The Cleveland Browns 2019 minicamp wraps up early today, but the first two days of camp painted a clear picture for what this team’s plans will be come training camp and into the season.

Practice was scheduled to be outside, but inclement weather in Northeast Ohio shuffled everyone inside. If you’ve never been in the field house at Browns headquarters in Berea, let me tell you: it’s small.

About 60 yards in total length for practice and the media gets stuffed into a small corner for insights. Needless to say, being outside is best for getting a feel for all angles on practice. The outdoor facility has three full-length fields and position groups get spread out working on their craft, and those of us covering can get intimate looks. Inside is a disadvantage to cover, but we push forward. Fighting that good fight to bring you the best we can in terms of insights for an exciting team.

Let’s cover the biggest takeaways as per my evaluation of the first two days.

Offense

1. Baker Mayfield is clearly in control of this team and its pulse. He’s the unquestioned leader and it was mentioned by several players on both sides of the ball. Mayfield couldn’t fill this role as a rookie for multiple reasons, but he’s truly in his comfort zone in 2019 being the face of the franchise.

2. However, Mayfield didn’t seem his usual self as he struggled with his typically dynamic accuracy and ball-placement, as the second-year quarterback seemed slow in processing.

This time of year is all about figuring out the new offense, pushing/testing limits and gelling with wide receivers. His issues mean nothing right now, but I would imagine Mayfield wants to be better during these sessions. I imagine he will be as he gets more time in this offense.

3. The running back depth chart is loaded — needless to say. Occasionally, reps for the likes of Duke Johnson and Kareem Hunt come with the third team out of necessity. Nick Chubb looks like an even bulkier and quicker version of the rookie who took the NFL by storm starting Week 7.

How they balance all of this backfield talent will be fascinating.

4. The wide receiver group is tough to pin down. It’s a constant shuffle of bodies in and out of positions. The one constant with the first group is Rashard Higgins and he’s lining up at Z and inside in the slot. Odell Beckham Jr. ran more first-team reps as he seemed more comfortable in the playbook Wednesday. Antonio Callaway was basically only backing up Beckham Jr. at X, but I expect the second-year wideout to get reps at Z as well. Letting him learn X alone and mastering that position will help his knowledge base. Then go from there.

5. Ishmael Hyman out of James Madison has impressed immensely, and he consistently ran with the first-team the first two days. He is comfortable in the offense and can really run when he’s in open space. His speed has caught Browns defensive backs off guard several times. Hyman has a realistic shot at the fifth or sixth wide receiver spot on the 53-man roster, especially if second-year receivers Damion Ratley and Derrick Willies miss extended time.

6. Beckham Jr. finally made his way to greet the media after practice. His ability to answer tough questions with poise, candor and authenticity blew the group away. He really valued the few football questions he received and it was a welcome break from the tough personal items so many want to pry into.

He has an infectious nature about him and you can see why teammates love the guy. He’s truly a thermostat leader who raises the temperature around him.

7. David Njoku looks like an even better physical version of the first two years in Cleveland and he’s looked smooth in both route running and catch focus — two areas he must continue to improve.

During tight end blocking and mechanics work, he seemed like he was taking a leadership role and really welcoming the challenge of becoming that elite every down tight end.

Demetrius Harris and Seth DeValve have also practiced well and form a nice secondary duo behind Njoku.

8. The right guard shuffle continued on Wednesday. Austin Corbett took all the first-team reps on Tuesday, but keeping consistent with the media availability from OTAs, the rotation moved again. Eric Kush played the entire practice in the spot, and Corbett worked as the second-team center. It continues the line of thinking that, at the minimum, the Browns are uncertain that Corbett can win the job. The position is truly up for the taking.

9. New offensive line coach James Campen is a much bigger stickler for technique than previous line coach Bob Wylie, and the group is practicing the nuances hard. Especially hand fighting and hand placement because Campen believes firmly in its ability to help his guys win those brutal initial contact challenges. It appears both tackles Greg Robinson and Chris Hubbard are applying them well. Although their daily matchups against Olivier Vernon and Myles Garrett remain brutal.

