No one wants to wish the summer away, but the games can’t get here soon enough for the Cleveland Browns and their fans, as the franchise seeks the team’s first Super Bowl title.
Here’s four takes as the team embarks on mandatory minicamp, fro June 15-17.
1. What will it be like if Cleveland Browns win the Super Bowl?
The Cleveland Browns don’t own a Super Bowl championship trophy, yet, but the team and its members have to lead the NFL in hype videos.
Whether it’s OBJ running on a treadmill or Myles Garrett dunking on an accountant, Baker Mayfield has now contributed to the “Things that really aren’t that important but everybody loves to go insane over” category.
Mayfield was the co-champion of the home run derby at Jarvis Landry’s celebrity softball game Sunday night. One of the home runs–I assume an important one, saw the already frenzied crowd go nuts, while Mayfield played it up for the sold out crowd, bat flip and all.
The celebration is hilarious for only one reason: If everyone’s going this nuts for a home run in celebrity softball, what’s it going to be like if the Browns actually win the Super Bowl?!
OK, the rain cloud that occupied the space over my head is gone. Landry’s event is for a good cause and it brought people out as the world continues to get closer to normal.
Mayfield was a power hitting first baseman as a prep star at Lake Travis High School in Texas. Considering he’s a professional athlete in the best shape of his life, I would hope he could still mash.
But dang, I don’t know how Mayfield tops this celebration if the Browns were to play in February. Brownie the Elf better be on standby by with a bat to flip.
2. Not a good look for Cleveland Browns offense
Count me as someone who can’t wait for the OTAS and minicamp to end, especially with the offense staying away from practice in solidarity with center and union president J.C. Tretter, who wants to do away with the workouts.
Many defensive starters showed up to practice, but the key offensive players were missing, instead, practicing with Mayfield on their own in Texas.
As whether Kevin Stefanski gave Mayfield any specific instructions on what to do, the second-year head coach said he has “No jurisdiction” on what happens outside Berea.
Tretter has a point about OTAs and minicamp, especially with the league’s public stance on player safety. The pandemic proved these workouts, some of which are “voluntarily,” aren’t really all that important, however, with the offense flying solo ,and then the players coming to town to play in the softball game, the unit better be ready to roll come September.
For what it’s worth, I expect the offense to be fine, with an entire training camp to get things right. That said, with the Chiefs reporting to practice, the Browns offense isn’t making the team look good in June.
Alas, no one will remember June if the Browns are barreling toward the postseason in December.
3. Minicamp takes
Minicamp and OTAs are what they are: Glorified flag football. Hard to determine anything the offense line is doing because they can’t shove guys around.
Here’s some quick thoughts on what’s being talked about around Browns Town.
A. Greg Newsome really needs to step in and start from day one. I know, Greedy Williams is practicing, but even when he was healthy, he was just kind of OK. Yes, he was forced into action early as a second-round pick, but when. you factor in that injury history, whether or not Newsome can seize the job early on will be one of the big storylines of camp.
B. I wonder how quickly University of Cincinnati tackle James Hudson will be ready to assume the role vacated by Chris Hubbard.
The Browns reportedly view him as a “multi-position” lineman, meaning he could be eventually be the line’s sixth man. At 6-foot-5, 310 pounds, Hudson looks the size and he’s reportedly impressed line coach Bill Callahan, according to Cleveland.com’s Terry Pluto.
C. The steal of the draft, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah is living up to the billing as a fast player with good instincts, but remember, all the speed in the world won’t matter if he can’t tackle the ball carrier when he gets to the contact point. Again, these are things we won’t truly be able to judge until camp, and really, the preseason.
D. I don’t know why, but I believe Anthony Walker, signed as a free agent from the Colts, is going to be critical to the linebacking corps this season.