Tramon Williams echoed a popular sentiment these days, saying last week that first-year Browns coach Hue Jackson has stirred a new energy and excitement in and around Berea.
"If you can get and breed confidence into a group of guys that have the ability, that says a lot," Williams said last Tuesday during Cleveland's mandatory veteran minicamp.
It's why the veteran cornerback and former Pro Bowler said he's been encouraged by progress made during the team's offseason as players and coaches break for the summer before reuniting for training camp in late July.
"A lot of coaching staffs and coaches, some guys just don't know how to get the best out of their players. And the way Hue has come in here, been positive, he acknowledges everybody on the team from the last guy to the best guy on the team," said Williams, who enters his second season with the Browns. "He's going to give everybody compliments and he does it in an individual fashion that you won't see around this league. So I really commend what's he's come in here and done so far."
Williams, who is expected to anchor a relatively young defensive secondary, said he's also looking forward to his role in Ray Horton's 3-4 defense, a scheme he learned during his seven seasons with the Packers.
"It's the same exact defense that I played in when I was in Green Bay," said Williams, who won a Super Bowl with the team in 2010.
The Browns took to the field to finish the three-day veterans' minicamp.
To be sure, Cleveland's defense remains a work in progress. And the secondary — a room of 19 members ranging from Pro Bowl cornerback Joe Haden and former first-round draft pick Justin Gilbert to seasoned newcomers like Rahim Moore and Jamar Taylor and rookies like Trey Caldwell and Derrick Kindred — is brimming with the youth.
"I think we have some young guys in, young, hungry guys who have done a good job this whole all offseason who have come in, putting in the work, learning the defense and doing an excellent job just leading the group," Williams said.
"It's going to be some young guys who are going to have to step up for us. Those guys are doing an excellent job of leading so far."
After Cleveland's disappointing campaign in 2015, Williams added he thinks the Browns have a "fresh start now, and hopefully, like you said, we can come out and have a better year this year."
And with Jackson and the new coaching staff at the helm, Williams said he likes Cleveland's direction.
"(Hue is) making sure the foundation of this organization is in tip-top shape. And if you can get the foundation in tip-top shape, there's going to be some good years ahead of us," Williams said.
"I'm really excited about that and the energy coach Jackson has put into this organization. I'm all in — just like everybody in this city of Cleveland is all in — I'm all in."
