The third of six consecutive Browns practices is in the books after Monday's full-pads session in Berea.
Here are the top soundbites from coach Hue Jackson and the four players who met with reporters before another physical day under the sun.
HUE JACKSON
"The last two days, I have really pushed this team pretty far, and as I keep telling them, I will keep pushing them because I think there is a lot in this group. You just have to keep pulling it out. There are hard days, grinding days, but that is what training camp is. We are still in training camp mode, but they are giving me everything they have, and that is all you can ask for. As a football team, I am happy where we are. We still have some things to keep cleaning up, keep getting better at, but that is part of it. That is training camp and that is the way it goes, but we have had a really good two days the last two days of building our football team and that is what you look for."
"They haven't blinked. They have asked for more, and that is what I like about this team. They haven't backed down from anything. From yesterday to today to what I am asking of them, I think this is how you build a football team, and that is what we are trying to do. We are trying to become a really good football team that is mentally and physically tough. In order to do that, you have to bump into each other quite a bit and that is what we have done."
"I am very happy with where we are defensively and where we are going. I am happy in certain spots where we are offensively and where we are going because I have a vision, and I can see where we are headed."
LB CHRISTIAN KIRKSEY
"I think guys were sacrificing their bodies, just going in there trying to make a play, trying to clog the hole. I think we were out there trying to fight, trying to not allow our opponents to score a touchdown and I think guys just gave it their all. We have some stuff we need to clean up technique-wise and stuff, but I think guys continue to strive to get better." -- on the defense's performance on the goal line against the Saints
"Joe is smart. He can play all three linebacker positions. He is a guy that is always around the ball, always trying to make plays on the ball. I am excited to see him grow in this defense. As you can see, he went out there, he got a sack [vs. New Orleans]. He was in on a lot of tackles. He is just a guy that flies around and knows what he is doing and could easily play any one of those [linebacker] positions, it is just whenever his name is called, he will be ready." -- on second-year LB Joe Schobert's improvement
K ZANE GONZALEZ
"We know our charts. We know how we do each and every day. We have both been kicking phenomenal. It is really hard to say if anybody has the edge right now. The last few days everybody has pretty much been hitting the balls the same. When you have two kickers going 100 percent, it is hard to complain about that." -- on the ongoing kicking competition with Cody Parkey
"I think it is pretty close competition right now. They usually do a pretty good job of keeping it under wraps for the most part just between the coaching staff. I believe that helps out a lot. Me and Cody just go out there every day and just try to do our best each and every day."
K CODY PARKEY
"I was kind of taken aback (when Gonzalez was drafted) but I was reassured that it was going to be open competition. For me, it just kind of makes me want to work even harder just to prove people wrong about me. I have had success in this league. I have had my ups and downs like anyone else. But just to go out there and show the team that I can do it. I hope that I am going out there and showing the coaches what I am capable of doing. So yeah. Good competition. Zane is an awesome guy. But at the end of the day, this is my job. I want to win. I'm just going to go out every day and try to compete."
"Competition breeds success. But at the end of the day, I am competing against myself. I am not trying to beat Zane that day. I am trying to beat myself. So as good as it is having another guy in there –we can talk kicking and stuff like that. (Special teams coordinator) (Chris Tabor) is awesome with that, too. So it is definitely refreshing having another guy in there that is very good. So we are getting each other better and I think that's what they wanted."
OL SHON COLEMAN
"That is what I take pride in is in the run game, knocking people off the ball, being as physical as I can. That is the way I am trying to help the team."
"I just go out there, do my thing and just try to get the team better. I leave that up to the coaches and everything, how they want to do the depth charts. I am just focused on what I can do to get the team better." -- on the ongoing competition at right tackle
