WR Jarvis Landry:
On if the Browns offense received a confidence boost from last week's win:
"It was a step in the right direction for us. I think as a team, we played really well. There are things that we have to correct. There are things that we have to fix. There are opportunities that we missed for sure, but I think overall, we played a pretty solid football game."
On how the Browns running game helps the passing game and the importance of having balance on offense:
"It is very important. It is extremely important making sure those guys get their touches in the backfield. It creates a lot of room and a lot of space for us on the outside once those guys get going, we can set up the play-action fake and do certain things on first and second down, which are typically run downs, and find ways to make plays down the field. Obviously, all of that comes from the running game."
On having RBs Kareem Hunt and Nick Chubb as a tandem:
"It is really the key to our offense. I think we all know what those two guys can do when a ball is in their hands. The opportunities that they have been given, they have done the most with it. For us again, just continuing to know that the offense is going to run through those guys and we have two weapons back there that pretty much can do the same thing. It is great for our offense to have two guys like that."
On what is most impressive about the Washington defense:
"Their front. They have an amazing front. They added guys throughout the draft and throughout free agency, and a couple guys have been there throughout the years. They have maybe four or five first-rounders. Their front is something that is very impressive."
On WR Odell Beckham Jr.'s performance against the Bengals and if that can help Beckham get going for the rest of the season:
"Yeah, those are plays that we have constantly seen him make throughout his career obviously here on the practice field and in the Cleveland Browns uniform. That is part of it is making sure that we get him going, as well, and making plays. I think for him, it is not a lack of confidence thing. It is just getting the opportunities to make plays, and when they are there, he is going to make them."
On how the Browns can get all of their playmakers opportunities while understanding there may be games where each does not get a large number of targets or touches:
"We always are going to do what best fits or increases our chance of winning, whether that is running the ball, passing the football or having a true balance. The strength of our team right now has been our running game, and we want to continue to try to use that as much as possible, but I think we are smart enough to recognize when the ball needs to be in the air and not on the ground. We have a lot of unselfish guys in this building. That is what it is going to take when you have a lot of Pro Bowl-caliber players on one team to be unselfish and understand that when a ball comes your way, just take advantage of the opportunities, whether they be few or many. I think that the guys in this building recognize that and are aware of that."
On if everyone on the Browns offense will be able to contribute to wins as desired as the season progresses:
"I believe so. Like I said, I think we are going to do whatever best fits our chances to win that week. Each week, it can change. Each week, it can be a little bit different. We have a great staff that can recognize that and understand the positions that we need to be in for how we are going to attack defenses on the ground or in the air and kind of go from there. I do not think anybody is panicking right now about targets or anything like that. Our main focus is just trying to win games."
On how he feels physically after two games, following his offseason surgery:
"I am still working through things. I am still working through things and giving it my best, giving it my all when I am out there. Obviously, whatever my100 percent is on Sunday, that is what I am giving. Just for me, continuing to stay on top of the little things. Coming up about seven months or seven and a half months out of surgery right now so the further I get away from surgery, the better I begin to feel. That is just one of those things that whatever comes up, I just have to figure out a way to try to fix and approach Sunday. Like I said, wherever I am on Sunday, that is just where I am and just go out there and give it my best."
On if the Browns helped further establish their offensive identity during the Bengals game:
"Yeah, I think we are onto something. Obviously, with the limited amount of practices that we have had and not having a preseason, there are still a lot of things that we still are working out, working through and trying to figure out about ourselves. I will say again, I think the coaching staff recognizes and the players recognize what we have to do to make sure that we are in the best position that we win each game. Over time, that experience and those reps – those live game reps – are going to continue to form our identity. Hopefully, we find it, catch a stride and put some games together, a couple wins together and see where it goes from there."
On how much time in practice is devoted to executing the first 15 offensive plays:
"You never really know. We never really know what the top-15 or top 20-30 plays are going to look like. That is all in the coaching staff's hands. We go out here on the practice field, and we are running plays and we are executing them, but that does not mean that they are going to even make the top 15. They might be plays for the second quarter or might be plays for the second half so we never really know up until about Saturday what we are going to do as far as top-15 wise. There are a lot of plays that look good. There are always a lot of plays that look good, but in the top 15, a lot of teams have tendencies, and there are certain plays that we want to get to early on in the game that we may or may not ever get back to. For us, we just have to come out here on the practice field each and every day and try to execute every play to the highest level."
