Austin Corbett's rookie season was an unfamiliar experience for a variety of reasons.
He was in a new city with a new team and entirely new surroundings. Most importantly, he was on the bench.
Corbett started just once while appearing in 11 games in a reserve role in 2018, his first campaign in the NFL. He was selected by a team that already had its guard positions solidified and was only offering room for promotion at tackle. His first training camp revealed he'd likely be a guard in the NFL, not a tackle, which wasn't exactly a surprise.
Check out photos from the third day of OTA practices
Cornerback Robert Jackson (34)
Linebacker Dedrick Young II (59)
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6)
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6)
Offensive guard Joel Bitonio (75)
Defensive end Chris Smith (50)
Tight end Demetrius Harris (88)
Kicker Austin Seibert (2)
Running Back Kareem Hunt (27)
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) and Head Coach Freddie Kitchens
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6)
Running Back Dontrell Hilliard (25)
Tight end Demetrius Harris (88)
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) and Running Back Nick Chubb (24)
Running Back Kareem Hunt (27)
Running Back Nick Chubb (24)
Running Back Kareem Hunt (27)
Tight end Stephen Carlson (89)
Tight end Orson Charles (82)
Wide receiver Damion Ratley (18)
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6)
Wide receiver Antonio Callaway (11)
Cornerback Phillip Gaines (28)
Defensive end Olivier Vernon (54)
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95)
Defensive tackle Devaroe Lawrence (99)
Defensive end Chris Smith (50)
Wide receiver Antonio Callaway (11)
Kicker Austin Seibert (2)
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6)
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21)
Wide receiver Antonio Callaway (11)
Wide receiver D.J. Montgomery (83) and Cornerback Phillip Gaines (28)
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6)
Linebacker Joe Schobert (53)
Wide receiver Blake Jackson (12) and Wide receiver Antonio Callaway (11)
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21)
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21)
Tight end David Njoku (85)
Cornerback Greedy Williams (26)
Punter Jamie Gillan (7)
Linebacker Ray-Ray Armstrong (52)
Offensive tackle Brian Fineanganofo (67)
Offensive guard Joel Bitonio (75)
Cornerback Terrance Mitchell (39)
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6)
Center Kyle Kalis (68)
Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken
Defensive end Olivier Vernon (54)
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6)
`Defensive end Myles Garrett (95)
Tight end David Njoku (85)
Cornerback Greedy Williams (26) and Wide receiver Derrick Wellies (84)
Safety Morgan Burnett (42) and Safety Eric Murray (22)
He was left in a logjam, though, and learned new lessons about adversity. He also built up quite an appetite for opportunity, should it arise.
Arise it did in March, when starting right guard Kevin Zeitler was traded to the New York Giants.
Corbett has since said all the right things about the open right guard spot, emphasizing that it won't be handed to him. But as Week 2 of OTAs begins, Corbett revealed the efforts being made to acclimate to what he rightfully believes can be his place for many years to come.
Check out photos from the second day of OTA practices
Defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (65)
Wide receiver Blake Jackson (12)
Offensive tackle Greg Robinson (78)
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6)
Linebacker Christian Kirksey (58)
Defensive Coordinator Steve Wilks
Cornerback Terrance Mitchell (39)
Cornerback T.J. Carrie (38)
Defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (65)
Cornerback Lenzy Pipkins (41) and Cornerback Terrance Mitchell (39)
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6)
Safety Sheldrick Redwine (33)
Cornerback Tavierre Thomas (20)
Running Back Dontrell Hilliard (25)
Offensive Lineman
Defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson (98), Defensive end Chris Smith (50) and Defensive tackle Trevon Coley (93)
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95)
Safety J.T. Hassell (49)
Linebacker Christian Kirksey (58)
Linebacker Sione Takitaki (44)
Safety J.T. Hassell (49)
Safety Morgan Burnett (42)
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21)
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6)
Wide receiver D.J. Montgomery (83) and Cornerback Robert Jackson (34)
Cornerback Tavierre Thomas (20) and Wide Receiver Damon Sheehy-Guiseppi (15)
Wide receiver Derrick Wellies (84)
Cornerback Terrance Mitchell (39)
General Manager John Dorsey
Kicker Greg Joseph (17)
Kicker Austin Seibert (2)
Punter Jamie Gillan (7)
Offensive guard Joel Bitonio (75)
Guard Austin Cobert (63)
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6)
Tight end Demetrius Harris (88)
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6)
Safety Sheldrick Redwine (33)
Quarterback David Blough (9)
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6)
Linebacker Sione Takitaki (44)
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6)
Cornerback Greedy Williams (26)
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) and Cornerback T.J. Carrie (38)
Tight end David Njoku (85)
Quarterback David Blough (9)
Head Coach Freddie Kitchens and Running Back Kareem Hunt (27)
Special Teams Coordinator Mike Priefer
Wide Receiver Damon Sheehy-Guiseppi (15)
Running Back Nick Chubb (24)
Running Back Kareem Hunt (27)
Center JC Tretter (64)
Offensive tackle Greg Robinson (78)
"Being able to go into OTAs and just know I'm working at right guard," Corbett explained Monday at the Cleveland Browns Foundation golf outing, "being able to focus in my stance and put weight in my stance where it needs to be, how to move, and just being able to get comfortable in a right-handed stance, having played the left side my whole life, just knowing that and having that confidence I know just to study the right guard position and watch other players around the league ... just being able to focus on the right guard, it's been huge in the short time that I've been back so far."
Corbett spent his first training camp getting reps at a variety of positions, even including center. It was a bit of a feeling-out process for both he and the Browns' coaching staff, which afforded him less opportunity for consistency in one place. This time around, with the trade of Zeitler, those in charge are clear in indicating where they see Corbett.
That confidence -- that the team would trade a reliable starting guard because it feels it has a worthy understudy -- is a bit of a boost for the second-year lineman from Nevada.
"Their belief in me does mean a lot," Corbett said. "They are entrusting me and opening this spot up for me and now I have to go and show and prove them right that this is why they drafted me. I've got to go make it happen. It's all on me, there's no one else. If I don't get the starting job, it's my fault that I didn't do well. And if I do, that means I'm stepping up and I've got to keep showing them that."
While it is a mild gamble, Dorsey didn't push all of his chips into the center of the table when he shipped out Zeitler in a deal that landed the Browns Olivier Vernon and Odell Beckham Jr. The Browns GM also went out and signed a handful of quality linemen for depth: center/guard Eric Kush, guard Bryan Witzmann, and tackle Kendall Lamm.
No matter who ends up at right guard or elsewhere, though, the objective remains the same, because as Corbett said Monday, this team has a lot of potential with the talent Dorsey has assembled. It's just up to the starting five up front to help them make things happen.
"It's up to us for them to make those plays," Corbett said. "We've got to give them time, and if we give them half a second more than they need, something cool is gonna happen. Those guys, those are phenomenal football players."
