BEREA, Ohio — For years, the Cleveland Browns have aimed to embody the slogan: "Smart, tough and accountable." Last season, it seemed, at times, they were anything but. However, new faces on the coaching staff have revamped the energy and early into OTAs, there appears to be a new emphasis on the accountability part of their goals.
Special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone shared on Wednesday that head coach Kevin Stefanski preached the attribute in the meeting leading into the day of practice.
"Kevin had a good portion of our team meeting today talking about accountability and doing whatever it takes to help the team win whatever, regardless of what role you end up playing for the team," Ventrone said. "So I think it's really getting those young players to buy into that accountability factor and really do whatever it takes to win."
But how can the Browns turn words into action and genuinely hold players—and coaches—accountable as the season approaches?
Well, it starts on the defensive side of the ball.
On Wednesday, the Browns opened up their practice session in a way that wasn't up to new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz's standards. It prompted him to get a bit fired up because his goal is to get his players up to speed on the scheme he's bringing to the team this season.
"We were pretty crappy early on. We needed a little kick in the butt to get going a little bit today," Schwartz confessed. "But communication, getting some things under our feet, we're getting a little bit better there. But the road will hit the rubber when training camp comes, and we can play with toughness and effort and physicality."
Schwartz was on the field all afternoon, directing guys to get in proper formation, to utilize the correct technique on every snap, and to correct mistakes—no matter how small—before they have the chance to snowball. There was hardly a place on the field you couldn't hear Schwartz's voice, and he commanded his players and coached them up at every turn.
Being so early into off-season workouts, however, activities are relatively mellow. Live contact is prohibited in this portion of offseason workouts as part of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, so players are unable to get too physical.
That, however, isn't stopping Schwartz from being out on the field, in the mix and making sure his guys not only hear his lessons and directions—but get a hands-on approach to learning.
"I'm just out there right now just trying to hear guys communicate and just to have a little presence out there and those things. I don't know if I'll be out there all the time. You know that right now when things are new, I can get my ears real close to 'em, and I can hear where the communication is. And that means you can feel the players," Schwartz said. "We're learning where they're going to need to be pushed and where things are going to fall. So it's a learning experience for us, too. And I like to be out there just in the mix, and I think there's a lot of good information out there."
For his players, the scheme he's laying out—so far—seems to be just what they were missing.
Last year, the Browns' defense struggled with communication mishaps often. On numerous occasions, the Browns would blow coverage, and subsequently games, because of it.
Cornerback Denzel Ward believes Schwartz's scheme eliminates those issues before they can start.
"I think with this new system that coach is bringing in, it kind of takes out all those 'ifs,' 'ands,' and kind of those questionings. So you're pretty much what you're doing, and you just go do it. You don't have to read too much out there," Ward explained.
When it comes to holding them accountable to understand the system, Ward appreciates that Schwartz is out on the fields, in their ear and correcting them in real-time.
"It keeps us on our toes and focused on our assignment and our job and what we're supposed to do. Guys don't want to be out there messing up and getting screens that are called out on. So it just kind of gets you to lock in and do your job," he said.
The accountability is high already for Schwartz and his defense. It's a big part of what was missing last year, and his players, like Ward, believe that's exactly what they need to unlock their success this season.
"That's what we need. We need to be coached up. Whether that's in a hard way or not, I mean, it is good criticism," Ward said. "Guys got to be out here knowing what they're supposed to do and doing our job, and he's making sure that he's holding us to that standard."
The standard for Schwartz means fostering physical and passionate players who know what they're doing, want to do it well, and can have fun doing it.
"Just the setting a standard. We have some physical players, and we want to play with effort. We want to be physical, and we want to have a little personality. And those are the things that we're going to emphasize as we go. All the good defenses have those things," Schwartz said.
When the Browns get deeper into offseason workouts and can put on the pads and really show off their knowledge and proficiency of the scheme, a better picture of how the Browns' defense might fare this season should come into view.
But for now, seeing the energy and emphasis on the things that were lacking last season certainly doesn't seem like a bad place to start.
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