On if the Browns offense's opening script is written on Saturday:
"I am not part of that process so I do not really know for sure, but once we see it, it is on a Saturday. I am sure the coaching staff has a good idea about what they want to call throughout the first and second series already maybe, but again, we are still in mid-week of game planning so there are still a lot of things that are going in right now that we still have to practice to see how it looks versus the quality looks that we get out here on the field."
On his reaction to the Kentucky grand jury's announcement yesterday in the Breonna Taylor case:
"First, it is tragic. It is tragic how the system continues to fail and recognize… They see what is going on, but they fail to go about it the right way or bring justice to all that was involved. It is just a sad thing. I want to say that it comes by surprise, but it is not a surprise. It has been going on forever, and this continues to show us the problem that is here in America, honestly. We talked about a lot of things here in the Cleveland Brown organization from (Head) Coach (Kevin) Stefanski to Dee and Jimmy Haslam. All the guys in this building, we have talked about a lot of things and how we can help in our community and how we can continue to raise awareness. It is always tough. It is always tough. It is very tough."
On if yesterday's news in the Taylor case can 'strengthen everyone's resolve to keep the fight going':
"The fight will always continue. There is no doubt about that. Until the whole world recognizes and sees what is going on and stops turning an eye to it and stops just playing a part just because it is the trendy thing to do, I think that it will never get resolved. I think there are a lot of people out there that do not want to see it resolved and do not care if it does or does not get resolved, but there as so many people fighting for this. There are so many people that look like me that are out there fighting for this, and I know there are a lot of people that do not want to see change and do not want to see the necessary things happen for equality or for black minorities, period."
WR Odell Beckham Jr.:
On getting involved earlier in the game last week and if he and QB Baker Mayfield can build off of that momentum:
"Just keep continuing to grow and take it a day at a time. Always just trying to make forward progress. The same with everything else in life. Right now, we are just focused on Washington and trying to get the W."
On if the Kentucky grand jury's announcement yesterday in the Breonna Taylor case will 'strengthen his resolve to do more in the fight':
"I do not know if strengthen is the right word. I am always going to continue to… For me, even at a young age, I always knew the difference between right and wrong and good and bad. I think the reason I am so closely related to kids is because they are naive and blind to what is really going on in this world. For me at such a young age, I just was always curious why things were like this and why things were like that. I think it is just getting tougher. It is disheartening. It is all of those things when you just want justice and it does not seem like that is going to happen. I think Chris Webber was on TNT and I was watching one of the games where they did not play the playoff game, and he said something that just stuck with me. It was like, 'The trauma actually comes from the feeling of defeated or for me being like, yeah, it is expected to happen or that was expected.' I think that is the hardest thing to deal with is not to be accepting of that but to have to accept that these type of things will happen. It is an everyday process. It is truly sad. It really is. I do not have the right words for it. I just pray that this world gets better – it is just plain and simple. It could just be such a beautiful place, and it is not."
On if the Browns may meet as a team prior to Sunday's game and may potentially do something on Sunday to honor Taylor:
"I do not know. I feel like there is definitely a call there. Something that we have not gotten to talk about as a team yet, but discuss with the team and figure out a plan of action going forward."
On if there is a sense of frustration with continued incidents related to social injustice as the team tries to identify solutions:
"I think you try and channel that frustration into – the word is not 'positive' but finding a way that for more positive things to happen to see change to really seek that and just stay on course. The NBA is doing a great job and the NFL is doing a great job, but it is not for the publicity. You really want to see change. It is not for the likes and attention and all of those things or to feel as if you are doing your part. It is something genuine in your heart to want to see change. I think that is the biggest thing is really just finding ways to continue to keep chipping away at it. It is not something that is going to change overnight. It is not going to change in two days. It is not going to change in a year. It is something that you have to keep chipping away at, and I think that everybody plays a role in it."
