1. Browns work on situational football on Day 2

Day Two of minicamp was aimed at putting the Browns in different game situations and teaching them how to react accordingly.

"I think the guys, they're giving me everything they have and we're practicing in a lot of situations so that our team understands situational football and just how easy it is to lose a game if you don't understand how to deal with certain situations," said coach Hue Jackson, who met with reporters Wednesday afternoon following the second practice of a mandatory veteran minicamp.

"So we put them in a lot of situations today, taught them today some things about the game, had some teaching moments, which I think is very important as well."

That's been a theme as Jackson and Cleveland's coaching staff aims to lay a foundation for when the team breaks for the summer Thursday and returns for training camp in late July.

"We're trying to expose our team to any and everything that can happen in a football game so that when it does happen, we're kind of poised, we've kind of rehearsed it a little bit so that we can deal with those things and move forward," Jackson said.

"Because we know winning these games in the National Football League comes down to that, it comes down to who can take the ball away from the other team's offense, who can keep the ball, who can play great special teams and eliminate the self-inflicted wounds that happen to

football teams."

As the Browns near the end of offseason workouts, Jackson likes what he sees out of a team he says remains a work in progress.

"I feel very comfortable and confident where we are right now, but I think as we all know this is just the start of what the team's going to be once we get to September, no one knows that, there's a lot of things that can happen between now and then but the core of the team is here," he said.

"I feel good in some areas, I feel there's some areas we need to continue to keep improving as players. We can get better. There's a lot of players here that I think can take another step through the summer, through training camp in order to get themselves where they need to be for the season."

2. Griffin III focused on improving everything, even the smallest details

Robert Griffin III has drawn some laughs and questions for his multiple throwaway passes that cleared the fence surrounding the Browns practice field during OTAs and minicamp.

It hasn't been by accident, as Griffin said he has enhanced his focus on sliding to protect himself and throwaways, two things he stressed he didn't practice enough during his four seasons with the Redskins.

"You have to practice what you play," Griffin said. "So sliding, throwing the ball away, all of those things, keeping us in positive down-and-distances, those are important. It seems funny, throwing the ball over the fence, but it's just a part of the process. You have got to take everything into account."

3. Jackson on Joe Thomas: 'He's here every day and he doesn't have to be'

Browns nine-time Pro Bowl offensive tackle Joe Thomas received a day of rest Wednesday after going through Tuesday's practice.

Asked about "inheriting" Thomas' practice schedule, Jackson dismissed the notion and instead said he's inherited a "really good player."

"My job is to make sure he can get to the game and play as well as he can play, but making sure he's prepared to play, has done enough work and I'll feel very comfortable with that," Jackson said. "I know exactly and he knows exactly what he needs to do and I'm very comfortable with our medical staff, our strength and conditioning staff and our conversations about how to get him to where he needs to be so he can play great."

Thomas has played every single snap, all 8,959 of them, during his nine-year NFL career.

4. More praise for Joe Kim

One day after Desmond Bryant and Danny Shelton heaped praise upon strength and conditioning/skills development coach Joe Kim, second-year outside linebacker Nate Orchard did exactly the same Wednesday.

Kim, one of five new members to Cleveland's strength and conditioning staff, has worked with a number of NFL teams over the past two decades, including the Browns, where he began his NFL career from 1992-95 as an assistant strength and conditioning coach/pass rush specialist. He has a wealth of martial arts knowledge and experience as a seventh Dan Black Belt recognized by Kukkiwon, USA Taekwondo and the World Taekwondo Federation.

"It's a shocker," Orchard said. "You look at the guy and are like, 'He's got no moves' and next thing you know he's whipping his hands around. You give him some respect. I'm really excited and so is everyone else. For a lot of guys, this is their first time working with someone like this. I understand he's got the DBs, running backs, he may even have the kickers doing this stuff. It's really fun having him on staff."

5. Coons on the mend

Browns kicker Travis Coons is one of a handful of Browns on the mend and not fully participating at this week's practices.

Coons, who is coming off a productive rookie season, is Cleveland's only kicker on the 90-man roster. Patrick Murray, a second-year pro out of Fordham, is with the team on a tryout basis.

Asked about what's ailing Coons, Jackson expressed minimal concern.

"He won't be out an extended period of time," Jackson said. "Sometimes guys get a little tweak. We take care of guys and try to make sure they're OK. He's done a great job. He was out here the other day kicking. If a guy has something, we want to make sure we get it behind us."