Cameron Erving is ready for whatever the Browns need him to do next season. He's just not exactly sure what that might be.
"It feels great to be back in Cleveland," he said Friday while hosting "Breakfast with the Browns" at Richmond Heights Elementary School. "I'm just ready to see what's next, ready to see how this new system is going to be put in, I'm anxious."
After all, the second-year offensive lineman and 2015 first-round draft pick could see his role expand next season following the departures of offensive linemen Alex Mack and Mitchell Schwartz, who signed with different clubs in free agency.
Erving, who spoke highly of his former teammates, said he's prepared to fill their shoes if that's what first-year coach Hue Jackson and company need him to.
"I prepare as I prepare all the time, I prepare as I'm going to be a starter at any point in time," Erving said when asked about that prospect. "I'm happy for those guys who went, they deserve it. They work hard. I saw a different work ethic that I've ever seen before in Alex Mack and Mitchell Schwartz and I'm happy for both of them."
Erving, who emerged as one of the nation's top offensive linemen while at Florida State, played in all 16 games as a rookie and made four starts. And while he's played both tackle and center in college, Erving said he'll let the coaching staff figure out where he best fits on the offensive line.
"It's just all about getting reps, I only played five games of center in college but I did feel comfortable when I played," he said, "so we'll just see how it goes and we'll see how everything plays out."
Browns associate head coach Pep Hamilton echoed a similar sentiment in February, calling Erving's versatility a "luxury to have a guy that can play tackle and/or play center."
"I think it's very beneficial for rookie offensive linemen to have an opportunity to play at different spots across the line. I do feel like with the style of offense that we'll end up using that there will be opportunities for us to put more than five offensive linemen on the field," Hamilton said.
"I'm not saying that Cam can't go in, compete and win a job. It was good to see that there were times when he was a dominant player. We expect that over time the more that he plays and once he has a chance to work with the offensive line coaches that we have here, he can be an every-down player for us."
Erving and the rest of Cleveland's roster are bracing for Monday, when offseason workouts under Jackson are set to begin.
"I met the coaches before I left and went to my offseason training and I got a really good impression of him," Erving said of Jackson.
"I feel like we're going to hit off. It's just about timing and it's just about personnel and how they put everything together but I feel like it's a good thing coming and a good thing cooking."