On the feedback he has received since saying in an interview that he has not voted in the past but that his message now is to personally vote encouraging others to vote who may not have done so previously:
"I feel like not like trying to pat myself on the back because when it comes to me, it could have been taken either way. I could have been said I was ignorant or any of these things. To me, it felt brave to be able to admit to myself, the world and everybody that that was my mentality and that was how I processed things or how I felt or what I had learned just that my vote would not really matter. Whether it was lazy or whether it was an excuse just for me not voting, I think coming out and saying that, I kind of take on more heat than someone else, and it allows someone else who is in that same situation to understand that it is OK and you have an opportunity to correct your wrongs or your mistakes going into the future. Your voice can actually now be heard, and there is no better time than the present for your voice to be heard. My message is going to continue to be vote. I actually just texted my financial advisor yesterday to make sure that everything is in place to where it is all set up and I am not sitting here promoting and talking about all these things and then it gets down to it and I actually miss the opportunity to vote again. I am just taking all the proper steps and actions to make sure that I can. For me, I feel like early on in this, I did not speak out as much because I did not have as much information on it so I do not want to just be speaking out and not be informed of what I am speaking on. I am just trying to keep acquiring information and knowledge and be able to find the best direction moving forward."
On if he knew his 43-yard touchdown catch was going to happen when called:
"Yeah, this is literally and this is the play, the catch or whatever and sometimes when those plays are called, you just know, like, 'Alright, here is your opportunity.' Those moments are exciting. It has gotten to the point where they are not so nerve-wracking but they are just exciting. Like here is your chance and here is your opportunity, and we hit it. Rolling out left, throwing it on the run on the money, it could not have been a better time, and it was set up a lot by what (Head) Coach (Kevin Stefanski) did early on in the game just to be able to get in that situation. It was definitely good to hit it. Like I said, we are just trying to find ways day by day to keep continuing to make progress."
On if he could not believe that pass inference was not called on the play where the defender had his jersey:
"I told him on the field, I was like, 'Man, I have made mistakes in my career, but we have to move past that.' I am just here to play football, too. I think a younger me would have been more upset, and now just realizing, it is like life; you just kind of roll with the punches. You missed a call, and whether it was or it was not pass interference, it was not called so I can't harp on it or anything like that. Right now, my mentality is to keep playing and know that those calls probably will not get called and just to fight through that."
On how Browns playmakers are reconciling with not necessarily having as many regular opportunities to make plays to help win games due to the number of offensive weapons on the team:
"For me, one of my biggest growths has come in acceptance in a sense and for me knowing it is probably not going to be that kind of season. Like I always say, my goal is always going to be my goal, and I do not feel like I am ever going to fall short of it. Like I said, learning and acceptance so you set new goals. Watching (Michael) Jordan's documentary having a game within a game, working on a release during a run game or working something else, a new goal aside from winning always. (RB) Nick Chubb needs to be the No. 1 rusher in the league or (RB) Kareem (Hunt), too, as well. You have two legitimate No. 1 backs in the backfield, and our team is very, very, very good at running the football so you have to play to your strengths. Then I think you learn where you fit in and where you are able to make your plays and how you can help the team. I tell Chubb every day, 'I owe you. I owe you. I owe you.' I want that big block that springs him free just to see him running down the field, even though he is not going to give me any love after it and he is not going to have much emotion about it. Just to see him running free and down the sideline is going to be a great feeling. I think a lot of my growth came in acceptance, acceptance of life and acceptance of things and just knowing that is what it is going to be and finding a way to create that block that springs him or whatever it is to help us win."
G Joel Bitonio:
On Washington's DL and if they are similar to the 49ers' DL the Browns faced last season:
"They are a good front. They made the conversion to that four-down front. They have been a three-down front for as long as I can remember, but they switched to that four-down front. Obviously, they drafted a great player in (Washington DE) Chase Young and now they are kind of letting all of those first-round picks get after the quarterback as much as possible. The thing about them is they have depth. They have (Washington DE) Ryan Kerrigan, who is kind of rotating in now, and I think he is the franchise-leading sack-getter. They have depth pretty much across the board, which is tough to deal with. Usually, you get a little break if someone comes out of the game, but honestly with them, it is another guy after another guy. They really disrupted the Eagles in the first week and (Cardinals QB) Kyler Murray did a pretty good job of escaping a few times, but they are a tough test. We are going to have to be ready for them."
