LB Christian Kirksey:
On WR Josh Gordon returning to the team and walkthroughs:
"Just seeing a face that we have not seen in training camp, it was a good feeling. To have our brother on the sideline and have him out here on the practice field with us. He is bringing that energy back. I was excited to see him. We all know what Josh can do. I am just ready for when he gets back and to the next step of whatever he has to do."
On Gordon being elevated to the active roster and if he has been waiting for Gordon's return:
"I want to see him excel. He is a talented young man. He has God-given ability. We are fully behind him. Me coming in here, being in a relationship with him, I know the things that he is capable of doing. I am just excited to see him get the opportunity to showcase his talent and take whatever proper steps he needs to take to be fully healthy and fully ready to play."
On his personal relationship with Gordon:
"I have known Josh for five years now. He is a quiet guy if you do not know him, but once you really know him on a personal level and are able to talk to him, he is a great guy. He is always putting other people before him. He is a guy that loves to work. Whenever you see him taking those proper steps, it just excites me to see that he can get through adversity. That is probably the most adversity you can see, and he has gotten through it and that is as his family. Especially on the football field, we are helping him get through it. Proud of Josh. Can't wait to see him excel this year."
On if he 'keeps an eye' on Gordon to make sure he is OK off the field:
"I treat him like any other teammate. Your teammate is your responsibility. I look out for him just like I look out for any other guy – make sure that they are going down the right path, make sure that they are doing everything that they have to do to make this team win and make sure that the off the field activities are being policed. I take pride in doing that, just for being a leader on this team and just being a good teammate. You have to treat all of your teammates the same way. There is not difference with Josh. You have to treat him the same way as your other teammates and just continue to look out for everybody."
On if he sensed excitement from Gordon today after being listed as active:
"Josh is a laid back guy. He is not really going to show too much emotion as far as getting that excitement of getting back on the field. I just think he is going to do what he does best, and that is to work hard. We are all excited for him to do that."
On extent of his preparation for the first regular season game:
"I have been thinking about Pittsburgh since the preseason started. I guess this last game was somewhat of a dress rehearsal to get ready for it. My mind has always been on Pittsburgh. That is the game that counts. That is the game that matters. I think that we will have a perfect gameplan for them, and may the best team win."
DB Briean Boddy-Calhoun:
On if he feels like a S yet:
"I am getting there, getting more and more comfortable but still some things to clean up. I would say that I am getting more comfortable with the position."
On playing a significant number of plays with the first team in the nickel sub-package:
"It is but have to make it happen, have to find a way to get onto the field."
On the Browns defense being able to create turnovers this preseason:
"It is the mindset. It is the way that we practice. It is the way that we watch film. I would just say that we have a whole different mindset as far as how we are going to attack the ball and how to get the ball. Last year was unacceptable. We all know that. We are just doing everything that we can to make it better."
On if it is difficult switching between playing nickel and S:
"No, I just have to put a different hat on. I would just say that it is different. I would not say that it is harder by any chance. I would just say that it is a different perspective going from playing a man right in front of me to playing the quarterback and just going based off of where he is throwing the ball."
On if he could transition in game from the nickel position to S:
"Yeah, I have gotten more than enough reps and feel more than comfortable to do that in a game."
On if that type of transition is similar to Thursday night, when DB Damarious Randall did not play:
"Yeah, I went into that game thinking I was going to be primarily nickel. Then two hours before, coach came up to me and let me know about Damarious' situation."
On the learning curve transitioning to S:
"I have always been a vocal player. I feel as though I am more comfortable in my role once I know what everyone around me is doing. This is my second year in the defense so I feel like I am comfortable as far as making calls and stuff like that. I would not say that is too hard of a thing for me."
On the Browns secondary this year after multiple changes in its personnel:
"Talented. Smart. Have some veteran guys that have been to the payoffs. Those are always my top things to say is that they are good, they have been to the playoffs and that they are coming into here with a whole bunch of knowledge. Definitely going to take the ball away this year."
RB Nick Chubb:
On why he played much better in Preseason Week 2 and 3 as compared to Week 1:
"Just a team effort. The first game, everyone is trying to get a feel for what is going on. After that, just kind of learning from it, growing from it and just approaching practice differently and kind of getting things rolling."
On running backs coach Freddie Kitchens saying he may have pressed during the New York Giants game:
"I do not know, that was long weeks ago (laughter). I am trying to move forward."
On what it means when Kitchens referenced needing to slow his eyes down:
"I was probably looking at too much."
On RB Carlos Hyde and him producing long runs, as well as receiving reps with the first team offense last week:
"It was great, definitely. Showing them that we can run the ball very well. For this momentum to gain momentum on two big plays back-to-back definitely takes a toll on the defense. It was good for us."
On if he was ready to enter the game after Hyde's or if it was a spur of the moment:
"I was ready, I was ready."
On the extent of preparations for Week 1:
"You take it day by day. Just getting better, but we have a lot of stuff to do, a lot of work to do and lots of ways we can get better to prepare ourselves, but we do not want to look too far ahead."
On if he has looked at Pittsburgh film:
"I have not, no."
On what he has learned from Hyde during the preseason games:
"Just learning to kind of be patient. When they give you something, you definitely have to take it and be ready for it because it does not happen as often. You just have to be ready for everything that comes your way."
On how encouraged he has been from the Browns running game during the past two games:
"It definitely starts up front. It starts in our mind if he have the mentality that we can run the ball no matter what defenses gives us. I think it just started and we got our mind right there. We want to run the ball and want to do it well."
WR Derrick Willies:
On how the past two games have been for him:
"Transitioning, learning experience for sure."
On saving the game the other night with his tackle on the interception:
"(Offensive coordinator) Coach (Todd) Haley would have liked me to catch the ball regardless (laughter)."
On what happened on that play:
"I was coming across the middle, and the backer came up and kind of bumped me off my route. I had a guy following me over, the safety following me over or nickel, and he picked the ball off The backer bumped me off."
On if he saw the Eagles LB before he was hit on the play:
"No, I did not."
On if he has gotten to know WR Josh Gordon:
"Yeah, he sits next to me in the meeting rooms. He is a good guy to learn from. Obviously, physically, he can do it all so he is a great guy to learn from."
On if he has watched tape of Gordon:
"I have got to seen him play since I have been here in person, so that really is all you need to see. Once you see him in person, that is all you need (laughter)."
On if Gordon is physically imposing:
"Yeah, he can do some things."
On if Haley still coaches him hard as hard as Haley did early in camp or if it has let up:
"I think getting coached hard is something you want. If they are not coaching you hard, it is probably an issue because they do not know you are there if you are messing up."
On if he accepted the tough coaching as a good sign from the beginning:
"Yeah, I do not view it negatively by any means. I just take the coaching and move on with it."
On if he was wondering why Haley was picking on him or if he understood:
"I did not view it as him picking on me, just him coaching me and trying to get the best out of me."
