Browns offensive linemen have benefitted from having a third coach on the field through the first nine days of training camp.
The coach's name? Joe Thomas.
The 10-time Pro Bowl tackle has been at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus for practices and has been giving the O-Line technique tips in the cool-down period after practice. His lessons are an addition to the tutelage already supplied by offensive line coach Bill Callahan and assistant coach Scott Peters, and everyone has absorbed his teachings.
"Joe Thomas has been incredibly helpful," Callahan said. "It's great to have him back with us. As we all know, the last two years with the COVID protocols have been challenging where we would have loved to have had him in, and we have said that before. This is just such a great idealistic situation for him to be here."
Thomas has been in Cleveland to watch practices as he prepares for his color commentator role for the Browns during preseason games. In addition to group instructions, he's spent 1-on-1 time with current left tackle, Jedrick Wills Jr. Wills was the 10th overall pick in 2020 and expressed interest in learning from Thomas after he was drafted, but he hadn't been able to spend individual time with him due to the pandemic protocols in recent seasons.
That's changed in 2022. Thomas has been open to spending as much time with Wills as he can, and Wills — and the other linemen — have embraced every second of it.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski has been pleased to see Thomas spend so much time with the crew.
"Joe is always welcome here," he said Friday. "I've told him that. He can come every day if he wants. We will set up a locker for him. He's somebody who has done it at such a high level for such a long time and been through the ups and downs of an NFL season, so I just feel like he has a lot to offer our guys. As much as Joe is willing, we're always willing to take him here in Berea."
Here's what else you might've missed from Day 9:
Check out photos of players and coaches working throughout camp
Safety John Johnson III (43) with fans during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
Defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey (97) during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
Long snapper Charley Hughlett (47) with fans during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
A fan during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
Cornerback Greedy Williams (26) and Safety Grant Delpit (22) during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
Tight end David Njoku (85) signs autographs for fans during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
Quarterback Josh Rosen (19) during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
Running back John Kelly (41) during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
Linebacker Jacob Phillips (50) with fans during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski signs autographs for fans during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
Quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
Tight end David Njoku (85) during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
Cornerback Greg Newsome II (20) during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
Defensive end Isaiah Thomas (58) during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
Running back Nick Chubb (24) during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
Offensive guard Wyatt Teller (77) during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
Quarterback Joshua Dobbs (15) and Quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
A football during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
Cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. (23) during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
Offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. (71) during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
Linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. (5) during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
Tight end Zaire Mitchell-Paden (81) during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
Center Nick Harris (53) during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
Offensive guard Joel Bitonio (75) during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
Wide Receiver David Bell (18) during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
A helmet during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (28) during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
Linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. (5) during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (28) during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
Running Back D'Ernest Johnson (30) during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
Quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
Fans during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
Quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
Fans during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
Tight end David Njoku (85) during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
Defensive tackle Sheldon Day (92) during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
Cornerback Greg Newsome II (20) signs autograph for a fan during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
Cornerback Greg Newsome II (20) during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
Tight end David Njoku (85) with a fan during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
Tight end Zaire Mitchell-Paden (81) during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
Safety John Johnson III (43) during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
Punter Joseph Charlton (8) during the ninth day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 6, 2022.
