**
On if Browns starters will only play the first half in Thursday night's game:**
"Haven't made that decision yet."
On which Browns will not play Thursday due to injury:
"I haven't really talked to our medical staff yet. I normally like to wait until after practice and tonight after guys have gotten in, showered and went in the training room. As far as who for sure is not going to play, I won't know a lot of that until tomorrow. I'm sure we'll let you guys know soon as we do."
On having DL John Hughes III back in the building and how much catching up he needs to do:
"It's exciting to have him back. Obviously, he's been with us through all of the offseason. Obviously, there is some catching up to do but he's been in the system, was there in OTAs and around the coaches. Hopefully, he can get back up to speed quickly."
On his message to the team after a scuffle in practice:
"I'm not interested in fights. I'm interested in good football players. I know things get heated a little bit every now and then, but we have to keep our cool, keep our poise. We have to be a team that keeps their poise, and we will. Guys understand that. It happens every now and then, and that's the first time that has happened in quite a while for our football team. Guys are practicing hard and trying to get after it. Like I said, it happens every now and then, but we'll control that."
On how WR Josh Gordon looks in his first team drills today:
"Fast, long, tall, big, can catch, all those good things. He's done a good job. We're just working our process with him, and we'll get him out there and doing more as we move forward."
On if Gordon will play Thursday night:
"I haven't thought about any of those things yet. Still a little early. You just gave me that eye like I'm supposed to know tonight. I'm not supposed to. We play Thursday. Today is Tuesday. More than likely probably not, but we'll see."
On if DB K'Waun Williams' absence is excused or unexcused:
"We'll talk about that at a different time. I just think there are a lot of mixed messages that are going on as far as all that's concerned. I think we'll deal with it, and I'm sure we'll all talk about it at the appropriate time."
On if Williams is still away from the team:
"I'm not going to even comment on that right now."
On how OL Cameron Erving performed at Green Bay and his progress:
"Absolutely. No, he did some really good things and there are some things he needs to clean up, but I think Cam has all of the characteristics that we're looking for. This is his first year in the National Football League playing center. That was our first preseason game. We're chasing perfection, but I didn't expect perfection in the first night. From Cam to everyone across our line and everyone across our team, we need to get better. We need to get better as the Cleveland Browns football team. There are some things he did well and there are some things he's got to clean up."
**
On if it can be a challenge for Erving that he is taller than most NFL centers:**
"Yeah, I'm sure it is. There is no question. That's a great question, but I also think he's very athletic. He can bend. There is no doubt he needs to make himself smaller at times when we play different type of nose guards or 3-techniques or whatever that is, but I think he has the characteristics to get that done."
On QB Austin Davis' status:
"I think he's still in the concussion protocol."
On how hard it is to balance getting the team ready, evaluating talent and keeping everyone healthy throughout preseason games:
"It can be tough because again, we're trying to build a team but we're also trying to evaluate our team and also trying to teach our team how to win and do things the right way. At the end of the day, we know what preseason games are about. It's about getting ready and evaluating our team and getting ready for the regular season. It can be tough, but at the same time, we kind of balance that out. There have been great discussions from our front office and the coaches, and I think we're working through that extremely well."
On if there is envy for other teams who have established system and do not need to evaluate their personnel as much, given those teams don't have a new staff and system:
"I don't look at it like that. We're a new staff, you said it. We're a new staff, new everything, and a year from now, we won't be saying that. We'll be like those teams that you just mentioned. I feel good about what we're doing and where we're headed, and I understand that this is a process and this is the first part of it. We're putting it together, we're starting from the ground floor and we're going to work our way up. That's what we're going to do."
On QB Cody Kessler and his performance at practice:
"Good. Cody is resilient. He's going to battle and work. Like I said, he would probably be the first to tell you he wanted to do some other things the other night. He was fortunate to throw a touchdown in his first NFL game, but he also had some things happen that he wishes didn't, but he'll learn from it and grow from it."
On DL Nick Hayden and DL John Hughes III competing for a starting spot with Hughes returning to practice:
"I think Nick has done a good job, and until John is ready to go and play, we won't be able to evaluate that. We're just glad to have him back in the building and have him have a chance to get back out there and compete with his teammates, but Nick has done a good job."
On DL Jamie Meder's performance:
"He's been playing well. He practices, the guy is very accountable. He's there every day. He works extremely hard. He made some big plays, football plays by clogging holes, getting people off of double-teams, and then making plays, making a safety. I think he's done a great job. I think you guys are saying his name a lot more. I know we are because he's making plays, and we hope he continues to do so."
On WRs Corey Coleman, Josh Gordon, and Terrelle Pryor and if he thinks about the potential for that trio:
"There are a lot of thoughts that go through my mind. I can't tell you all of them, but they are a talented trio. We have some other guys, too, but they are [talented]. Those guys have size, they have speed, they have length, they have the ability to make plays on the ball. That's exciting, but we haven't had them all out there together yet really. They've been out there for the past couple days doing some things, but hopefully we can in the future and that all works out, get all these guys out there playing together for our offensive football team."
On OL Joe Thomas' comment about not seeing any reason that the Browns can't make the playoffs this year:
"I think that's the environment that we've created, and he's a part of that environment. I've said to our team before in front of Joe that he deserves the opportunity to be on a team that challenges for the division championship, goes to the playoffs and win the game. That's what this is all about, and we have to help him get there. That's our job – the coaches, the other players. He's been here. He's the cornerstone of this organization. It thrills me that he thinks that way, that he feels that way. I hope it burns a fire in all of our players and coaches that he feels that way because that's what we're chasing. That's what we're about, and that's what we need to do."