On T Jedrick Wills' performance in the first two weeks:
"He is doing well. It is early in the season. You get one or two games in and people have film on you now. Before this, there was really no film of him playing on the left side. People are going to start to study that. It is all about improvement. You take what we did good, we flushed it after Friday and now we are trying to improve and get ready for Washington because they are going to be the toughest test we have faced yet from an individual standpoint on the defensive front. He is learning every day in practice. Every day, he gets to watch film and he is taking another step. These reps are invaluable. It is really good. I think he had a little bit of time to reflect this weekend after the first two games. It is a new part of the season so now we are getting out and he is just going to try and perform. That is what I told him is NFL line play is how consistent can you be. It is hard to have ups and downs on the line so if you can be consistent week in and week out, that is when you can make a name for yourself."
On Young's performance during his rookie year:
"There is a reason he was the No. 2 overall pick in the draft. He makes plays. For D linemen, sometimes it takes a second to go – you get drafted and you don't have a preseason – but he is really flowing off the edge from the start. The thing that really sticks out is obviously, he has all the intangibles – the speed, the size, the arm length and the closing speed – but is really football knowledge. You see a shift and he will make a spin inside or he plays off blocks. Those are things you see vets do, usually the veteran pass rushers. He is making moves. He just understands football, which is big for a pass rusher, because you know when the slide is coming your way or you are getting double-teamed, there are ways to kind of defeat that. He already has a pretty good grasp on that. Like I said earlier, all of them teed off on the quarterback, but I think he is the guy that they are putting the red dot on and being like, 'Hey, this is our bell cow and everybody is going to feed off of that.'
On the challenge when facing a DL that is willing to move personnel to different positions:
"It makes it difficult. If you have a guy that you know you are going to be matched up with every play, you can kind of study that guy a little bit more. Here, they play him on both sides. They move some guys inside and some guys outside. They have a few different looks they can throw at us. They are not a four-down only team. They have shown some different looks. You have to prepare for everybody. That is the beauty of it. I think defenses and defensive lines as a whole are trying to take advantage of people. If they can get their best rusher on one of the lesser protectors or if they think they have an advantage scheme-wise, they are going to try to line guys up, instead of just traditionally, 'You are the right defensive end.' You saw (DE) Myles (Garrett) get the strip-[sack] over a guard. I think that is what a lot of teams are trying to get is those matchups they think can be advantageous for them."
On if he is hearing more trash talk at the line of scrimmage during games, given they are being played with limited or no fans:
"The first game, there were no fans in the stands, which was a little bit weird because the TV timeouts and stuff, it was just dead silent, it felt like. You could hear a little bit more, not even necessarily trash talk but just talking in general. A few times, I wanted to be like, 'Should we be this loud? I feel like we are calling the play too loud,' or something like that. In the Cinci game, it felt a little bit more like a preseason-type atmosphere so you heard fans kind of doing things, but you can hear things from the sidelines and you can hear people yelling from the sideline, saying something or talking a little trash from the sideline, which is something you do not usually here when the stadium is packed."
On if he shared with QB Baker Mayfield that the Browns offense may not need to say as much out loud:
"Before the first game, I was just thinking I did not know how quiet it was going to be and I don't want to get up to the ball and they are hearing us call passes or call runs. We do not want to give them any advantages in that sense, but I do not think we have had that issue yet. It is something that was definitely in the back of my mind."
On the 49ers DL playing a five-man front at times last season against the Browns and if the 49ers showed that on tape prior to the matchup:
"I think a lot of teams have where they can put five pass rushers on the field, and it has become more prevalent. We already saw Baltimore do that all game against us. They want to try to get one-on-one matchups. Going back to last year with San Fran, that was like Week 5 that we played them so I do not really recall what I saw beforehand, but a lot of teams have that package in their fronts. It is a Bear front, where they cover up both guards and the center and have the two guys off the edge or they have a guy kind of roaming around and spinning. Every team has those in their repertoire. It is just a flavor of the week of what they think can hit. When you get five bigs out there, usually, it is going to be a lot of one-on-one pass rush and who is going to win their one-on-one battle."
