"No."
On if he has had a chance to talk with Spear:
"I have not."
On if the Browns have said anything about bringing in another kicker:
"No, I haven't heard anything. I am just trying to focus on myself and do the best I can."
QB Johnny Manziel:
On how his right, throwing elbow is coming along:
"Really well. I think the past couple days have been good progress getting it back to where it needs to be."
On reports that the soreness is something that's occurred before, specifically since high school:
"I think it is just a little bit of elbow or forearm soreness, just some tendonitis that I have had probably since my freshman or sophomore year at (Texas) A&M. It kind of comes and goes. In the offseason, it is really not usually much of a problem. OTAs, it wasn't much of a problem. As we get into camp, it is a little bit of a grind. We are throwing every day. It kind of comes and goes. It comes with rest. As I get a little bit more rest, it gets back to normal. It just got to the point where I felt like we were throwing a lot, and we were taking with Coach Pett (Head Coach Mike Pettine) and (head athletic trainer) Joe (Sheehan), and they wanted to shut me down for a little bit and give me a little bit of a break, which was nice."
On how confident he is that once the soreness subsides that it will not re-occur during the season:
"Throwing during the year is nothing like it is during camp so I am very confident that it is not going to creep back and there won't be another problem. I think it's just mixed with camp and the amount of days we were going out. I think that was the main focus of it. I don't expect it to go away completely because this is kind of an injury where I will feel a little bit of tightness, your elbow will get sore just from being a quarterback and throwing. That is not anything out of the ordinary."
On missing valuable reps in the third and fourth preseason games:
"You know, I want to be out there. Like I said, I was trying to make the most of my reps that I did get. I think the first two games went alright. Now, it is just make sure to get ready and healthy for the season and playing whatever role I am asked to play."
On if he feels he could jump into the starting QB spot and function after missing some time in the preseason, if it came to that:
"I think I will be ready if that opportunity does present itself. I have been taking a lot of mental reps and making sure I have really engrained in what we have been doing these past couple weeks. Last week was our full game plan for the week, making sure we were really studying Tampa and trying to treat it like we would the Jets or any other week we are going to have in the season. It all went really well. Making most of the mental reps is a part of being in the position I am in, too."
On if he believes he will be able to throw next week, prior to the season opener:
"Sure."
On how he would manage his elbow soreness if he were elevated to starting QB and needed to throw every day:
"I think going through that during the season is nothing like it is during camp so there is still a count that we are going to have during the week that is not near as many throws as were are having out here, throwing RVAs (individual position drills), throwing all these different things. With 90 guys on the team, we have 20 receivers, 15 receivers or however many we have. It is always a lot more elevated during training camp than it is during the season. I think it will be a lot easier to manage throws and easier to manage the situation in its entirety."
On if there were any days he potentially pushed his elbow too far during camp:
"I don't know if that was the case. Coming into the Tampa game, taking a day off and then going into the game, it felt like it was still a little more painful even after getting a little bit of a day off. That was the only thing there. I think doing what I need to do for the most part and taking care of it, I will be good."
On if he has visited Dr. James Andrews or another doctor for a second opinion on his elbow or if he would consider it:
"We reached out to a lot of people, definitely, during this process to make sure that we were all handling – everyone with the Browns, (head athletic trainer) Joe Sheehan – we asked a lot of second opinions. I think Dr. Andrews was one of those people we did reach out to and made sure this was the route we wanted to go as far as giving it some rest and making sure we got an MRI to be cautious and make sure there wasn't anything serious, which there wasn't."
On if anyone suggested surgery:
"No, this is an injury from everything that I have heard, no matter what the case, it wouldn't require that. More than anything, it is just sore. Just a little bit of overthrowing, and making sure I am icing and doing what I need to do."
On his release motion as potentially causing the soreness:
"I have thrown like this since Day 1. I can definitely tell when I do have my elbow like this (arm angled side armed) that it puts a little bit more stress on it, but going into the game, even when I rolled to the left and threw a 40-50 yard pass to (WR) Darius (Jennings), that play didn't hurt as much as sometimes stepping up in the pocket and throwing a regular ball. It is kind of come and go."
On if he is confident he can have the type of career he wants while having to occasionally deal with his elbow soreness:
"Yeah, 100 percent. I think this organization has done a good job of giving me a day off here and a day off there and making sure the next time we don't get to a point where we do overthrow to where (I) do have to take four or five days off or whatever the case is. I am not really concerned about it at all."
On if his elbow soreness was something teams were aware of coming out of college:
"I went and got MRIs. Teams poked on me and prodded on me while I was at the combine. For the most part, to the best of my knowledge, it didn't raise any red flags or necessarily hurt where I was drafted or where I ended up. That is probably more of a question for the Browns, but I am sure they and every other team did their history before using a first-round pick."
On how frustrating the time off has been because he was building momentum before having to sit out:
"Yeah, it was tough. I wanted to be out there last weekend badly. I would have (played) half of the third quarter and the whole fourth. This (upcoming) game is a game where I would get a full start. That is frustrating. I wanted to be out there. I tried to leave the option on the table. 'Hey, maybe I can come back and try to get ready for the Chicago game,' but coming off a short week and wanting to be ready for the regular season more than the fourth preseason game, I think that was the big thing to just tone it down and give it extra time, even maybe more than needed, just to give it back to the right spot."
