BEREA, Ohio — The Cleveland Browns’ first practice of training camp went over the projected end time by nearly a half-hour, but to first-year coach Freddie Kitchens, there was nothing long about the on-field portion of the day at team headquarters.
To Kitchens, the Browns will on the field for as long as necessary to ensure the work put in is productive.
“We are going to go until we get it right, so however long that is,” Kitchens said, flatly, after Thursday’s practice. “That is the beauty between fall camp and those league-mandated things in the spring. We can go until we get it right.”
Kitchens felt the effort was great on the first day of practice, but the productivity was inconsistent, as on one play, the quarterback would hit the receiver in stride 40 yards down the field, and then, be off the mark with a short throw.
A solid day’s work on the field is not a requirement. It is the baseline standard for every practice.
“We should never have a question of effort,” Kitchens said. “In the National Football League, you can’t practice but one day a week with pads on when you get into the season. That tells me you have to learn how to practice without pads on because you still have to get better on the days you are practicing without the pads on.
“Our effort is going to be there. Our attention to detail needs to be better in all.”
While there is a certain leadership expectation placed on second-year quarterback Baker Mayfield, Kitchens wants everybody to step up and lead, be it by example by working hard on the field and in the classroom or vocally when something is not quite right.
“We talk about holding each other accountable,” Kitchens said. “I think he is doing his role in holding guys accountable that he is associated with from the standpoint of who impacts his game and who impacts the offense.
“We can do a good job of holding each other accountable, offensively and defensively, and that is part of learning how to practice. We have to hold them accountable to how we practice here at the Cleveland Browns.”
By holding each other accountable every day, Kitchens is confident such focus can help the Browns shut out the outside noise of lofty expectations placed on the team by fans and media members alike and get done what is necessary to find success in the regular season.
“The people in the building and in the locker room are going to determine whether we have a successful season or a not successful season,” Kitchens said.
“Hopefully, we are buying into that mantra. I think we are, and we will see. I just want them to not be afraid to be their best. Whatever that best is, we are going to see where we will end up. I do not know where we will end up, I can’t tell you we are good enough to do anything, but I want them to be there best, let us find out and not let anyone else have an impact on that.”
