The Browns showed Tuesday they are ready to see a different team on the other side of the field.
Tempers flared under the hot sun as three skirmishes— including a dustup between starters Jarvis Landry and Terrance Mitchell — dotted Tuesday's testy practice.
This is, after all, to be expected as the Browns find themselves nearing the end of training camp. Head coach Hue Jackson knows these kinds of things of happen — even if he'd rather his players take out their frustrations between the white lines.
"This is football. We've been practicing, we've been going after it," he said. "It's not something that we want. It's going to happen. We're men. Things are going to happen that way. The guys know, as long as we do not start swinging with our fists and we let it go, we can move on from it."
— Landry and Mitchell's skirmish followed one between safety Briean Boddy-Calhoun and linebacker Brady Sheldon and another involving receiver Jeff Janis and defensive back Jeremiah McKinnon. But just like Monday's flare-up between coordinators Todd Haley and Gregg Williams, cooler heads prevailed and practiced hummed along.
"I think that this is the time of year that it happens. I think that our guys know that there is a line that we aren't going to cross," Jackson said.
"They're going to grab and pull and scream and yell, but we're not going to swing on anybody. We will go from there."
— Outside of those fights, there wasn't anything unusual about Tuesday's session. It was another ho-hum day under the hot August sun as the Browns prepare for Friday's preseason home opener against the Bills. Quarterback Tyrod Taylor and the first-team offense seemed to get the best of the defense during a goal-line drill, which included Taylor scoring on a keeper. It underscored the positive impact the veteran has had on Cleveland's locker room thus far.
"He's been everything that I think he should be when he walks in and more. The guy is a tremendous leader, tremendous worker and he is trying to do everything the right way," Jackson said. "That is a great example for a young player to follow."
— Speaking of a young player, rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield tossed a rare interception during team drills. While the former Oklahoma star and first-overall NFL Draft pick hasn't had too many mishaps like that, Jackson stressed the youngster continues to grow each day. Mayfield passed for 212 yards and two touchdowns in Thursday's preseason opener against the Giants. Jackson added he hopes Mayfield sees similar playing time Friday. "You just don't know how things are going to unfold," he said. "I hope he does."
— County music star Brad Paisley attended practice, meeting with Jackson, general manager John Dorsey and other members of Cleveland's executive leadership team. At the end of the session, he broke down the team's huddle. Paisley, who grew up in West Virginia, is a lifelong Browns fan.
