Cleveland Browns: 3 takeaways from rookie minicamp

The Cleveland Browns coaching staff had a chance to work with the team’s rookies over the weekend. Here are three takeaways from the Rookie Minicamp.

The Cleveland Browns wrapped up their annual Rookie Minicamp over the weekend and the news was mostly positive.

The only setback came when cornerback Howard Wilson went down with a broken kneecap, an injury that possibly could sideline him for the entire year.

Outside of that disappointing news, it was a normal weekend as the coaching staff got its first opportunity to work with the team’s rookies, head coach Hue Jackson told clevelandbrowns.com:

"“This is rookie minicamp. Guy are working hard. They are learning a lot of different schemes offensively, defensively and on special teams. As I said yesterday, I see the talent. It is so apparent in the things we do, the guys we have here, how they play and how they conduct themselves. It is exciting. To get this group with the rest of the team will be fun. As I said, nothing has changed. We have a ways to go. We will keep working at it.”"

As the Browns now prepare for the start of Organized Team Activities on May 23, here are three takeaways from the weekend.

Myles Garrett may be something special

The Browns didn’t make Myles Garrett the top overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft because they think he is a nice guy — although he does come across that way — but because he has the potential to be the difference maker the defense has lacked for decades.

Unlike some recent high draft picks, who were happy to collect the perks but had little to no interest in putting in the actual work needed to be an NFL player, Garrett has been all business in the short time he has been in Cleveland.

Garrett is talented but also smart enough to realize he doesn’t know everything and is willing to listen, especially when the person talking is Hall of Fame defensive end Bruce Smith, who spent time watching film with Garrett and offered some advice, according to clevelandbrowns.com:

"“He said I was slow off the ball, but that is coming from the very best. He is just trying to teach me the tricks that I can get off the ball faster and do it even better. If I learn that and keep on practicing that, then I will perform at a high level. Most people wouldn’t say that, but he is one of the greatest if not the greatest pass rusher so if he thinks so and I want to be at his level someday, then I have to take his advice and run with it.”"

It is easy to get excited as a Browns fan this time of year, but the team may have found someone special in Garrett.

Jabrill Peppers has his “Welcome to Cleveland” moment

It didn’t take long for Jabrill Peppers to discover the more ridiculous side of life as a member of the town’s No. 1 talked about team.

Peppers had to unfortunately answer questions about his off-field activities after a local “personality” — who has since been fired — went on a Cleveland radio station with unfounded reports of Peppers’ drug use, according to ohio.com:

"“This is my first time in Cleveland since they brought me out here [for an introductory news conference during draft weekend], so I don’t know what she’s talking about. I just think people want to say what they say to make stories. I can’t do anything about that. I came here to play football and help this great organization get back to prominence.”"

Peppers is in the first stage of the NFL’s substance abuse program after submitting a diluted urine sample during the NFL Scouting Combine, however, but can be clear of the program is as little as 90 days if everything checks out.

It’s a rough way to begin his Browns career, but Peppers handled it well, which is a good sign because things are going to be a bit rough at times this fall when the games start for real.

Hue Jackson pushing DeShone Kizer hard

Even though he has second-year quarterback Cody Kessler penciled in as the starter, head coach Hue Jackson is throwing as much as he possibly can at rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer.

Say all the nice things you want about Kessler – who is a player that can be valuable to the club — but the reality is that if Kizer can reach his potential, the Browns may have finally found an answer to the ongoing quarterback issue.

Jackson knows that, which is why he used the weekend to put what he described as “a ton” of work on Kizer’s shoulders, according to clevelandbrowns.com:

"“He handled it OK because I have to see how much he can handle and how much can he learn overnight, in the morning and go back out and do it at a high level. That is the challenge of playing quarterback. There were some steps in the positive. There were some steps that he has to continue to work at. That is the evolution of a quarterback, of a young quarterback as they start out. He takes coaching well. I am not babying him — that is for sure — because the other teams won’t baby him, either. He just has to get used to it, and I think he has. He knows that my charge for him is a consistency level at a high level all of the time, and that is not going to happen in two days. I don’t expect it to happen in two days. How long is it going to take? I don’t know that, but I know we are going to do everything we can to get him there.”"

Kizer still has a lot of work ahead to get his game up to the speed in the NFL. But it is going to be interesting to see how Jackson splits the work in training camp and the playing time in the preseason among the various quarterbacks on the roster.

Next: Browns sign 2 rookie defensive backs

It seems unlikely at this point that Kizer will line up as the starter on opening day, but either out of choice or out of necessity you can be sure he will take the field at some point this fall.