Michael Woods II received two great pieces of news Tuesday at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
The first: Woods had made the Browns' initial 53-man roster and had done so despite missing the last three weeks of practice with a hamstring injury. He showed the Browns everything he needed, however, in a productive first week of training camp when he flashed as one of the top receivers. He showcased reliable hands, good burst after the catch and was one of the early standouts.
The second: He was able to return to practice. The hamstring injury is behind him, and he's ready to re-join the team as they shift their focus to Week 1 against the Panthers.
"This is why I'm here," Woods said. "I have a lot of fun when I am on the field, and of course as a competitor, I hate being out. It was definitely great to get back on the field and see everybody back on the team. It's a great day."
Woods said he never lost faith that he'd crack the roster despite his injury. As a sixth-round pick from Oklahoma, he still needed to prove in camp that he was worthy of a spot as a rookie, but his productive first week of camp — and focus displayed in meetings throughout his time away from the field — elevated his stock and showed the Browns he's ready to make an impact in Year 1.
"I had confidence," he said. "I had a lot of time to stay in the playbook. Did some studying in Carolina, things like that. Just trying to find ways to maximize the time that you have."
Like most players who miss multiple weeks of practice due to injury, Woods will be eased back into work. He mainly worked individual drills in his first day back and has 12 days to progress back to full strength before the Browns play in Charlotte.
In addition to Woods, the Browns have Amari Cooper, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Anthony Schwartz and David Bell to carry the load in practice. Woods will eventually be able to join them in full capacity, and head coach Kevin Stefanski is looking forward to seeing more of what he can do.
"Obviously, you want him to be healthy and available," he said. "I think he's getting really, really close to that. We drafted him for a reason. Feel strongly about the player."
Check out photos from practices and the preseason of each of the players who made the Browns' initial 53-man roster announced Tuesday
Wide Receiver Amari Cooper (2) before a preseason NFL football game between the Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns on August 27, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 21-20.
Kicker Cade York (3) during a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars on August 12, 2022 at TIAA Bank Field. The Browns won 24-13.
Linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. (5) during a preseason NFL football game between the Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns on August 27, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 21-20.
Quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) during a preseason NFL football game between the Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns on August 27, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 21-20.
Wide receiver Anthony Schwartz (10) during a preseason NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns on August 21, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 21-20.
Wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones (11) before a preseason NFL football game between the Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns on August 27, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 21-20.
Wide Receiver Michael Woods II (12) during the ninth day of OTAs at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 8, 2022.
Punter Corey Bojorquez (13) during a preseason NFL football game between the Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns on August 27, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 21-20.
Quarterback Joshua Dobbs (15) during a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars on August 12, 2022 at TIAA Bank Field. The Browns won 24-13.
Wide Receiver David Bell (18) before a preseason NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns on August 21, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 21-20.
Cornerback Greg Newsome II (20) before a preseason NFL football game between the Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns on August 27, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 21-20.
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) before a preseason NFL football game between the Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns on August 27, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 21-20.
Safety Grant Delpit (22) during a preseason NFL football game between the Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns on August 27, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 21-20.
Cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. (23) during a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars on August 12, 2022 at TIAA Bank Field. The Browns won 24-13.
Running back Nick Chubb (24) before a preseason NFL football game between the Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns on August 27, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 21-20.
Running back Demetric Felton (25) during a preseason NFL football game between the Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns on August 27, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 21-20.
Cornerback Greedy Williams (26) during a preseason NFL football game between the Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns on August 27, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 21-20.
Running back Kareem Hunt (27) during the fourteenth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 16, 2022.
Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (28) during a preseason NFL football game between the Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns on August 27, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 21-20.
Running Back D'Ernest Johnson (30) during a preseason NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns on August 21, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 21-20.
Safety Ronnie Harrison (33) before a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars on August 12, 2022 at TIAA Bank Field. The Browns won 24-13.
Running back Jerome Ford (34) during a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars on August 12, 2022 at TIAA Bank Field. The Browns won 24-13.
Safety D'Anthony Bell (37) during a preseason NFL football game between the Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns on August 27, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 21-20.
Cornerback A.J. Green (38) during a preseason NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns on August 21, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 21-20.
Safety Richard LeCounte III (39) during a preseason NFL football game between the Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns on August 27, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 21-20.
Linebacker Tony Fields II (42) during a preseason NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns on August 21, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 21-20.
Safety John Johnson III (43) during a preseason NFL football game between the Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns on August 27, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 21-20.
