The storms roared through Northeast Ohio overnight and into the morning, drenching the area and waking up those of us — not naming names — who don't quite sleep that well when thunder and lightning are filling the sky in the middle of the night.
The Browns' plans for Tuesday fit in nicely with the on-again, awful-again weather, and the team got in all of the work it needed to accomplish on a downright swampy afternoon.
Here's what happened at Tuesday's practice.
— As promised earlier in the day by coach Kevin Stefanski, the Browns were without a number of players who were getting some extra rest or were dealing with some minor injuries. The group included DE Myles Garrett (hamstring) and CB Denzel Ward (soreness). Players such as S Grant Delpit (hamstring), WR Anthony Schwartz (hamstring) and S Ronnie Harrison Jr. (hamstring) remained sidelined after missing most of last week's practices while LB Anthony Walker Jr. (knee) was back in action for individual drills for the first time in a week. Jacob Phillips remained the top option at MIKE for team periods.
— With neither Garrett nor Jadeveon Clowney (rest) on the field and Takkarist McKinley (personal) still out, players such as Porter Gustin, Curtis Weaver, Cameron Malveaux and Joe Jackson got an extensive look with the first and second defenses at defensive end. Needless to say, this will be a big couple of weeks for the DEs who are looking to find a role in the rotation.
"We will rotate a lot of those guys," Stefanski said. "It is reps. There are no jobs that are nailed down. We have to see a lot of guys. We will weave them in."
— This was a bit of a spirited practice that included some trash talk between the offense and defense. Both sides had their moments, which included a long Nick Chubb TD run and some nice completions to Austin Hooper and Jarvis Landry.
— WR Odell Beckham Jr. went through individual drills and was running and cutting off to the side when the team went through 11-on-11 and 7-on-7 periods. Stefanski said he didn't have a deadline in his mind of when he needed to see Beckham in team drills.
"We are just making sure that we are being smart, taking everything into account and getting the work in that he is getting on the field and in the weight room," Stefanski said. "Taking it all in with the advice of the medical professionals, but when and who that is worth does not matter."
— With David Njoku on the sidelines Tuesday, Harrison Bryant got to build off a strong performance in the Orange & Brown Practice and work alongside Hooper and the first offense. Earlier in the day, Bryant discussed his new look — he's up 13 pounds — and how that will help his blocking — something he wasn't asked to do much at the college level.
"No matter what your weight is against some of these guys as a tight end, you are outmatched," Bryant said. "I would not say all of the time but in a lot of instances. I think for everyone in the tight end room, it is always a goal to get bigger and stronger to help us out on every play."
— Michael Dunn was right back where he was for the AFC Wild Card game against the Steelers, as he filled in for Joel Bitonio, who got a day to rest and recover. The Browns have a competitive battle raging for some of the final spots in the offensive line room, as Dunn is competing with the likes of Blake Hance, Drew Forbes and Colby Gossett.
— The Browns will be back to work Wednesday and Thursday before flying to Jacksonville on Friday. The weather could be a common story throughout the week, and we'll keep you updated on ClevelandBrowns.com if there are any changes to the practice schedule.
