Head Coach Hue Jackson:
Opening statement:
"Still working each day. Today, we were not going to take anybody to the ground. This was just the second part of it. I think that we have had enough dress rehearsal. Hopefully, we can go out and look like a football team that knows what it is doing this Thursday. We still have some work to do before we play, but we are looking forward to it."
On DL Larry Ogunjobi developing a relationship with Bengals DT Geno Atkins:
"I heard about it Larry's first year here. It is really interesting. We were at breakfast, and he just started talking about the people he was working with. He mentioned Geno Atkins and I go, 'What a mentor.' He kind of wants to pattern his game off of Geno. Geno kind of came up through the ranks and became one of the best defensive linemen in football. Hopefully, that will happen for Larry. What a guy to pattern your game after. I think that Geno is a tremendous football player and person."
On how Atkins can advise Ogunjobi:
"I think that Geno would probably talk to him about blocking schemes and about how to get through practice the right way, making sure that you get all of the looks that you need and how to watch the videotape. There are a lot of things that veteran players pass along to young rookie players. Geno is great that way in my opinion. In my time with Geno, that is what Geno was. He was good at what he did, but he also tried to bring everybody else along."
On DB Damarious Randall and what he offers with his personality:
"He has a little bit of that to him, he has a little bit of swag to him. He likes to play the game. I think that he is very versatile, too. He has played corner in this league. He has played nickel. He has played safety. He is giving you a proven cover guy back there. I think that he has the range that we look for and he has the ball skills that we need."
On Randall and the WR corps getting after it a bit yesterday:
"I am fine with that. I think that you need a little bit of that. As a matter of fact, we need a little bit more of that. Until, there is a point that you do not. There is a line that we do not cross with our teammates, but I am OK with our teammates getting after each other a little bit. It is hot. You are going after the same guys all of the time. Those things are going to happen every now and then."
On if he offered WR Jarvis Landry a veteran day off:
"We gave him a semi-day off today. He played in that first series and then we kind of took him out. He does not want it. It is a chore trying to get Landry off of the field. You almost have to take his helmet and threaten to kick him out of here because he wants to be out here all of the time."
On if he was the last veteran took advantage of a veteran day off:
"He did not take it. We took it for him. Normally, those guys would come out here and not dress to practice. I know that we can't do it that way [with Landry]. Let him dress, let him go a little bit and then (wide receivers coach) Adam (Henry) take him out. That is the way that we have to work with him because he is not going to go out. He wants to compete the whole time."
On if he likes that Landry has that 'old school' mentality:
"I am, but we have to be smart. These are the days when those [types of injures] start to happen. Two big days in a row like that, that is when guys start getting something with his legs. It was smart on his part that he did not fight to get back in because I think he knows that when you are out, you are out. At the same time, I do love his want to."
On WRs Antonio Callaway and Rashard Higgins not participating as much in team drills as prior practices:
"Callaway did more today. Callaway was at X and caught a lot of balls and made some plays. Higgins played some more today, obviously, with Jarvis being out. Yesterday, sometimes it is the personnel that you put in. Maybe they did not find it. Yesterday, I with Higgins would have played a little more. Today, I think that we wanted to make sure that he did."
On takeaways from OL Austin Corbett's play at LG, paired alongside of OL Joel Bitonio at LT:
"That I think it is a start to something good, I believe. What I have seen over there, I see a young player who is playing against somebody that he is comfortable with. They communicate well. They had some double team blocks that were tremendous. They play off of each other. It is like they have been around each other. You can just see it. There were some twist games that they were able to pick up. That is exciting, but he has got a long way to go. Joel and him spending that time together, growing and understanding what defenses are trying to do."
On why p*ast QBs did not organize offseason workouts together like Taylor did:*
"I think that guys tried to do that. I just think that when you are a veteran quarterback who demands that you do that, it is just a little bit different. You are talking about a guy who has seven years in the league, has been to the playoffs and has won games. I think that you would want to please him if you were a young player. It is nothing against the other quarterbacks that have been here – I think that they have tried – but you are asking guys to do something and I think that you have a veteran that is demanding that you do it."
On WR Corey Coleman not taking many reps towards end of practice:
"It is probably a little hamstring or something that is a little sore. We will find out more when we go in."
On if the Browns acquired DB Damarious Randall specifically to play safety or if that was determined once he came to Cleveland:
"It was for the position of safety. We felt like he was a playmaker. He played corner but had the versatility. Obviously, when he was coming out of college, he played safety. We felt this was an opportunity to fill a need on our football team, and it was somebody that they were very comfortable with. They knew all the ins and outs about him and shared all those things with me. I did my homework, and he is here. I am glad that he is here."
On if it is hard to gauge QB Baker Mayfield's pocket presence when he can't be contacted in practice:
"No, it is not. There are times we can still coach him to get the ball out of his hands, and there are things he has done just naturally, sliding to the side making throws down the field. That is always going to be a work in progress until the quarterback is in a live rush and people can actually put you down on the ground. Right now, I see signs of huge improvement, but we will start to know more when we play games."
On Ogunjobi drive to be successful:
"Yes, he wants to be good. Like I said, he is chasing a guy who is in the division (Atkins) who is one of the best. I think you just look up the road and go, 'Wow, that is what it takes? I need to do it.' He has that determination, and if you couple that with discipline and desire, good things happen. I think he has a good chance to be a good player. He just has to keep working at it."
On if he thinks DL Caleb Brantley's thigh injury is not serious:
"I do. I do. I do not think [it is serious]. Obviously, he was not out there today. It is one of those things you get a thigh bruise. We all have had them before and you just have to work through it. However, I do not think it is going to be anything serious."
On DL Myles Garrett having a veteran day off:
"Yes. Like I told you guys, I am going to do everything I can to continue to put Myles in a situation to protect him from himself a little bit (laughter). You know that is just Myles because he likes to go. However, I think this is the right thing to do for our team."
On DB Derrick Kindred making plays behind the line of scrimmage:
"He is. He is improving and growing. He is in competition with (DB Jabrill) Peppers. That is what you have to do."
On LB Mychal Kendricks:
"He is a good player. He is a really good player. I think you guys see the same things we all see. He is making plays. His demeanor is the right demeanor. He loves football. He is here to win, and he lets that be known. That is all he is interested in – to try to help the team win and to play well."
On Ogunjobi's go-getter attitude and seeking out Atkins advice:
"I think that is great. I think everybody needs to have someone who can kind of mentor you through the National Football League, especially if you want to be a great player. What two better guys to have than those two?
On what he has learned from RB Nick Chubb since the draft:
"That he is very quiet (laughter). Very quiet, but he is a good football player. I am glad we have him and I think we will see even more of him and his personality will start to show and what he can do on the football field as we keep going. I just think the sky is the limit for him, and we are going to keep working."
