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' initial 53 man roster on August 31, 2021
Kicker Chase McLaughlin (3) during a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Atlanta Falcons on August 29, 2021 at Mercedes Benz Stadium. The Browns won 19-10.
Linebacker Anthony Walker (4) during a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Atlanta Falcons on August 29, 2021 at Mercedes Benz Stadium. The Browns won 19-10.
Quarterback Case Keenum (5) during a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars on August 14, 2021 at TIAA Bank Field. The Browns won 23-13.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) during a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Atlanta Falcons on August 29, 2021 at Mercedes Benz Stadium. The Browns won 19-10.
Punter Jamie Gillan (7) during a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Atlanta Falcons on August 29, 2021 at Mercedes Benz Stadium. The Browns won 19-10.
Wide receiver Anthony Schwartz (10) during a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Atlanta Falcons on August 29, 2021 at Mercedes Benz Stadium. The Browns won 19-10.
Wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones (11) during a preseason NFL football game between the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns on August 22, 2021 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 17-13.
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13) 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.
Cornerback Greg Newsome II (20) during a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars on August 14, 2021 at TIAA Bank Field. The Browns won 23-13.
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 Grant Delpit (22) before a preseason NFL football game between the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns on August 22, 2021 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 17-13.
Cornerback Troy Hill (23) during a preseason NFL football game between the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns on August 22, 2021 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 17-13.
Running back Nick Chubb (24) before a preseason NFL football game between the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns on August 22, 2021 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 17-13.
Running back Demetric Felton (25) during a preseason NFL football game between the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns on August 22, 2021 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 17-13.
Cornerback Greedy Williams (26) during a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars on August 14, 2021 at TIAA Bank Field. The Browns won 23-13.
Running Back Kareem Hunt (27) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants on December 20, 2020 on Sunday Night Football at MetLife Stadium. The Browns won 20-6.
Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (28) during a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars on August 14, 2021 at TIAA Bank Field. The Browns won 23-13.
Running Back D'Ernest Johnson (30) before a NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns on November 22, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 22-17.
Fullback Andy Janovich (31) before a preseason NFL football game between the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns on August 22, 2021 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 17-13.
Safety Ronnie Harrison (33) before a preseason NFL football game between the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns on August 22, 2021 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 17-13.
Cornerback M.J. Stewart Jr. (36) during a NFL football game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns on January 3, 2021 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 24 -22.
Cornerback A.J. Green (38) during a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Atlanta Falcons on August 29, 2021 at Mercedes Benz Stadium. The Browns won 19-10.
Safety Richard LeCounte III (39) after a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars on August 14, 2021 at TIAA Bank Field. The Browns won 23-13.
Linebacker Tony Fields II (42) during practice on August 27, 2021.
Safety John Johnson III (43) during a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Atlanta Falcons on August 29, 2021 at Mercedes Benz Stadium. The Browns won 19-10.
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 preseason NFL football game between the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns on August 22, 2021 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 17-13.
Linebacker Jacob Phillips (50) during a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars on August 14, 2021 at TIAA Bank Field. The Browns won 23-13.
Linebacker Mack Wilson (51) during a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Atlanta Falcons on August 29, 2021 at Mercedes Benz Stadium. The Browns won 19-10.
Center Nick Harris (53) during a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars on August 14, 2021 at TIAA Bank Field. The Browns won 23-13.
Defensive end Takkarist McKinley (55) before a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Atlanta Falcons on August 29, 2021 at Mercedes Benz Stadium. The Browns won 19-10.
Linebacker Malcolm Smith (56) during a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars on August 14, 2021 at TIAA Bank Field. The Browns won 23-13.
Defensive tackle Malik McDowell (58) during the eighth day of training camp on August 6, 2021.
Blake Hance during a NFL wild-card playoff football game between the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers on January 10, 2021 at Heinz Field. The Browns won 48-37.
Center JC Tretter (64) 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 tackle James Hudson III (66) during a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars on August 14, 2021 at TIAA Bank Field. The Browns won 23-13.
Offensive tackle Michael Dunn (68) during a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars on August 14, 2021 at TIAA Bank Field. The Browns won 23-13.
Offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. (71) 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 tackle Chris Hubbard (74) before a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals on October 25, 2020 at Paul Brown Stadium. The Browns won 37-34.
Offensive guard Joel Bitonio (75) 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.
Offensive guard Wyatt Teller (77) 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.
Offensive tackle Jack Conklin (78) during a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Atlanta Falcons on August 29, 2021 at Mercedes Benz Stadium. The Browns won 19-10.
Wide receiver Jarvis Landry (80) during a NFL wild-card playoff football game between the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers on January 10, 2021 at Heinz Field. The Browns won 48-37.
Tight end Austin Hooper (81) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants on December 20, 2020 on Sunday Night Football at MetLife Stadium. The Browns won 20-6.
Wide receiver Rashard Higgins (82) before a NFL football game between the Houston Texans and Cleveland Browns on November 15, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 10-7.
Tight end David Njoku (85) before a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Atlanta Falcons on August 29, 2021 at Mercedes Benz Stadium. The Browns won 19-10.
Tight end Harrison Bryant (88) 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 Jadeveon Clowney (90) before a preseason NFL football game between the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns on August 22, 2021 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 17-13.
Defensive tackle Tommy Togiai (93) during a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Atlanta Falcons on August 29, 2021 at Mercedes Benz Stadium. The Browns won 19-10.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) before a preseason NFL football game between the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns on August 22, 2021 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 17-13.
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 tackle Malik Jackson (97) during a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Atlanta Falcons on August 29, 2021 at Mercedes Benz Stadium. The Browns won 19-10.
Defensive tackle Andrew Billings (99) during a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars on August 14, 2021 at TIAA Bank Field. The Browns won 23-13.
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."
