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Browns guard Joel Bitonio feels 'growth,' 'tired' after 'game-like' practices with Eagles
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- Browns guard Joel Bitonio feels 'growth,' 'tired' after 'game-like' practices with Eagles
PHILADELPHIA — It was an honest answer from the Browns' elder statesman. Then again, Joel Bitonio's not one to typically beat around the bush.
So when asked how the two days of joint practices with the Philadelphia Eagles went, the All-Pro left guard cut right to the chase.
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"Personally, it was a little hot, so I'm a little tired," Bitonio said following Tuesday's second joint practice .
Hot and tired was an accurate description of both teams by the time the second practice concluded a little before 3 p.m. Of course, that was two hours before the practice was even supposed to begin, as the teams moved the start time up from 5 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. due to the weather.
The Browns certainly looked at times like a team dragging a bit after having gone through a physical 85-minute practice against the reigning NFC champions less than 24 hours earlier. The Eagles, possibly smarting from their guests having a good day on the first day, came out with a chip on their shoulder and an extra word or two around each play.
There were no actual punches thrown between the two teams, although they dusted up with a lot of pushing and shoving after the Browns took exception to Eagles safety Reed Blankenship running over Demetric Felton Jr. at the end of Blankenship's interception return.
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"We're going into this week trying to get better in practice and work and there's sometimes there's some cheap shots and things like that where you want to defend yourself," Bitonio said. "I don't know the exact situation, but there was a couple shots today where we're trying to make sure we're getting the best out of practice and not fighting. But it was just a little heated second day. It always gets a little bit more fired up."
It was the only time the teams came close to fighting over the two days they were together. Otherwise, what occurred was what the Browns had hoped to get from facing the Eagles, which was quality work in against a quality team.
It was evident both defenses were the biggest winners out of the two days. The Browns' defense, prior to defensive end Myles Garrett coming out of Monday's practice, certainly was the impressive part of the first day.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during Joint Practices with the Philadelphia Eagles on Day 12 of Training Camp at the NovaCare Complex on August 14, 2023. (Credit: Matt Starkey/Cleveland Browns)
The Eagles responded by being the clear winner of Tuesday's practice. As the 11-on-11 drills went further along, the Browns offense seemed to have more and more trouble against Philadelphia.
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That's part of the point, though. To expose some of the warts in order to improve before the Sept. 10 regular-season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals .
"I think there was some growth," Bitonio said. "Some guys stepped up today for us. You get a feel against different rushers because in practice I'm going against a couple guys a day, here I get a couple new guys, you know what I mean? So you feel some different rushes, you feel some different techniques. They have one of the better D-lines in the league, maybe some say the best. We have a pretty good D-line too, so it's good to go out there and battle and test out some of your techniques."
Bitonio spent a good portion of the 11-on-11 drills facing multiple different Eagles defensive linemen. He had a couple of chances to go against Philadelphia's top draft pick this year, former Georgia star Jalen Carter , and many more opportunities to go against Carter's fellow ex-Bulldog, Jordan Davis.
Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Carter runs a drill during practice in June.
Meanwhile, reps against the likes of Hassan Redick, Fletcher Cox , Josh Sweat and Brandon Graham can only help the other members of the Browns' offensive line. That line was re-arranged a bit on Tuesday, in part because of right tackle Jack Conklin being placed in concussion protocol after sustaining a head injury Monday.
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Instead of what would be the usual right side of the line in that instance — guard Wyatt Teller and Conklin's backup, James Hudson III — it was Michael Dunn at guard and rookie Dawand Jones at tackle. Bitonio felt the move was made to get reps for those two.
All of which is why Bitonio finds himself as more of a fan of joint practices than what would typically be gotten out of a preseason game. Then again, it's been a while since he's played in a preseason game, which may include the Aug. 26 final "dress rehearsal" at the Kansas City Chiefs .
"For me, it's like a game day," Bitonio said. "You wake up, you have those kind of nerves and stuff. It's just a little bit different atmosphere. I think (Browns coach Kevin) Stefanski does a good job of the guys that practice a lot don't have to play in the game. It is a game-like atmosphere. I woke up this morning a little bit sore and a little bit beat up. You run 30, 35 full speed plays against the team and it's like half a game, so you feel that."
Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on Twitter at @ceasterlingABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Joel Bitonio see 'growth' from Browns after practices with Eagles
