Newly-signed Greg Mancz just 'trying to figure out some stuff' with Browns' linemen
BEREA − Greg Mancz's first official day inside the Browns training facility was a non-stop whirlwind of activity. So much so that, as he was approached by someone to talk as he passed through the locker room, he apologetically said, "I've gotta learn the playbook. Maybe next time."
Two days later, things had slowed down for the recently-signed veteran center. Well they'd slowed down enough for him to stop, catch his breath and talk.
"There's been a lot of adjustments," Mancz told the Beacon Journal Friday. "I've tried to pick up as much as I can as quickly as I can. There's a lot of great guys in the room who I've met before, so I had some relationships, and guys on the team. They've done a really good job of helping me along. Obviously, it's a process and we're trying to speed it up, so every day I'm just trying to get extra meetings, trying to talk to guys, trying to figure out what I can do and trying to learn as much as I can."
Mancz entered the picture for the Browns when starting center Ethan Pocic suffered a knee injury early in last Sunday's loss to the Buffalo Bills. The same day they placed Pocic on injured reserve, they signed Mancz, who had played in Week 3 for the Bills while also spending time on their practice squad.
For this Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, at least, Mancz will continue to watch and learn in his new environment. Hjalte Froholdt, who replaced Pocic against Buffalo, returned to practice on Friday after missing two days due to illness and will start against the Buccaneers.
"I mean, it's all play by ear," Mancz said of his role in future games for the Browns. "Right now, I'm just trying to learn it as fast as I can. I can tell you there've been a lot of long nights in the playbook and a couple of early mornings trying to figure out some stuff. So that's all I'm doing right now."
Mancz may be labeled a center, since that's what he came into the league as in 2015 as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Toledo. However, he's played significant snaps over his career at both guard positions well.
That's why Mancz can empathize with Froholdt, his former teammate in Houston in 2020. Froholdt, whose only previous starts had come at guard, had not played a regular-season snap at center in the NFL prior to last Sunday's game.
"Whenever you're an inside three guy, like all inside three, you have to learn them all," said Mancz, who has started 32 of his 64 career games with Houston, Miami and Buffalo. "There are nuances, from stances to how far you are on the ball to snapping the ball. Obviously, those are all extremely different. I know, without being here very long, transitioning is not always easy, so from guard to center or center to guard, whatever it may be. I was with (Froholdt) a little bit in Houston. I know he's very versatile and very quick."
That versatility may help Mancz find a role as a backup between center and guard. However, there's another advantage from his past experiences, and that rests with his knowledge of both Browns starting quarterbacks.
The starter on Sunday, Jacoby Brissett, was a teammate of Mancz's last season in Miami. Three of Mancz's four starts at center for the Dolphins coincided with three of Brissett's five starts that season.
Next week, though, Deshaun Watson returns from his 11-game suspension and will take over the starting quarterback job. He'll do so against the Texans, where both he and Mancz were teammates together from 2017-20.
"I definitely think it helps having a relationship with both of them," said Mancz, who started 28 of his 58 games played with the Texans from 2015-20. "Just because, if there's something I need to communicate with them, they can communicate with me, too, and there's already that sort of bond, I guess. The bond is very important."
The bond is very important between Mancz and the quarterbacks, especially if he ends up in the starting lineup at some point. However, the bond between he and his offensive line teammates is critical.
Those are the relationships Mancz has worked the hardest at developing in the very short time the Cincinnati native has been in Cleveland. There was already one of sorts between he and Froholdt after they spent the latter part of the 2020 season as teammates in Houston.
However, beyond just his former teammate and, now, fellow center, Mancz has found the entire room welcoming to the newest face in the group. He especially credits the Browns' two starting guards, Joel Bitonio and Wyatt Teller, for helping him get up to speed.
"I mean, it's a blessing to have guys who are established, who know the offense, who know the system, who can communicate with me," Mancz said. "Really, it speaks to the quality, they're great guys. I'm sure I'm not telling anybody anything they don't know, but they're great human beings too. I've been very fortunate they've been so friendly and outgoing and trying to help me out as well."
Myles Garrett not of the 'turnovers are luck' school of thought
Myles Garrett spoke after the loss to Buffalo about the lack of takeaways by the Browns' defense. Through 10 games, the Browns only have come up with eight turnovers by their opponents, including just three interceptions.
Two seasons ago, when the Browns went to the playoffs, they had 17 takeaways through 10 games and finished with 21 on the regular season. Last year, they finished with 19 after having eight through 10 games.
There's always been an argument, especially in analytic circles, about the randomness of turnovers. "Turnover luck" is a popular phrase used by some to point out that randomness.
Garrett isn't buying that thought.
"Analytically, that's cap," Garrett said Friday. "You force turnovers. They’re takeaways and in most teams’ meeting rooms, you go out and get them. You force them by pressuring the quarterback, by playing tight coverage, by making him see things that aren't really there by disguising and by really forcing him into angles and positions that you want him to be in. And to say that they're lucky, I'm sure that there are some are, with bobbles and 50-50 balls and things like that. There's always a little bit where there's the chance between you and the other person getting it, but you work those chances, those opportunities. That’s what you work on, giving the extra effort and strength to finish and completing those plays and getting those takeaways. To break it down to them being luck is marginalizing the work it takes to make those plays happen on all three levels of defense."
Jermaine Carter Jr. elevated from practice squad for gameday
Linebacker Jermaine Carter Jr. was the lone player the Browns elevated from the practice squad to the gameday roster on Saturday. It's the third consecutive week he has been elevated to the gameday roster.
Carter has appeared in 67 career games, including the last two games for the Browns. The former 2018 fifth-round pick of the Carolina Panthers from the University of Maryland has notched 163 career tackles, half a sack and two fumble recoveries.
Buccaneers rule Leonard Fournette out, activate Gio Bernard from IR
The Buccaneers have shuffled some running backs around due to injury. They officially ruled out Leonard Fournette, who had been listed as doubtful on Friday's injury report due to a hip injury.
However, Tampa Bay did activate Giovani Bernard from the injured reserve list. Bernard, the former Cincinnati Bengal, played in the first two game of the season for the Buccaneers before sustaining an ankle injury.
Rookie Rachaad White is slated to start at running back for Tampa Bay.
Jadeveon Clowney received fine for play against Buffalo Bills
Defensive end Jadeveon Clowney received a fine from the league office this week for unnecessary roughness. There was no flag on the play for a face mask, but he was still fined $10,609 by the league, which is the standard fine for a first offense for such a violation.
It's the first time this season Clowney has been fined by the league. Per Spotrac, Browns players have incurred $5,672,547 this season, a number skewed by Watson's $5 million fine as part of his personal conduct policy violations.
Contact Chris at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com.
On Twitter: @ceasterlingABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Browns lineman Greg Mancz trying to get himself up to speed
