BEREA — Many of the Browns players returned to the team facility on Monday for the start of the voluntary offseason program . On Tuesday, a couple of them will get a chance to update their progress since the AFC wild card loss at Houston in mid-January.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson and cornerback Denzel Ward are expected to speak to the media during an availability at the team's Berea headquarters on Tuesday. After they speak, head coach Kevin Stefanski will be available for the final time before the Browns head into the NFL draft on April 25-27.
Follow along here for updates throughout the day as the Browns get back to work for the upcoming season:
Greg Newsome II would be eligible for his fifth-year option to be picked up for the 2025 season on May 2. He's also eligible, as a first-round pick in the 2021 draft, to start talking about an long-term extension with the Browns.
Newsome, speaking at Berea-Midpark High School's girls flag football practice, wasn't aware if the Browns had reached out to his agent, Drew Rosenhaus.
"No, I don't know," Newsome said. "I told my agent, don't talk to me about any of that stuff. So no, he'll tell me when the time is right, but I haven't heard that."
Cornerback Greg Newsome II's name has become a popular one when it comes to various NFL rumor sites. Specifically, his name continues to pop up as a potential trade target, despite the strong likelihood of the Browns picking up his fifth-year option for the 2025 season by the May 2 deadline.
Newsome, speaking Tuesday afternoon at Berea-Midpark girls flag football practice, dismissed the talk and any concerns he may have over those rumors.
"No, I don't pay attention, but obviously my family and stuff tell me and ask me," Newsome said. "What goes through my head is nothing. I think I feel like I'm comfortable here. I feel like AB (general manager Andrew Berry) and the ownership and all my coaches know what I'm capable of. They know what I bring to this team, not just on the field being one of those glue guys, being a guy that's always energetic, celebrating no matter what. I feel like they know my value. So I wasn't too worried about that."
The thought has always been that quarterback Deshaun Watson suffered the season-ending glenoid injury during the Browns' Week 10 win over the Baltimore Ravens . However, Watson hinted that the injury may have even occurred before that game.
Watson wouldn't say specifically that it happened before the Baltimore game. However, he acknowledged hearing clicking in the shoulder before, and that the surgeon — Dr. Neal ElAttrache — was even surprised he was able to throw.
Deshaun Watson was asked specifically about if he planned on being on the field when the Browns start the on-field OTAs in late May. The quarterback, who acknowledged he has been able to throw at full strength since resuming throws, said it was the "plan."
Quarterback Deshaun Watson acknowledged Tuesday he wasn't sure exactly when he as going to be his former self. He's been sidelined since mid-November, when he suffered the broken glenoid in his throwing shoulder.
Watson had previously told reporters roughly 10 days ago that he expected to be ready for Week 1.
Deshaun Watson only started throwing last month after his November shoulder surgery. Both he and the Browns have been vague in giving specific dates along the timeline.
"Right now, it's all about load management," Watson said. "Not doing too much, even if I could do more. Just staying on track.
"I feel good. Really confident. Just making sure I don't do anything extra to harm it. Doctors told me don't rush back and I'll be exactly where I want to be, even better than before."
Cornerback Denzel Ward was asked how many times he's watched the Browns' playoff loss to Houston since the season ended. Ward, to no one's surprise, hasn't watched it since then.
"Honestly, I haven't even watched that game yet, so I haven't watched it yet," Ward said. "Yeah, I just haven't even got to it yet, honestly."
The NFL has created a new rule last month to outlaw the swing hip-drop tackle. Cornerback Denzel Ward said they've already talked about the rule, but said he didn't think it was going to be an issue for him personally because of the way he plays.
Cornerback Denzel Ward said there has been great energy within the building since the Browns players returned on Monday for the offseason program. Ward said a big reason for that is because of the "hunger" the team has after the AFC wild card loss to the Texans .
"I know that's why I'm back in the building," Ward said.
Newly-signed running back/return man Nyheim Hines continues to work through the rehab process, head coach Kevin Stefanski. Hines, then with the Buffalo Bills , missed all of last season with an torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered in a jet ski accident.
One of Kevin Stefanski's assistant hires was Duce Staley, who will coach the running backs. Stefanski feels Staley, who previously coached with the Eagles, Lions and Panthers , will quickly become one of the more noticeable coaches on the field.
