Head Coach Hue Jackson:
On DB Jabrill Peppers returning to practice today and DL Chad Tomas participating in some drills:
"(Thomas) is getting closer. Easing him back. Was good to have him out there and see him out there with his teammates. Good to have Jabrill back. Hopefully, we can get all of our injured guys back hopefully soon."
On RB Nick Chubb producing today:
"Nick has had a good camp. The running backs – Carlos (Hyde), Duke (Johnson Jr.) and Nick – have all done a good job. They are picking up the system well, making plays. If he is having a good day, somebody is blocking for him, too. The offensive line did some good things, as well."
On WR Corey Coleman producing on back-to-back days and if that helps his confidence:
"I think that his confidence is growing. Corey is a confident player anyway. This is Year 3 and the fifth day in this, and he just kind of understands that you have to grind through it. He has done that. I have been really impressed. He has come out every day, been a little sore but has fought through it and went out and made plays."
On if he spoke to TE David Njoku following yesterday's practice:
"I have talked to him. He needs to know that I have confidence in him. I know the kind of player that he can be, but there is so much work that he has to do to be what I think he wants to be. In order to do that, every day you have got to be focused, determined and disciplined. He has to work at that every day, and I think that he did today."
On what Thomas can offer once he fully returns:
"He is another big athlete who is physical. I will learn more about him when he puts on the pads full-time and comes out here and competes with our guys, but I am excited to see him when that time comes. I think that he can bring another element. From what we saw on tape when he was coming out, he is big and strong. He can hold the point and rush. It gives us another one of those types of players."
On if there is any 'temptation' with QB Baker Mayfield despite repeatedly stating QB Tyrod Taylor is the starter:
"No, I do not have temptation that way. No. Baker Mayfield is doing great. (QB) Tyrod Taylor is doing great. This thing is going to play out just like I told you it would. I am not going to change. I think that you guys are judging every day what happens and 'this might happen, that might happen.' No. I am not like that. We are going to grow our football team. We are going to grow our quarterbacks. Tyrod Taylor is our quarterback. Baker Mayfield is competing and getting better each and every day, still learning the National Football League. Has done a really nice job of learning our system and improving every day. Tyrod Taylor has too, and so has (QB) Drew Stanton. We have a really good room. I am excited about our room."
On how Mayfield has improved since the spring:
"I think that he has refined some things. I think that he has worked really hard in the offseason to improve on the mechanical things that we wanted him to. I do see that. He is growing. I said that yesterday, and I will continue to say that. I am impressed with that because he is going that way. That is important. Like all the young guys, you will hit a wall at some point, and we will bring him through it. He has done some nice things, but Tyrod Taylor has done some nice things and Drew Stanton has done some nice things. It is a fun situation to have with the guys that we have."
On if the players' off-day tomorrow comes at a good time:
"I would keep practicing to be honest with you. I think we were finding a groove there a little bit. I think the players appreciate the rules and how the CBA works. As coaches, we wish we could keep going. They need it. They probably need to get away from us for a little bit. We will see them around the building. At the same time, the rest comes as you said at a good time."
On his message at the end of practice:
"Be smart tonight. Be smart tonight. We need you all back, and I just think that is always a lesson for our players. When you get a chance to have some free time, what do you do with it? I would hope these guys – if we did not do our job as coaches, they will be out; and hopefully, we have, and they will rest. Hopefully, we have pushed them pretty good, and they need some rest for their bodies."
On if Peppers needs to catch up or will 'slide back in', given the practice time missed:
"(DB) Jabrill (Peppers) is a very talented player, but at the same time, you have to practice football. The thing about sliding back in, that was the (former Browns OL) Joe Thomas days, guys that have done it for a long time. We have a lot of young guys that they have to practice and get back to playing football, making football plays and getting your body ready for the grind of football."
On seeming like the type of coach who misses two-a-day practices:
"I do. I do (laughter). It is the rules so we have to follow them."
On if he would do two-a-days again if he could:
"Uh, OK (laughter)."
On the teams' curfew tonight:
"I trust them now. They do not have a curfew. There is no curfew. You have to trust them. It is their day off. I trust them with my phone really close to me, but I do trust our guys. Our guys understand that there are some things that we do not tolerate. They get it."
