For Greg Newsome II, his second NFL training camp might've felt even longer than his first.

Newsome didn't play at all in the preseason and returned to practice last week after he was sidelined with a hamstring injury. He didn't play in any games largely because of the injury, but also because the Browns want him to be as rested and healthy as possible for his second NFL season. 

Now, he's back, fully healthy and starved for the action he'll receive in 11 days for Week 1 in Charlotte.

"(I'm) just trying to stay locked in while my guys are out there going," he said. "Now, I feel great. The trainers have done a great job. I will be ready to go Week 1."

A 2021 first-round pick, Newsome's role in Year 2 will be even bigger than his rookie season. He's expected to play both slot and outside positions and will be an every-down player expected to lock down the top receivers every week. It's a strong bet that he'll improve from his production last season when he tallied nine pass breakups and looked strong against the likes of Ja'Marr Chase, Chase Claypool and others. 

Last season, Newsome's first challenge was against a star-studded Chiefs offense. The entire defense took their lumps in a tough 33-29 loss, but Newsome showed growth throughout the rest of the season and feels he'll be able to help the group start off on a much stronger note this season against Baker Mayfield and the Panthers.

"I feel a lot more confident just going into this Week 1 versus last year," he said. "I was confident, but just being a rookie, you don't know what to expect for your first actual real game. Going against Kansas City last year as a rookie, that was a big challenge for us. Going into this year, I'm just a lot more confident just because I have a bunch of games under my belt now."

Browns claim Mond

The Browns added a third QB to their 53-man roster Wednesday by claiming 2021 third-round pick Kellen Mond off waivers. A Texas A&M product, Mond was drafted by the Vikings and appeared in one game last season during Week 17 and completed two of three passes for five yards.

Head coach Kevin Stefanski said Mond was one of the prospects the Browns evaluated before the 2021 draft and is considered a "developmental player."

"I would hope for all of our guys that they have a long-term future," Stefanski said. "That is the idea behind the roster. We will get him in here tonight, I will shake his hand tomorrow and start teaching him the offense."

Winovich returns

DE Chase Winovich returned to practice Wednesday after missing the last three weeks with a hamstring injury.

A fourth-year veteran acquired from New England in March, Winovich is one of five defensive ends the Browns have after they set their initial 53-man roster Tuesday and could carry a sizable role in the rotation Week 1 if he's able to work back to full-strength.

"Good to have Chase out there," Stefanski said. "He's been battling that injury for a couple weeks here. It's good to just progress him out here in some individual and team periods, special teams and all that."

Moore switches to defense

One of the more notable points from the Browns' roster moves Wednesday was David Moore, who had previously played guard in first NFL season in 2021, switching over to defensive tackle.

Moore was one of 12 players the Browns signed to the practice squad, and the switch stemmed from the work Moore did last season on the Browns' scout team. Even though he was a guard at the time, the Browns had him line up as a defensive tackle on the scout-team defense against their starting offense. Moore apparently gave the offensive linemen a tough time on some plays, which is why the Browns wanted to move him over to the defense.

"That's something we've been talking about for a while," Stefanski said. "He was really strong and difficult for our guys to block. At this point, it made sense to see what he has over there. He's excited about it, and I'm excited about it for him. It's versatility, really, is what it is. He can line up and give us a scout team look when our No. 1 offense is out there, and when our defense is out there, he can kick over to the offense and give you reps as well."