"You'll hear Duce coaching before you see him," Stefanski said. "He's somebody that played this game at a high level, has coached at a high level. I think he's a really well-respected voice in this building in the league, and certainly in that running back room, those guys will understand what's expected of them.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski has grown adept at dodging the question of who will call the plays this season. There's some that believe offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey was brought in to potentially take that off the head coach's plate.
Stefanski, yet again, did not answer the question when asked on Tuesday, saying he would reveal that when it's needed. He also said the players haven't asked.
The offense will be learning a new scheme with almost an entirely new offensive coaching staff. That's a similar position to where the defensive players were a year ago when Jim Schwartz was first hired by the Browns as defensive coordinator.
That changes things for the returning defensive players as the classroom work begins.
"It is year two in the system, so you're building off of a lot of what we did last year and there's varying levels of understanding," Stefanski said. "There's some guys that are second year players in the NFL and then there's (safety) Rodney McLeod , there's (cornerback) Denzel (Ward), guys that have been in this game for a little bit, so all of them can brush up, if you will, on the system and then we're going to challenge them. We're going to, obviously in year two you're going to add some things and maybe subtract a few things, but we'll challenge each one of these guys, whether they were here previously or not."
Kevin Stefanski didn't have any further update on Nick Chubb's timeline to get on the field, either. Chubb has been out since Sept. 18, when he suffered a major knee injury in a Week 2 loss at Pittsburgh .
"I don't know that we'll go past today and this week at least that's the way I'm looking at it," Stefanski said. "I can promise you he's working very hard early in the morning. He's here, he's attacking his rehab. That's the best way I can put it. When he's ready, he'll be ready."
Head coach Kevin Stefanski once again would not commit to a specific timeline for when quarterback Deshaun Watson would throw during the offseason program. Instead, he continued to lean on the medical staff and their advice for Watson.
"Yeah, they have a very, very good plan," Stefanski said. "Deshaun, the medical team of ramping him up and throwing and getting, he's doing all the things he's supposed to be doing when it comes to rehab, so when we get to those points and OTAs and minicamp, we will go with what's suggested by the medical team. But he's doing a great job."
Both Christian Kirksey and Rashard Higgins went through the darkest of times with the Browns. Both were part of the 2016 and 2017 teams which went a combined 1-31, including 0-16 in 2017.
Kirksey's last season in Cleveland was 2019, so he missed out on both playoff trips in the 2020s. Higgins, though, was a part of the 2020 team which went 11-5 and reached the AFC divisional round with a wild-card win over the Pittsburgh Steelers .
"The whole city was lit," Higgins recalled. "The food tasted better."
Linebacker Christian Kirksey and receiver Rashard Higgins signed one-day contracts with the Browns on Tuesday in order to retire with the team.
Kirksey, a former 2014 third-round pick out of Iowa, originally played with the Browns from 2014-19. Higgins, a 2016 fifth-round pick out of Colorado State, spent 2016-21 with the team.
Kirksey appeared in 73 games with the Browns and registered 463 tackles, 11.5 sacks, two interceptions, 16 passes defensed, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. He served as a captain in each of his final three seasons with the club. Kirksey finished among the NFL leaders in tackles in 2016 (third with 143) and 2017 (fourth with 138).
Higgins appeared in 82 games for the Browns and recording 137 receptions for 1,890 yards with 12 touchdowns. The receiver nicknamed "Hollywood" was a favor
The nine-week program is an opportunity for NFL teams to get some early teaching and training before the actual start of training camp. Think what college football teams have with spring practice, only the players aren't required to attend.
The program, as spelled out by the NFL and the Players' Association in their collective bargaining agreement, consists of three phases. Those are:
Phase One, April 15-26:Activities limited to meetings, strength and conditioning, and physical rehabilitation only.
Phase Two, April 29-May 17:On-field workouts may include individual or group instruction and drills, as well as "perfect play drills," and drills and plays with offensive players lining up across from offensive players and defensive players lining up across from defensive players, conducted at a walk-through pace. No live contact or team offense vs. team defense drills are permitted.
Phase Three, May 20-June 13:Teams may conduct a total of 10 days of organized team practice activity, or "OTAs". No live contact is permitted, but 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 drills are permitted. Mandatory minicamp, which runs June 11-13 for the Browns, typically concludes the phase.
Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns offseason program news from Kevin Stefanski, Deshaun Watson
