Oh training camp, nothing like reviewing reps with players in jogging shorts. Most aspects of training camp are overblown especially when it comes to fantastic or great play in practice. The need for coaches to see the details for gameday is great for practice and training camp is needed to get ready for the season ahead, but to log and calculate the translation into the regular season is very hard so I try to take a grain of salt approach with training camp.
The exceptions to the rule are the extremes, when a player is performing really well or really poorly that should take note, especially the latter. There are numerous examples of players looking poor in training camp and that translates to Sunday’s.
Also, a player’s health can be told in training camp, if a player is constantly having a hard time staying on the practice field for training camp, it usually becomes a nagging theme for his season ahead.
For the vast majority of us fans, all we get to see are the clips that the media decides to put out. We don’t get to witness every single rep of every play to fully dissect what went wrong and who performed well. As Andy said, if there are numerous reports about concerns or hype for a player, it’s likely something to take note of. I believe that both fans and journalists tend to overanalyze what happens on a daily basis.
The primary focus of training camp for any team at any level is the process. The entire playbook is being perfected, removing what isn’t working, and enhancing the plays while creating new ones that complement the team’s strengths. Teams that show no struggle in training camp may not be adequately prepared for the challenges of a 17-game schedule.
During training camp, teams have two main objectives: to stay healthy and to make significant improvements as a collective unit. Individual performance isn’t a huge concern, as players are experimenting and figuring out what works best for them and the team in various situations.
Almost every day in camp, there’s a new report about how promising Elijah Moore looks for the upcoming season. While it’s important not to overreact during training camp, his route running and speed indicate that he will greatly ease Deshaun Watson’s life in this offense.
Coach Stefanski commented, “There’s versatility in where he can line up, but what’s truly impressive is the different roles he can fulfill due to his skill set.” Coach highlighted Moore’s combination of speed and hands, suggesting that it could elevate the offense to the next level.
At just 23 years old, it’s challenging to assess Moore’s time in New York, given the challenges he faced with the quarterback situation and sharing targets with rookie standout Garrett Wilson and veteran Corey Davis. Reports suggest that he and Watson are developing a “nice on-field chemistry,” and his emergence alongside Amari Cooper, Nick Chubb, and David Njoku in this offense is an exciting prospect.
Martin Emerson is really emerging as a top-end player on defense. He stood out last year and from early reports and watching a little video from social media in the current training camp, he seems to be making a name for himself heading into the 2023 season. Would not surprise me if Emerson is looked at as a lockdown corner in 2023.
Let me begin by saying that almost all press conferences with players in the opening week are so positive that it is hard to tell sometimes what a player is really thinking, but I do think we got a good idea of what JOK is thinking for the 2023 season.
There’s been a lot of question about how the previous coordinator Joe Woods ran the defense and in the opposite view a lot of excitement about what new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz will be bringing to the defense, JOK agrees:
“We have a scheme that will allow us to be who we are,” Owusu-Koramoah said. “We’re looking to have a very strong year. We get to attack and show what we can do. You will see it in the way we play. It’s going to be no nonsense.”
JOK seems to agree on the Schwartz hype and what he is going to bring to the 2023 Browns defense.
After former defensive tackle Malik Jackson went on air to criticize Myles Garrett’s ability to be a leader, especially in the meeting rooms, Garrett responded in a very professional manner.
“I saw his comments, but he has a right to his opinion, and we’re all learning as we go. Leadership is a dynamic concept that can take different shapes depending on the situation and the individual. I can lead in the way that I know best, and I’m committed to growing as a leader, and we’ll lead together,” Garrett said.
I believe he handled the situation admirably, openly acknowledging his desire to improve as a leader. In my opinion, it’s challenging for Garrett to be a vocal leader during camp, especially with guys fighting for spots, because of his extraordinary football experience. He has always been the standout player on his team and never had to compete for a roster spot or playing time like some others in the room.
While it would be great to see Garrett as an inspiring vocal leader for the team, he has chosen the lead-by-example approach throughout his career, dominating on the field and trying to motivate others through his performance. Leadership is not solely on his shoulders, and I believe he will continue to mature in that area as he grows as both a player and a leader.
One week in the books, and there haven’t been any super concerning storylines or injuries, which is a great thing. Guys are going to experience good days and bad days in camp; it’s all part of the process of improving as individuals and as a team.
The players appear focused and are enjoying themselves, two factors that usually lead to success. It’s too early to draw any concrete conclusions about the state of the team, and the coaches would likely echo the same thought. We are still over a month away from week one, and there’s a lot of work to be done.
So far a very healthy team one week in which is good, no major injuries which as we know can really bring down the mood in a camp, and also no striking or biting comments that dominate the training camp, which can also exhaust a training camp very quickly. Nothing really happened on that front which is good, no drama.
The main theme so far has been what to make of QB Deshaun Watson and from what I can tell, not a lot to digest one way or another. Not enough information to go if he’s going to be good this coming season, so I would advise all of the fans to wait to jump off a bridge or no-plan Super Bowl parades just yet.
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