Editor's note: Tony Grossi covers the Cleveland Browns for ESPN 850 WKNR.
More takeaways from Browns pre-OTAs interview sessions …
1. Elder statesman: Kenny Britt won’t turn 29 until Sept. 19, so he won’t even join the exclusive club of over-30 players on the Browns this year. But he is far and away the elder statesman of the receivers’ room. A couple on hand are 25 and most of the others, including the four drafted a year ago, are 22 or 23. “Those guys are talented and those guys are young and they’re keeping me young,” Britt said Monday at the Browns’ charity golf outing at Barrington Golf Club. “I always take from other receivers. I might be the oldest in the room, but I learn from those guys, too. These guys are motivating me and pushing me. I’m trying to hang with them.” Britt said he is happy to be reunited with cornerback Jason McCourty, 29. They were teammates three years at Rutgers and five years with the Tennessee Titans. “I texted him and said it’s good to have my sparring partner back,” Britt said of when McCourty signed with the Browns. Something else has Britt excited about the coming season. “I’ve never been in a locker room this close, to tell you the truth, in my nine years in my career,” he said. “The coaching staff, the people in the facility, the whole city … it seems like everybody’s looking forward to this year.” For the record, the over-30 set is made up of Joe Thomas, 32; John Greco, 32; Britton Colquitt, 32; and Desmond Bryant, 31.
2. Joe, the mentor: Joe Thomas has been a Pro Bowl left tackle in nine consecutive losing seasons (after a 10-6 season his rookie year). One of the things that invigorates him at this stage of his career is the opportunity to mentor younger teammates. He has two proteges this year -- one on offense and one on defense. The offensive protégé is fifth-round offensive tackle Rod Johnson of Florida State, who is projected as his backup. The defensive protégé is No. 1 overall pick Myles Garrett. “I’m excited to do both,” Thomas said. “Obviously, I have a more intimate knowledge about playing tackle. But I do think I have an interesting and valuable perspective for a defensive end that maybe would be different than what a coach would give him, because playing the position so long I know things that would give me trouble, or things I could see in him that would be giving away maybe some of the moves he would make, or just give him some tips on how to improve some of the things he’s trying to do.” Coach Hue Jackson said. “Joe has seen it all. There’s not a type of rusher that he hasn’t seen, so the things I think Joe knows and works against him he’ll be able to advise Myles.”
3. Oh, that: The Browns have received high marks for tending to their offensive line by adding free agent right guard Kevin Zeitler and center J.C. Tretter. But the one position still to be solidified is right tackle. Austin Pasztor, the 2016 starter, was not re-signed, so the candidates to fill it are 2016 third-round pick Shon Coleman, 2015 first-round pick and one-time starting center Cam Erving, and 2016 sixth-round pick Spencer Drango, with Johnson a dark-horse. Asked to handicap that competition, Thomas said, “Good question. I think Shon Colemn’s probably the guy out there they’re expecting to start. He’s got all the ability to do it but there’s just a matter of going out and proving that he can because he hasn’t had a lot of NFL action yet, and there is a difference in showing it in practice and showing it in the games. But I think he’s definitely the favorite.” Coleman, who beat leukemia at Auburn, played sparingly as a rookie because of offseason knee surgery. He played the last 22 snaps in the 16th game in Pittsburgh at right tackle, raising hopes of a breakout second season.
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