On if he felt any soreness in his elbow last year:
"Yeah, probably just a little bit of soreness and some forearm tightness. It is really something that I have dealt with every football season from the time I was a freshman at (Texas) A&M."
DL Jamie Meder:
On what is working so well for him:
"I just think it is with everybody in the (defensive) line. We all are working our hardest. We are relentless. We are flying around and getting after the ball together."
On if this is a dream come true since he is a Parma Heights, Ohio native:
"It is amazing. Every day I wake up happy."
On what makes this defensive line so good:
"I think it is the depth and the attitude that is being brought in the room. Everybody wants to get after the ball, and we all have something to prove that we are some of the best in the NFL."
On what making the cut to 75 players and maybe eventually 53 players is like for him:
"It is always in the back of my mind. I always try to put my best foot forward, hard work. If it happens, it happens."
On playing to make not just the Browns but potentially another team:
"Every game is a big game. Right now, I am just focused on Cleveland and that is it."
On if Browns coaches have given him any indication if he has made the team or not:
"No, not at all. It is up in the air for everyone. That is why we are all here competing."
On how he has improved since last year:
"I just think I am getting a better understanding of football, especially at this level. Learning more and being able to see what is happening before it happens."
On if there is a teammate he has bonded with most:
"I feel like the (defensive) line and on the defense. Everybody in that locker room is a great guy."
WR Terrelle Pryor:
On his chances of playing on Thursday:
"I think it's a go but wait to talk to Coach Pett (Head Coach Mike Pettine) and see what he says."
On how he feels physically:
"I feel good. Obviously, I'm not 100 percent coming off the hamstring, the injury I had, but it's well enough. I'm confident and comfortable enough to get out and play."
On what he misses the most when not playing:
"I think just game action, just to get the movement of the game and how the game goes and just trying to fit in with that. Responding to different situations, I think that's probably the biggest thing."
On if it will be different getting hit as a receiver:
"You see (QB) Josh (McCown) get hit the other day (laughter)? You get hit. I don't think it's different. It's a game."
On if he feels pressure to perform well in Thursday's game:
"No. Like I said before, it's not my decision. I'm going to make plays. That's all I feel like I've ever done. Every time I go on the field, I go out there and aspire to make plays and make a change and make a difference in the game. That's all I can control is myself, catching the ball, blocking for my teammates trying to spring a running back free, that's it."
On if he feels better today since he didn't play Saturday night:
"Oh yeah, absolutely. It's not even close."
On how much he thinks mental work will count towards roster decisions:
"I think it's good. I get the opportunity to watch great route runners: (WR Taylor) Gabriel, Hawk (WR Andrew Hawkins), D-Bowe (WR Dwayne Bowe), (WR Brian) Hartline, all of our other guys. I don't want to miss any names. The thing I'm trying to get at is watching these guys, how they move up the line, how they set up defenders on their routes it kind of helped me. Even yesterday, a lot of the guy were like 'Man, your routes look real good today.' Continue to see through that, continue to ask questions of the older guys because they've been in different situations and different leverages and defenders and stuff like that. For me, that's what I'm looking forward to on Thursday, just going up against another defender, be physical, play and have fun."
On seeming discouraged about his injury:
"I wouldn't say discouraged. For me, anybody that I'm engaged with, friends or anyone I have relationships with, I tell them not to bring negativity around and always be positive. For me, I don't think a lot of people understand the extreme, to me, in my mind, what this hamstrings done. Like I said before, not only is it making me miss football, something that I love, something that I do for my job, it's making me miss another part – my son. I don't want you guys to take it a different way, I'm just explaining the severity to me. This hamstring isn't just messing me up on the field. I don't get the opportunity to go move back and stuff like that. I just wanted to compare it that there's things that are more important than football that I don't have the opportunity to see so that's all I was saying."
LB Scott Solomon:
On how it feels to be playing with the starters:
"It has felt good. I am just trying to get better every day. I feel like my coaches have put me in a good position there. I feel like the older guys have helped me out a lot, too, with that transition. It has been good."
On what his role will be:
"Right now, probably more early downs, but again, whatever they ask of me, I am going to do."
On what has he liked about being with the Cleveland Browns:
"The coaches are great here. I feel like they believe in me. I feel like the older guys and other players are helping me out a lot. It is a good atmosphere."
On how much of an impact he can have setting the edge:
"I feel like we have all gotten a lot better at that. It has been a point of focus. I feel like we have all tried to do a better job at that."
On which nickname he prefers, 'Bonesaw' or 'Bloodbath':
"No preference."
On the nickname, 'Bonesaw':
"Bonesaw started in college."
On why he received that nickname him:
"I couldn't even tell you."
On what the defense line is doing to help him as a LB:
"They are really firing off the ball. They are doing a great job up front. They are really looking good."
On how different is it to have a roster spot secured and starting Week 1, compared to earlier in his career:
"For me, I don't really look at it like that. I just put my head down and go to work every day and try not to take anything for granted."
On if how he finished last season gave him confidence going into this season:
"Yeah, I would say a little bit. Again, I try not to think about the past or the present. Just take each day (one day) at a time and try to get better each day."
On how good the front seven can be:
"I think we have the players. I think we will be good [rushing the passer and defending the run]. I think we will do a good job at that."
