Browns coach Hue Jackson and executive vice president of football operations Sashi Brown spoke to the news media with training camp set to open Thursday.
Here's what you need to know:
— Browns second-year quarterback Cody Kessler will get first crack to be the team's starter this fall. Jackson said Kessler "deserves the chance to walk out there first" after starting eight games as a rookie last season.
— Jackson also made it clear it's still a wide-open competition that will come into form as camp rolls on. He said former Texans starter Brock Osweiler, rookie/second-round pick DeShone Kizer and Kevin Hogan will all receive reps and the chance to separate themselves from the pack. Jackson said the team ideally will have the matter settled by the first preseason game Aug. 10, but the coaching staff won't force the issue.
— Browns rookie defensive and end No. 1 overall pick Myles Garrett is "ready to go" after suffering an ankle injury on the second-to-last day of offseason workouts. Jackson said the Browns will carefully manage Garrett's practice time, but he's recovered nicely over the past six weeks. Garrett, who totaled 31 sacks in three seasons at Texas A&M, is poised to make an impact on a defensive line that returns Danny Shelton, Emmanuel Ogbah, Desmond Bryant, Jamie Meder and Carl Nassib.
— Jackson said the Browns will also monitor practice time for second-year wide receiver Corey Coleman, who suffered a hamstring injury in OTAs. Coleman, a first-round draft pick in 2016, caught 33 passes for 413 yards and three touchdowns as a rookie. He missed six weeks with a broken hand last season. Jackson said he and the team's training/medical staffs have created plans to help manage players dealing with injuries/aches and pains so they're ready to go when the season opens.
— Brown said the Browns will look into adding a veteran receiver, but will first allow the competition unfold in the youth-laden room. The Browns added former Rams standout Kenny Britt in free agency after parting ways with leading receiver Terrelle Pryor. They also return a slew of young players, including 2016 draft picks Coleman, Ricardo Louis, Rashard Higgins and Jordan Payton.
— Brown, who helped direct Cleveland through a pivotal offseason in which it fortified its offensive line and added a draft class that includes three first-round picks, said the club is ready to take the next step following a 1-15 campaign in 2016. "We have an obligation … to establish a championship organization Cleveland can be proud of," Brown said.
— Jackson said the Browns will use former Michigan star Jabrill Peppers in as many ways as possible. Peppers, who played safety, linebacker, kick returner and some running back in college, was drafted 25th overall by Cleveland. He signed with the team Sunday and figures to compete for a starting role on Gregg Williams' defense.
— Speaking of safety, Jackson said there's a host of players who will be battling for starting spots on the back end, partially because Williams' versatile system means different players may be suited better for different schemes. The room includes Peppers, Derrick Kindred, Calvin Pryor III, Ed Reynolds II, Ibraheim Campbell, Justin Currie and Kai Nacua.
— Jackson said he expects the Browns run game to improve after a series of highs and lows in 2016. The Browns led the league with 149.3 yards per game after the first month of the season before it averaged 61 yards a game over the next eight weeks. The Browns will lean heavily on Isaiah Crowell, Duke Johnson Jr., and feel good about rookie Matthew Dayes, whom they drafted in the seventh-round this past spring.
