The Browns held their last training camp practice in front of fans on Wednesday. The team will head to Seattle Thursday afternoon ahead of their last game of the preseason against the Seahawks.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski said Tuesday that the team would mimic a regular season schedule with their practice plans this week. Wednesday, that meant having the offense and defense face different schemes and looks that the Seahawks – or opponents down the road – might throw the Browns' way.
Stefanski said that the team would have one more practice Thursday before flying out to Seattle later in the day.
Here are a few observations from Wednesday's practice.
Deshaun Watson updates
QB Deshaun Watson participated in one series during an 11-on-11 drill and then QB Jameis Winston took over for the remainder of practice. Stefanski said after practice that Watson was "a little sore" and that the team "decided to just hold back a little bit with him."
Stefanski described Watson's soreness as "general arm soreness" and said he had not made a decision whether the quarterback would see action on Saturday.
"When you're at quarterback, you're throwing a lot, so you get sore," Stefanski said.
Watson completed all three pass attempts during his drive, including finding WR Jerry Jeudy on a long ball during a third down drill.
Winston, Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Tyler Huntley all looked sharp during their time with the offense. Winston threw a deep ball to Jeudy, who cut up field, caught the ball in stride for a touchdown. Thompson-Robinson found a streaking WR Jamari Thrash for a score and Huntley made a nice pass to WR Michael Woods II for a touchdown to end practice.
Myles Garrett continues to shine
It's no surprise that the reigning Defensive Player of the Year is having a great showing in training camp, as DE Myles Garrett found his way into the backfield for a would-be sack of Huntley, and applied pressure to Thompson-Robinson on another play during practice Wednesday.
"I honestly think the great ones challenge themselves to get better – in every sport," Stefanski said. "I think Myles is in that category of 'never satisfied.' He obviously has done some amazing things as a player to date. I think he can certainly do more individually, and I know, more importantly to him, he wants to do more as a team."
The Vikings got an up-close look at how dominant Garrett can be when they participated in two joint practices with the Browns last week.
"He's special. Special," Vikings LT Christian Darrisaw, who battled Garrett throughout the practices, said. "One-of-one, I haven't gone against nothing like that before. The things that he's capable of doing. He uses all his tools in his bag."
Pierre Strong Jr. exits with rib injury
During individual drills, RB Pierre Strong Jr. sustained a rib injury, per Stefanski, and was taken to the hospital in an ambulance for further evaluation. Stefanski did not have any updates regarding the status of the third year running back.
Stefanski was complimentary of the player the Browns acquired via trade ahead of the 2023 season.
"Pierre's done a really nice job in special teams, really nice job in the run game, pass protection, the pass game, obviously he's always been good in that area, so excited for Pierre," Stefanski said.
Strong finished with 338 total yards last season, adding eight kickoff returns.
The Browns provided an update later on Wednesday and said Strong suffered a rib contusion. He was released from University Hospitals after being transported there by ambulance as a precaution while experiencing shortness of breath.