10. The backup quarterback position seems wide open. Drew Stanton takes a good majority of the two reps while Garrett Gilbert gets the occasional run. David Blough, the rookie from Purdue, gets most of the three reps and Garrett gets some work there as well. Stanton’s arm appears much more live this year than last, and he has a firm grasp on the offense. Gilbert has better physical traits and the Browns probably want him to seize that role. Stanton won’t make it easy, though.

Defense

11. The Browns success on defense will begin and end with how the linebacker group plays.

Joe Schobert and Christian Kirksey are the main two who play inside, as defensive coordinator Steve Wilks loves the 4-2-5 base. He wants to use his defensive back versatility. Schobert should be able to get away from the brutal deep middle responsibilities Gregg Williams asked of him last year, it should only help his run/pass reads. Schobert remains focused on improving his missed tackle number.

Kirksey seems fully healthy and determined to prove his value can be what it was when he signed long-term all those years ago. And in an important year to fulfilling his current contract, he has to put together some quality film (Kirksey’s dead cap decreases significantly from near $10 million in 2019 to $2.5 million in 2020, so if the the Browns don’t like his 2019, moving on is quite easy). If the linebackers play well in 2019, this group has a shot to be a Top 10 overall defense.

12. Wilks and linebackers coach Al Holcomb seem stern in keeping the rookies—Sione Takitaki and Mack Wilson—in the same unit working together. Veterans Adarius Taylor and Ray-Ray Armstrong play together in rotations, and Taylor runs with the first-team as the SAM when Wilks wants three linebackers.

The Browns see those two young players, Takitaki and Wilson, as future contributors, and with both Schobert and Kirksey in contract years, the development might need to be quick. Takitaki plays with electric speed and flies all over the field, while Wilson has been better than expected with play deciphering and his run fits.

How those two perform against first-team oppositions remains to be seen, but the reps have been encouraging. Keep an eye on UDFA Willie Harvey out of Iowa State as well. He might be a practice squad player, but he's a cerebral linebacker who always seems in the right spot.

13. Genard Avery has seen all of his work come as an EDGE with no time spent at linebacker. He seems to have made the full conversion and Wilks uses him in sub packages bumping Garrett inside and letting Avery work the edge. A place where he was one of the most productive in the NFL as a rookie.

14. Chris Smith, Chad Thomas and Anthony Zettel all rotate in with the second-team at EDGE and it’s likely one of those three don’t make the roster. This battle will be on-going but it seems as though Zettel is the odd man out currently. That can change quickly, though.

15. The safety group is led by Damarious Randall and it’s abundantly clear. He’s everywhere, and at all times. He’s the Swiss Army knife Wilks loves. Randall gave some insights on how his role might change under Wilks.

How things will shake out with Randall’s long-term contract in Cleveland remain a mystery. The safety market blew up, and talks stalled. It’s clear Randall wants to be here long-term, he said it himself, but with so many big names to sign coming soon, will Randall’s deal make sense? It’s unclear. Enjoy him while you can.

16. Jermaine Whitehead continues to get a majority of the first-team reps bumping from slot to deep safety when the personnel calls for it. TJ Carrie plays his share of nickel corner while still working outside in “Big Nickel” sets that requires three safeties on the field.

Eric Murray bounces between the second and first units and Morgan Burnett will return soon from a lower body injury to fight for that strong safety role as well. A perceived weakness headed into the year seems one of the Browns best depth positions. Sheldrick Redwine had an interception Wednesday against the third group and his instincts play well back there. His development will be key in his rookie year.

17. Greedy Williams had a phenomenal day. Since the second week of OTAs, he has been the starting corner and that likely won’t change. Terrance Mitchell works in dime sets (four corners) and backs up outside. Williams' instincts and range look more comfortable with each passing practice, and that is in both man and zone requirements.

