Cleveland Browns training camp Day 4: Kevin Stefanski remains in 'ramp-up' mode

BEREA – The Browns reintroduced themselves to their fans on Saturday afternoon with the first open practice of training camp. Certainly, that was reason to put something special together for the moment.

So what exactly was it coach Kevin Stefanski planned for the occasion?

"A good football practice, how about that?," Stefanski told reporters before the Browns' roughly 80-minute practice Saturday. "We are still in the early stages of our work. We have a lot of work to do. As you guys know, we do not have the pads on just yet, but you will see some competitive periods."

Saturday may have been the first time the fans were allowed in to watch practice, but it wasn't the first time the Browns were on the practice field. It was the fourth full-squad practice of training camp.

Each time out has allowed for another step forward in terms of the NFL-mandated ramp-up process for the team. It started with Wednesday's initial workout, which was essentially an hour of offense and defense each working at separate ends of the field.

Steadily, more and more actual football has been permitted without the use of actual equipment. Saturday's practice may have been the most 11-on-11 drills which took place, but even that was heavily controlled since the players were only in helmets.

“What we are trying to do is be very intentional about how we plan practice," Stefanski said. "You have X number of days to get them ready. We have X number of days before that Jacksonville [preseason] game. We have X number of days before the Carolina [regular-season] game, and then you have 17 of those games. It is just trying to use all of the information at our disposal, get this team ready to play, be smart about it and make sure that every step along the way we have that discussion about what we do is in the safest way."

To be specific, the Browns have 13 days until their Aug. 12 preseason opener in Jacksonville. There's 43 days until the Sept. 11 regular-season opener in Charlotte.

That's a lot of time left in a ramp-up. The Browns do have scheduled days off in there, including Sunday, but it's still a lot of practice time.

"There will be plenty of dog days of training camp," Stefanski said, "and it is going to be really hard and the players are not going to like me very much. But I just feel like now is the time to ramp into this thing appropriately.”

Isaiah Weston joins the wide receiver injury list

The Browns' receiving corps took another hit Saturday when Isaiah Weston was carted off the field. The team announced after practice it was a knee injury, but did not give any further details.

Weston, a rookie out of Northern Iowa, is just the latest in that position group to go down since rookies reported to Berea on July 22. Fellow rookie David Bell was placed on the active/physically unable to perform list on that day with a foot injury, and Javon Wims was placed on the non-football illness list on Tuesday.

Second-year receiver Anthony Schwartz suffered a left knee strain during Thursday's practice. He remains day-to-day.

Stefanski did sound somewhat optimistic Saturday about Bell's return, even without an update.

"He is doing well," Stefanski said. "He is progressing well. Should see him soon."

Cade York shows off his leg to the fans

The most talked-about member of the Browns' draft class had a booming debut in front of the partisan crowd. Kicker Cade York, the fourth-round pick out of LSU, went 6-for-6 on field goals during a special-teams period.

York's longest try was from the left-middle of the field from 48 yards out. All six of his kicks appeared to have had the distance to have been good from 60 yards.

York is the third kicker the Browns have drafted since 2017. They took Zane Gonzalez in the seventh round out of Arizona State that year, then picked Oklahoma's Austin Sibert in the fifth round in 2019.

David Njoku motivated to be the 'Travis Kelce of Browns'

David Njoku figures to be more prominently featured this season for multiple reasons. He figures to be the No. 1 tight end, and the tight ends figure to be a key part of the passing game due to the current questions at wide receiver.

That could especially be true if the Browns limit the amount of three-tight end sets they use, which could open up targets for Njoku. He wouldn't dive into that, and even pushed back when it was suggested even Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelcie wouldn't get as many targets if they played three tight ends at once.

"Kelce's Kelce, man," Njoku said. "That's my homie, too. But he's a beast, he really is."

Njoku's new deal in June indicates the Browns think of him along those lines. That's a certainly level of motivation for him, on and off the field.

"It also motivates me to help the younger guys to achieve their goals by getting better every day," he said. "I feel like when I was a rookie I had Randall Telfer and Seth DeValve and they were great people. I feel like i can help our younger guys more in terms of just like being an overall tight end and what to think about in certain situations."

Akron's Rubber City Kings presented grant from Browns

The Browns Give Back program presented Akron's Rubber City Kings with a $10,000 grant prior to Saturday practice. The organization is planning on using the donations to buy new helmets, shoulder pads, uniforms and additional field equipment.

The Kings play at Buchtel High School. The school recently replaced its natural-grass surface at the stadium with a new synthetic turf field through the Browns' field project.

The Rubber City Kings have been in existence for 13 years. A member of the North Coast Youth Football Conference, it provides Akron youth with opportunities to compete in football and cheerleading.

Contact Chris at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com.

On Twitter: @ceasterlingABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Kevin Stefanski keeps Cleveland Browns on plan to ramp things up