Rookies have been in Berea since May 9th, but Kevin Stefanski and the Cleveland Browns held their first OTA on Tuesday of this past week. Some of the notable players in attendance were Myles Garrett and newly-signed linebacker Anthony Walker. However, with JC Tretter being the NFLPA President, many players are pushing for virtual OTAs.
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated talked about how the Browns players and coaches are going to work out the offseason:
“The Browns’ players were working toward a deal with their coaches over the weekend after staying away—and part of the reason they were OK with being absent until now is that quarterback Baker Mayfield had held a passing camp in Austin already,” Breer wrote.
Albert Breer Sports Illustrated
With that being said, it’s good news that Walker and Garrett are in Berea. Walker is expected to be the leader of a very crowded linebacker room. Garrett, who missed two games last year because of COVID-19, wants to be fully ready to go once training camp starts. With all that being said, let’s check out what the Browns have been up to these last couple weeks.
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah Signs Rookie Deal
When Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah slipped into the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft, the Browns had a close eye on him. He was a contender to be a their pick at 26, but the team went with Greg Newsome II. Berry pulled off a brilliant trade during the draft to move up and draft Owusu-Koramoah. The linebacker out of Notre Dame is explosive, versatile and just seems to have a nose for making big plays. Once training camp starts it would not surprise anyone if he worked with the safeties and linebackers. He has a lot of great football ahead of him, and Berry wanted to make sure he put pen to paper.
On Friday, Owusu-Koramoah signed his rookie deal with the Browns. The deal is worth $6.476 million, with a $2.070 million signing bonus over four years.
Browns Secondary Questions
For the first time in almost a year, the Browns secondary is fully healthy. Greedy Williams and Grant Delpit, both early round picks in the 2019 and 2020 NFL Drafts, are healthy and in Berea. Williams suffered a nerve injury in his shoulder, which forced him to miss the entire 2020 season. Delpit, whom Browns fans expected big things from, didn’t get to take the field once, as he tore his Achilles in training camp last year. Both are in Berea and, while not at 100% yet, ready to go. Those two, along with the offseason additions of John Johnson III, Troy Hill and Greg Newsome II , the defensive back room is going to be crowded.
In 2020, the Browns secondary was one of the worst in the entire NFL. While inconsistent play didn’t help, they also had a bevvy of injuries. All-Pro corner Denzel Ward missed time, as did the freshly-retired Kevin Johnson. Ronnie Harrison, who the Browns acquired from Jacksonville, also missed time.
Bringing in Johnson was a huge signing for the Browns. He commanded the Rams’ number one-rated defense last year. Hill, who also played for the Rams in the slot, should immediately upgrade the group. On top of that, it’s expected that Owusu-Koramoah will also work with the defensive backs. From being one of the worst, if not the worst, position groups in the entire NFL, the secondary now looks like it could be a strength for the Browns.
Browns Announce Myles Garrett Retirement
Gotcha! Really though, as I’m sure you’ve seen, Myles Garrett is not only a great football player, but he’s a star on the hardwood as well. It seems like every offseason we get a Garrett basketball hype video.
Unfortunately, it appears the Browns have forced Myles Garrett’s basketball playing into retirement. Kevin Stefanski commented on Garrett’s hooping ability last week, by congratulating him and then telling the media “he’s done.”
Kevin Stefanski on Myles Garrett's basketball retirement: "Congratulations on a great career for Myles. Really proud of him. But he's done." pic.twitter.com/jInR7X7OJv
— Jake Trotter (@Jake_Trotter) June 2, 2021
It sure is an exciting time to be a Browns fan. With all of the new additions and the full coaching staff back from last year, they should be true AFC contenders. Hopefully the players and coaches reach an agreement, which they likely will. Baker Mayfield, Jarvis Landry, Myles Garrett and company have a lot to prove in 2021, so it should be a fun offseason.