On if defenses may use a five-man front or Bear front to help stop the run:
"You can do that, as well. Like on early downs, if you watch Baltimore and even Cincinnati last week, they got into that five-big front where they have five big guys, and it is tougher. You do not have as many double-teams and you are really having to gain a guy a lot of times in the outside zone system so it makes it a little bit more difficult, but it does have less guys in the backfield. You might not have five DBs or six DBs out there because they have more big guys so you have a chance with play action and drop-back passes, if you can hold up in pass protection."
On FB Andy Janovich' s comment that the Browns could have potentially ran for 300-400 yards, T Jack Conklin's statement of a goal to rush for 200 yards every game and the ultimate ceiling for RBs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt:
"They are both good backs. They are two of the top backs in the league. It is tough to run in the NFL, though. I have been around a lot, though, where sometimes teams decide to shut down the run and you have to take what is given to you in that sense. With Chubb and Kareem, they have all of the ability in the world. It is how much are we going to give them. Sometimes they make things out of things we do not block for them. If we can continue to block well and try to improve on those performance, I think the sky is the limit for them. I do not know a yard count. It is how much is it going to take to keep us in the game and give us a chance to win. The more you are winning in a game, the better chance you have to run the ball because you are trying to run the clock out. A lot of times, you see those stats online where, 'Oh, if they run the ball more than 35 times, they win the game.' It is an O lineman's dream, of course, but usually, you are up by two scores in the fourth quarter and you are going to run it 20 times. Those are the chances you get where you want to try to wear down the defense. With those two, it is really fun blocking for those guys. You do not really tell the difference. One guy comes in fresh, and it is just like, 'OK, here we go. Let's go.'"
On if opposing defenses may be more reluctant to load the box to stop the run with WRs Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry posing threats outside:
"Yeah, it is one of those things where I think you even saw it last year. Obviously, OBJ was a little bit banged up, but he still could take the top off of a defense. You saw it last week on the long touchdown. Someone is going to have to respect that. He still opens it up for other people and for Jarvis underneath, Hoop (TE Austin Hooper) underneath and for the running game. Teams have their designs. They are going to try and disguise coverages and they are going to try to make things happen. Usually, a team kind of decides, 'Hey, we are going to stop the run this week or we are going to try to stop the pass,' and kind of see where it goes from there. I do think Odell really gives us a deep threat over the top that people have to respect."
On how much pride the Browns OL takes in running game success, including the team's final TD drive last week:
"It is a big pride thing. Anytime you call six runs and you finish out the game or try and finish out the game with a touchdown on a drive, kill some clock and you give your defense a breather, it is huge. It is a big pride thing. Chubb and Kareem deserve the credit – they are great running backs – but as a unit, we just want to build on that. We are kind of past that game now. I know this is the first time I have talked to you guys since then, but for us, we have been focused on Washington since Friday afternoon. That is something that we are really working for. We want to replicate that. We want to work to replicate that and we know it won't happen every time, but our goal is to try to replicate that where we are finishing games running the ball in that four-minute offense."
On if the Browns social justice leadership committee and team have talked about the Kentucky grand jury's announcement regarding the Breonna Taylor case:
"As a team, we have not talked about that. We did have a social justice meeting on our off day on Tuesday where we actually met with the Cleveland Police Chief (Cleveland Division of Police Calvin D. Williams) and a few other councilmen. We got to discuss with them kind of the steps they are taking to work with the community and how we can help and those relationships that we want to try and build with Cleveland Police, and they want to build a community. We have kind of been preparing for Washington from there. I am sure when we have our next meeting on maybe next Monday or Tuesday that we will discuss it as a team from there, though."
DT Sheldon Richardson:
On the Browns defense after two games and having LB Mack Wilson and CBs Kevin Johnson and Greedy Williams return to practice this week:
"Getting guys back – Mack is back and KJ is back. Hopefully, we can get them on the up and up, honestly. Just keep increasing, keep progressing forward and keep pulling out Ws."
