The Browns completed their third week of offseason workouts on Thursday afternoon and in seven days, they'll welcome 21 new faces — including 10 draft picks — to Berea for rookie minicamp.
Those rookies will be immediately entrenched in a culture that head coach Hue Jackson on Thursday described as strong as it's been in two years.
"I think the beautiful part for me is I don't have to carry the message, the players are," Jackson said on Cleveland Browns Daily.
"I think the culture is so strong in our locker room that's there's a way we do things and what the expectation is and I don't have to talk about that anymore, the players do it. And I think that's when you know you're on your way, and that's what it's going to be like when the new guys walk in the building."
After a 1-15 season that saw the Browns struggle because of inexperience, injuries and a lack of depth, they fortified their offensive line in free agency and added several talented players via the draft whom they hope will contribute next season.
The Browns have two more weeks of offseason workouts before OTAs begin May 15. Rookie minicamp is set for May 12-14, which will be the first time Jackson and Co. get their hands on the likes of defensive end Myles Garrett (the No. 1 overall pick), safety Jabrill Peppers (No. 25), tight end David Njoku (No. 29) and quarterback DeShone Kizer (No. 52).
Fifty-seven members of Cleveland's 89-man roster are in either their first or second NFL season. Jackson said those youngsters will have no choice but to follow a foundation laid by veterans like Joe Thomas and Joe Haden.
"It won't be me talking about it," Jackson said, "I think these guys have committed to a standard that they truly believe in, that they believe is going to give us a chance to get this turned around."
And the people that become a part of it have to meet that standard," Jackson continued, "or they can't be in that locker room."
