Head Coach Hue Jackson:
Opening statement:
"Somebody decided to turn up the heat today. Wow. A muggy one, but we need it. I hope that we can get some more days like that. It is good to be in that environment practicing and pushing. We did a few things differently today because I wanted to get our guys accustomed to when we play other teams, every now and then there are a couple of looks that we need to see so we did some of that today so that was good. Overall, the guys were off [yesterday], and the first day back, I thought that they pushed through with the weather and everything. Back to a good start."
On the trade of WR Corey Coleman:
"Obviously, Corey is in Buffalo now. We wish Corey well. I appreciated the time coaching him while he was here. Wish him well."
On the timing of the trade:
"With (General Manager) John Dorsey and the coaching staff – myself, I should say – we are always trying to find ways to continue to get better however we think. Sometimes that is adding a player. Sometimes that is moving players. There are a lot of different ways to get your team better. There is a plan in place, and we are executing that. We will keep going from there."
On if the trade will allow for more key reps to other players, specifically WR Antonio Callaway:
"I am not going to say that it is more 'key reps.' He was starting to get those. We like the group that we have here right now. We are going to coach the group. It is a very young group, a very talented young group. We need to get these guys better."
On RB Duke Johnson Jr. mentioning he wouldn't mind a position change to WR:
"Let me make this clear, Duke's position will not change. That is first and foremost. Will Duke get the opportunity to go out there as a back in our packages and play receiver? Yes, he will. Duke is a very vital part of what we do on offense. He has to continue to learn the system and get better. He will. He has been a playmaker ever since I have been here. He will continue to do that."
On when he learned about the Coleman trade:
"That does not matter. He just is not here anymore."
On the Browns having confidence in Callaway, especially after he did not play football last year:
"He has talent – I think that we all know that – but I think that he is starting to really get the system and learning how to do things the way that we want them done. I was back there when he was returning punts. He said, 'Coach, I have not played in a year.' He is really looking forward to Thursday night. I am glad that he senses it because I do, too. I want to make sure that ho goes out there on Thursday and plays the way that we think he can play."
On LB Jamie Collins Sr.'s training camp:
"I think that he is doing a good job. Obviously, we are trying to ease him back into it. He is not totally full-go in that way, but he is close. We do want him to see him play this week because I think he can. He can go out there and do something. He needs to get himself back to where he needs to be. He is working hard. He has made some plays training camp. Jamie needs to continue to make those impact plays for our football team, and I think that he will."
On Coleman not producing to expectations despite the coaching he received:
"At the end of the day, I do not think that any of that matters right now. I think what matters is that we are going to coach the guys that are here. We wish Corey the best of luck."
On if there was a specific moment that ultimately led to trading Coleman:
"I wish Corey the best, and we are going to coach the guys that are here."
On the Browns making significant changes during training camp and if that reflects on the urgency to win this year:
"That is a good question. I think that you can look at it that way. I think that is the urgency, period – we want to win. Every decision that we make as we go about this is about winning and trying to put the best football team on the field for our fans and for our organization. There are no other hidden agendas for anything. This is a production-based business everywhere – offensively, defensively and special teams. As this thing winds down, there are going to be some tough decisions that we have to make. Every decision is made with the thought in mind of how do we win."
On if the Coleman trade is completely separate from WR Josh Gordon's status:
"That has nothing to do with Josh. None whatsoever."
On if he has been in contact with Gordon:
"I like to keep that between me and Josh."
On what key attributes can help WR Rashard Higgins improve from last season:
"He is in Year 3. Rashard made some plays for us, and there may have been some games where he disappeared a little bit and showed back up again, but I think the biggest thing he learned was how hard you have to work every day to secure an opportunity in the National Football League. I think the wake-up call for him was when he was released, and then he came back and he played his tail off. This is week to week. He is going to get an opportunity to showcase his talent and ability this Thursday night. He has to go out and play well just like the rest of our guys do. Every guy at that position has to play well."
On if there are still questions on if Higgins can get open consistently with his speed:
"Absolutely, I do not care whether they are fast, slow or whatever. If you play receiver, as you just mentioned, your job is to get open and be in a spot where the quarterback can deliver the ball to you. He has proven in this league that he can play and make plays because he has. I think he had one of the longest catches and touchdown runs after catch that we had this past year in Pittsburgh. Rashard can play."
On if he sensed Collins' was really upset he couldn't be on the field throughout last year due to injury:
"You just said it, when you are a premier player like Jamie is and you have never been injured and then you are and you are not out there, it is a long rehab and you have to work through all of that, I think it is different. I think he has worked through that. He is back out there competing and playing. He needs to go play in a game against a different opponent and go make plays."
On if the Browns will look to add a veteran WR:
"We will always continue to search high and low to find whoever we think fits our receiver room that can help us be better."
On if an injury led to OL Austin Corbett taking reps with both the first and second team offense:
"No, just trying to get him ready. He is going to play quite a bit on Thursday night. He needs to go play. We are just preparing him for that."
On OL Greg Robinson:
"I thought today was good. Last week, his first day back, as I told him, there is another level for him. I have seen it. Today was much better, and he needs to continue to grow and be out here because you come off a concussion – I think that was different for him – now you are back out there and are practicing. He just has to continue to turn it up because I want to put him out there on Thursday to see what he has."
On if QB Baker Mayfield will play a lot on Thursday:
"I have not totally talked to the staff about entirely what I want to do, but I do plan on him playing quite a bit. Now what that looks like, I do not know. You know how games go. We will work through it, but I do what him to play."
On DL Myles Garrett's status, given DL Nate Orchard was taking more reps:
"(DL) Myles (Garrett) is fine. No, there is nothing wrong."
On how WR Jarvis Landry will fit into the offense:
"One, he is a really good football player, and he is a really good leader. I think he can make some very uncommon plays. I think we have all seen that, whether it is one-handed catches, jumping over somebody, around them and all of that, and we need that. He has tremendous talent. He is going to be a guy that we can go to when we need to. He is going to have to make plays when everybody knows we are going to him, too. He has done that. I am glad he is here. He gives us a different dynamic to our offense. We have to continue to develop other guys to make his job even a little bit easier."