Linebacker Sione Takitaki (44) during a preseason NFL football game between the Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns on August 27, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 21-20.
Long snapper Charley Hughlett (47) during a preseason NFL football game between the Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns on August 27, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 21-20.
Linebacker Jacob Phillips (50) before a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars on August 12, 2022 at TIAA Bank Field. The Browns won 24-13.
Linebacker Jordan Kunaszyk (51) during a preseason NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns on August 21, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 21-20.
Center Ethan Pocic (55) during a preseason NFL football game between the Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns on August 27, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 21-20.
Defensive end Isaiah Thomas (58) during a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars on August 12, 2022 at TIAA Bank Field. The Browns won 24-13.
Offensive tackle James Hudson III (66) before a preseason NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns on August 21, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 21-20.
Offensive tackle Michael Dunn (68) during a preseason NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns on August 21, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 21-20.
Defensive end Chase Winovich (69) during a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars on August 12, 2022 at TIAA Bank Field. The Browns won 24-13.
Offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. (71) during a preseason NFL football game between the Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns on August 27, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 21-20.
Offensive guard Hjalte Froholdt (72) during a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars on August 12, 2022 at TIAA Bank Field. The Browns won 24-13.
Offensive tackle Chris Hubbard (74) during the eleventh day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 9, 2022.
Offensive guard Joel Bitonio (75) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 23, 2022.
Offensive guard Wyatt Teller (77) during a preseason NFL football game between the Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns on August 27, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 21-20.
Offensive tackle Jack Conklin (78) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 24, 2022.
Offensive tackle Drew Forbes (79) during a preseason NFL football game between the Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns on August 27, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 21-20.
Tight end David Njoku (85) during a preseason NFL football game between the Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns on August 27, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 21-20.
Tight end Harrison Bryant (88) during a preseason NFL football game between the Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns on August 27, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 21-20.
Defensive end Jadeveon Clowney (90) during the second day of joint practices with the Philadelphia Eagles at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 19, 2022.
Defensive tackle Tommy Togiai (93) during a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars on August 12, 2022 at TIAA Bank Field. The Browns won 24-13.
Defensive end Alex Wright (94) during a preseason NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns on August 21, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 21-20.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) before a preseason NFL football game between the Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns on August 27, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 21-20.
Defensive tackle Jordan Elliott (96) during a preseason NFL football game between the Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns on August 27, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 21-20.
Defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey (97) during a preseason NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns on August 21, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 21-20.
Defensive end Isaac Rochell (98) during a preseason NFL football game between the Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns on August 27, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 21-20.
Defensive tackle Taven Bryan (99) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 24, 2022.
Bell beats the odds
Safety D'Anthony Bell was one of the most notable players to secure a spot on the initial 53-man roster — he's the first undrafted rookie to crack a spot under Stefanski and Andrew Berry.
It's well deserved for Bell, who bounced around four different schools in his college career and ultimately finished it at West Florida, a Division II school. Bell was a player that barely garnered attention when the Browns initially signed him in the spring, but he forced two fumbles and totaled seven tackles in the three preseason games and was a standout defender.
Bell found out he had made the roster while he was sitting at his locker Tuesday, wondering when his name would be called by the front office and what the message would be.
The call came from Berry, and it was all good news.
"My reaction was, 'Hey, let's keep going,'" he said. "Make it true. I made it here, but that's not the end goal – to keep going and help this team get wins. Now let's be a part of the team and make plays."
Bell said he was up until 1-2 a.m. Tuesday morning on the phone with his mom praying that he'd make the team.
"I didn't sleep too much, and neither did my mom," he said. "Both of us were on the verge of just praying and trying to hope for the best."
The best has now arrived for Bell, but the real journey is only starting. He'll look to keep that role throughout his rookie season, and that'll likely require work on the special teams and stepping in if injuries or other circumstances call him to action at safety.
Whatever the work is, Bell is going to cherish it.
"Here, we talk about the team is everything, so I just made myself a part of the team," he said. "They have the standard where we're up here, and I just brought myself to that standard."
Roster remains fluid
Even though the 53-man roster is set, more moves are likely to come over the next few days.
The Browns have 16 spots they can fill on their practice squad, and spots on the 53-man roster could change as well with hundreds of players across the league hitting the waiver wire. The Browns will consider a share of them, and Stefanski said it best when asked how complete the initial 53-man roster really is:
"Like we talked about before, sometimes that 53 is not the final one," he said. "Really, it evolves the entire season. I think it remains to be seen."
