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Need to Know: Hue Jackson set to make 'best decision' at QB for preseason opener

Day 10 of training camp is in the books. Here's what you need to know.

— Hue Jackson said he'll watch film from Saturday's mock game and Friday's Orange & Brown Scrimmage and evaluate the rotation of his quarterbacks ahead of the Browns' preseason opener next week.

Jackson said he'll work in collaboration with Cleveland's executive leadership team — including executive vice president of football operations Sashi Brown and chief strategy officer Paul DePodesta — and "really sit down and make what I think is the best decision for our football team for Thursday night" against the Saints.

Jackson also continued to stress Thursday's starter might not be who starts against the season opener against the Steelers on Sept. 10.  "If it is, it is. If it isn't, then it isn't too," he said. "My job is to make sure I put the guy out there who gives us the best chance to score points and help this team win. That's what I'm going to do."

— Speaking of the Orange & Brown Scrimmage, Jackson said the first-team defense impressed him while describing the Browns offense as "really spotty."

"We can run the ball, I know that," Jackson said, alluding to a fortified offensive line and running backs Isaiah Crowell, Duke Johnson Jr., and rookie Matthew Dayes.

"We need to throw the ball better. Throw the ball better and throw the ball with more urgency, throw the ball in better spots, but we have to get open too. It's a combination of both. I thought there was some good things in the passing game, there was some things we missed, some things to work on. Again, we're not supposed to be perfect yet. We are just fine-tuning some things, but I saw some opportunities there that we missed, so we have to keep going that way."

The Browns practice Saturday after the Orange & Brown Scrimmage.

— After an 0-4 showing in last year's preseason, Jackson made it abundantly clear he doesn't want that to happen again. "I don't want to feel like that. I don't think this team deserves that," he said. "We need to go out and play good in front of our fans and go win. I don't care what we're playing. I just think that has got to be our mindset. I think the mindset is different than what it is. We are going to play. We need to go win. Everybody, like you said says that, but I mean it. We need to go win." The Browns host the Saints on Thursday and the Giants on Aug. 21.

— On Friday night, Dayes continued what's been a strong training camp showing, playing big roles in both the run and pass games. "There's some stuff I need to clean up, but for the most part, I'm making plays out there," he said. "I know I am capable of making those plays so it is not a shock to me at all." 

Dayes, the second-to-last pick in the Draft, said he's still motivated by that experience.  "Every day when I wake up, I think about that. I thought that I was going to go in the third or fourth (round) and ended up going in the seventh round," he said. "I'm thankful right now because I'm with a great organization. I'm blessed and I'm happy with how everything has gone so far for me."

— Before an ankle injury sidelined him for the remainder of last season, second-year safety Derrick Kindred started five of 12 games and amassed 46 tackles in the process. Now entering Year 2, he said he's ready to take on that role again under new coordinator Gregg Williams.  "I definitely feel like I'm ready to be a starter," he said. "That's what I come out here and work for every day in the film room, with the team and the guys. We brought in a lot of talent at safety. A lot of players want to be out there."

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