Drew Forbes hasn't been able to spend any part of his offseason in the trenches, but the second-year offensive lineman has done plenty of work to keep his hands dirty.
Forbes has spent most of his offseason assisting with farm work on land owned by his wife's family near Bonne Terre, Missouri, his hometown. He's been milking cows, driving a tractor and hauling hay bales to keep his body in shape and kill time.
If it weren't for the COVID-19 pandemic, Forbes would've spent the last month in Cleveland preparing for a deep competition for the starting right guard position and other backup linemen battles.
He's still had his hands full with football work, but he's needed to juggle that with life on the farm.
"That's been my second job right now," Forbes said in an upcoming edition of "Working From Home."
"It's kind of fun. I can't say I've ever done it before. It's a whole new world to me — waking up early and getting all this done. It's opened our eyes to a simpler way of life, but we love it."
Forbes hasn't gotten many days off, but the physical workload has matched the type of training he'd undertake in OTAs. On-field workouts and all in-person training were cancelled, however, until training camp. Instead, players needed to complete their normal offseason activities through Zoom calls and video workouts during the virtual offseason program.
The program ended last week, but Forbes' work on the farm is set to continue.
"That's where our weekends are spent, but we love it," he said. "It's hard to beat sitting in an air-conditioned tractor and driving around. It's almost an office job."
The Browns' 53 man roster as of December 18, 2020.
Kicker Cody Parkey (2) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Tennessee Titans on December 6, 2020 at Nissan Stadium. The Browns won 41 - 35.
Quarterback Case Keenum (5) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers on October 18, 2020 at Heinz Field. The Browns lost 38-7.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Tennessee Titans on December 6, 2020 at Nissan Stadium. The Browns won 41 - 35.
Punter Jamie Gillan (7) during an NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens on September 13, 2020 at M&T Bank Stadium. The Browns lost 6–38.
Wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones (11) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars on November 29, 2020 at TIAA Bank Field. The Browns won 27-25.
Wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge (12) during a NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns on November 22, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 22-17.
Wide receiver Marvin Hall (18) during practice on December 17, 2020.
Cornerback Tavierre Thomas (20) before a NFL football game between the Houston Texans and Cleveland Browns on November 15, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 10-7.
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) during a NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns on November 22, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 22-17.
Safety Andrew Sendejo (23) during a NFL Monday Night Football game between the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns on December 14, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 47-42.
Running Back Nick Chubb (24) during a NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns on November 22, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 22-17.
Running Back Kareem Hunt (27) during a NFL Monday Night Football game between the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns on December 14, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 47-42.
Cornerback Kevin Johnson (28) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Cincinatti Bengals on October 25, 2020 at Paul Brown Stadium. The Browns lost won 37-34.
Safety Sheldrick Redwine (29) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers on October 18, 2020 at Heinz Field. The Browns lost 38-7.
Running Back D'Ernest Johnson (30) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys on October 4, 2020 at AT&T Stadium. The Browns won 49 - 38.
Fullback Andy Janovich (31) during a NFL football game between the Indianapolis Colts and Cleveland Browns on October 11, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 32-23.
Cornerback Robert Jackson (34) before a NFL football game between the Las Vegas Raiders and Cleveland Browns on November 1, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 16-6.
Safety Jovante Moffatt (35) before a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars on November 29, 2020 at TIAA Bank Field. The Browns won 27-25.
Cornerback M.J. Stewart Jr. (36) during an NFL football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns on September 17, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 35-30.
Safety Tedric Thompson (37) (Ben Liebenberg via AP)
Cornerback Terrance Mitchell (39) during a NFL Monday Night Football game between the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns on December 14, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 47-42.
Safety Karl Joseph (42) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys on October 4, 2020 at AT&T Stadium. The Browns won 49 - 38.
Linebacker Sione Takitaki (44) during a NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns on November 22, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 22-17.
Long snapper Charley Hughlett (47) during a NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns on November 22, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 22-17.
Linebacker Jacob Phillips (50) before a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars on November 29, 2020 at TIAA Bank Field. The Browns won 27-25.
Linebacker Mack Wilson (51) before a NFL football game between the Houston Texans and Cleveland Browns on November 15, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 10-7.
Linebacker Elijah Lee (52) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars on November 29, 2020 at TIAA Bank Field. The Browns won 27-25.
Center Nick Harris (53) after a NFL football game between the Indianapolis Colts and Cleveland Browns on October 11, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 32-23.