On if the Browns defense can turn the corner and not allow as many points as the first two games:
"I hope so. We have a gameplan in place. We have to execute a lot better consistently. Just have to get off the field on third downs."
On how the gameday environment is different and if there is more trash talking on the field with limited or no fans at games:
"As far as trash talking, if anything, it has picked up more. Not at home games for us, but the first away game felt like a little scrimmage or something like that with no fans in the stands at all. If you were trash talking, if anything, it got picked up more and more low-toned so your guys are not yelling and just talking to them and talking to you."
On Washington QB Dwayne Haskins:
"A young guy. They are putting a system around him. He is 1-1 so you can't really say he is bad or good. Still have to go out there and put our best foot forward."
On if the Browns DL feels a need to take on more of the burden to take the pressure off other groups on the defense to help improve its production:
"We always feel like that, but we can't control everything. Everything is not in our control. The only thing we can control is our assignments and executing faster for the backend."
On how DT Jordan Elliott has played as a rookie, given Elliott is 'lost in the shadow' of the other Browns DL members:
"He is not lost. He stepped up to the learning curve real quick. He knows his stuff. The only thing is he just needs more experience, and he is getting that slowly but surely. He is going to be just fine. He is going to be just fine in this league."
On how Elliott has handled more responsibility with DT Andrew Billings opting out of the season:
"He has handled it well. Sometimes I would be looking at the sideline early on in the season and I would get a little winded and be looking to the sideline for a blow and might not be able to get the break I need. He is always ready. He is always alert. Usually one of the first ones in the meeting rooms and last one to leave – usually, because he has to because he is a rookie. He is going to be alright. He is going to be fine. He has little bitty things to fix with him as far as pass rushing for him to be an elite defensive lineman, honestly."
On what the Browns need to do to off the field on third and fourth down and if it as simple as winning individual matchups or:
"That is football. It is always about winning individual matchups. It is just can you do it consistently."
On if the number of significant injuries around the league last weekend and if that changes his mindset at all as a player and his health:
"Grateful, but you do not play this game and consider yourself healthy."
On if having limited or no fans makes it easier on for the DL to pick up on the opposing offense's signals:
"Offensives have been real good for the past two games. They have been real good keeping the calls down in the huddle and not too many checks at the line. I think that has something to do with the scheme, too. Not too much. Just the regular stuff you usually pick up."
On if he likes that the Browns DL is potentially being underestimated heading into Sunday, given the attention paid to Washington's DL:
"They have talent over there. A bunch of first-rounders. Sturdy guys. If that is what the media wants to talk about, then let them talk about it. They still have to show up on Sunday, just like we do."
On if last game proved that the Browns DL can make big plays on the field:
"That is how we approach it."
On DT Larry Ogunjobi's performance in the first two games:
"Real good. Honestly, he has been great. Holding it down in the run. As far as the pass rush, we have packages in as far as the scheme so he has been missing a few of those, but I believe he has more of an impact too in pass rush with the more opps he get and the more opportunities he gets. We will just see. As far as him playing football, he has been doing an excellent job."
On how has Ogunjobi has improved from last year:
"Stronger. Faster for some reason. More shifty. The guy, he is going to be alright. He is going to be fine, too. Like I said, we have depth at the D line right now. It may not seem like it on paper, but we definitely have depth – (DE) Porter Gustin is coming in and (DE) Joe (Jackson) just got here two weeks ago so he is coming in here learning real quick. We have guys on this D line that can hold it down."
On Gustin:
"Blue-collar guy. Works for everything. Meticulous. What can I say? Everything you want for a guy that can come in this league. This is next man up. I would definitely want it to be Porter Gustin."
On Gustin in the weight room, given Gustin's reputation at USC:
"I know for sure that he is a monster in the weight room, but it be the after stuff that gets me. We would have a long dog-day of practice, and you will just see him in there just flexible as can be. Like no question, I have never seen a defensive lineman that flexible, period. The dude's calisthenics is crazy."