Defensive end Olivier Vernon (54) during a NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns on November 22, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 22-17.
Linebacker Tae Davis (55) during a NFL Monday Night Football game between the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns on December 14, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 47-42.
Linebacker Malcolm Smith (56) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys on October 4, 2020 at AT&T Stadium. The Browns won 49 - 38.
Center JC Tretter (64) during an NFL football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns on September 17, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 35-30.
Defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (65) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars on November 29, 2020 at TIAA Bank Field. The Browns won 27-25.
Offensive tackle Kendall Lamm (70) and Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Tennessee Titans on December 6, 2020 at Nissan Stadium. The Browns won 41 - 35.
Offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. (71) during a NFL Monday Night Football game between the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns on December 14, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 47-42.
Offensive tackle Chris Hubbard (74) before a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Cincinatti Bengals on October 25, 2020 at Paul Brown Stadium. The Browns lost won 37-34.
Offensive guard Joel Bitonio (75) during a NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns on November 22, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 22-17.
Offensive guard Wyatt Teller (77) before a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Tennessee Titans on December 6, 2020 at Nissan Stadium. The Browns won 41 - 35.
Offensive tackle Jack Conklin (78) during a NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns on November 22, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 22-17.
Wide receiver Jarvis Landry (80) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars on November 29, 2020 at TIAA Bank Field. The Browns won 27-25.
Tight end Austin Hooper (81) during a NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns on November 22, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 22-17.
Wide receiver Rashard Higgins (82) during a NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns on November 22, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 22-17.
Tight end David Njoku (85) during a NFL football game between the Las Vegas Raiders and Cleveland Browns on November 1, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 16-6.
Tight end Harrison Bryant (88) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys on October 4, 2020 at AT&T Stadium. The Browns won 49 - 38.
Tight end Stephen Carlson (89) before a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars on November 29, 2020 at TIAA Bank Field. The Browns won 27-25.
Defensive tackle Jordan Elliott (90) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars on November 29, 2020 at TIAA Bank Field. The Browns won 27-25.
Defensive end Joe Jackson (91) before a NFL football game between the Washington Football Team and Cleveland Browns on September 27, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 34-20.
Linebacker B.J. Goodson (93) before a NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns on November 22, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 22-17.
Defensive end Adrian Clayborn (94) during a NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns on November 22, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 22-17.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Houston Texans and Cleveland Browns on November 15, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 10-7.
Defensive tackle Vincent Taylor (96) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys on October 4, 2020 at AT&T Stadium. The Browns won 49 - 38.
Defensive end Porter Gustin (97) during a NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns on November 22, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 22-17.
Defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson (98) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers on October 18, 2020 at Heinz Field. The Browns lost 38-7.
The farm life might be beneficial to Forbes when he returns to Cleveland in late July for training camp. When players return for on-field practices, Forbes will be in a competition with several linemen for a vacant starting job at right guard, and the battle figures to be one of the premier competitions of camp.
Forbes, who played in two games last year after recovering from a knee injury suffered in the final preseason game, is well aware of what it's like to be in a position battle. He competed for backup roles at nearly every offensive line position in his first-ever training camp last season and impressed in the battle for right guard, but the injury made Forbes slide into a backup role when he returned near the end of the season.
Now, Forbes is ready for another run at a starting job. He said he's spent most of his offseason focusing on guard and center positions, but Forbes is arguably the most versatile lineman on the roster — he'll play anywhere.
His new offensive line coach, Bill Callahan, isn't afraid to shift linemen around either. Callahan has built a strong reputation in the NFL for his work in assisting linemen switch positions. His pedigree, which has been built over four decades in football, is among the strongest of any offensive line coach in the league.
Even though he hasn't worked with Callahan on the same field yet, Forbes can already see the benefits of having him as a coach in the instructional technique videos he's sent to the position group.
"It's not, 'You're watching this video because it's something we sent out,'" Forbes said. "It's a video that's going to improve your game, and the amount of technique we've been able to teach — I didn't know it was possible, honestly."
Forbes hopes the videos and offseason training will pay off in training camp. Until then, his brawn will be needed at the family farm, where he will have plenty of tasks to keep his body in shape.
For Forbes, the work is worth it, but it ]comes at a slight cost.
"I need a new pair of cleats so bad," Forbes said. "They're probably covered in cow crap."