18. The Denzel Ward against Beckham Jr. matchup is just must-watch stuff. Beckham Jr. commented on loving the matchup post-practice and the two Uber-athletic skill players showed a preview of what will be some fun one-on-one drills and situations that will arise over the coming months. They will certainly make each other better.

19. Garrett and Vernon rotate side to side often, but Wilks prefers one or the other standing in a two-point stance. It happens play-by-play. Both have seemed comfortable on either side. I do expect Garrett to get a majority of the right side rushes, though. The blindside has always been his best spot, and his foreseeable future here means he gets that opportunity more often than not.

20. The defense as a whole has been winning practices so far. Wilks has to be pleased with the energy and effort daily. They’re creating turnovers and flying around. The offense has a good amount of catching up to do, and I expect they’ll get there once the pads come on. But the defense’s overall progression at this point is quite encouraging.

Random Notes

21. The kicker battle has been dead even thus far, but Wednesday saw some separation as Greg Joseph went 4-for-4 with two makes from 52 and 57 yards with plenty of leg. Austin Seibert made his first kick from 35, but missed his final three targets. This battle is likely won in preseason games, but when every kick counts, Wednesday was important.

22. Jamie Gillan, the rookie left footed punter deemed the “Scottish Hammer” can really punt the football. I’m not sure he unseats Britton Colquitt, but there is some pressure there.

23. The kick return game is being attacked by last year’s return man Dontrell Hilliard (who has been impressive in all phases), Duke Johnson and Damon Sheehy. Punt return duties seem led by Antonio Callaway and then Sheehy and Hilliard. My money is on Hilliard returning kicks and Callaway on punts. However, Sheehy is an impressive athlete and he will get plenty of preseason chances. If he proves serious value there he has a shot. But it’s a really long shot.

24. Special teams as a whole have been the major emphasis Kitchens told the media it would be. Mike Priefer has been impressive in his tempo and teaching. This will be a much improved unit in 2019, and the Browns used a deep draft to target players who can contribute there immediately while they learn their roles on both sides of the ball. It simply can’t get worse than what 2018 put on the field.

25. Desmond Harrison’s release was no surprise to those in the building yesterday, and stories of his late arrivals to meetings and poor practice habits became the loud chatter that had been quiet in the past few months. Harrison is talented, but the risk in opportunity wasn’t worth the squeeze and his missed flight sealed his fate. The Browns will rely on swing tackle Kendall Lamm to be the third player there and Drew Forbes, the rookie from SE Missouri, keeps getting work at tackle as well as guard. Harrison was a fringe 53-man roster player as it sat today, and his inactive status for the second half of 2018 was an indication of what was coming if he didn’t earn his keep come 2019. He didn’t keep his end of the bargain.

Twitter Questions

Q: Anything you notice about how Freddie, Wilks or Priefer handle practices and/or communication with each other?

A: They constantly chat about the progress daily on the field. Monken and Kitchens are typically chatting in between sessions and drills. Same with Holcomb and Wilks. The two coaching leaders on each side have great respect for each other. The Yin and Yang balance of Kitchens and Monken’s style is a fun thing to watch.

Q: Outside of 11, what personnel groupings do you foresee Monkens/Kitchens using? Merge of the 10 and 13 concepts utilized by TB and CLE in ‘18?

A: I expect then use plenty of 10 empty with one back and occasionally two — with Duke. Those athletes on the field spreading defenses makes plenty of sense. Same for 12 personnel with two tight ends. Harris brings fun versatility both inline and in the slot. He’s a big matchup and moves well for his size. If you watch Kansas City film, he’s used all over the field and I think the same will happen here.

I would rank them: 11, 12, 10, 13, 21 as far as frequency guesses.

Q: What do you think of the odds Cleveland trades with the Redskins for Trent Williams?

A: Low. I don’t think Cleveland would have any issue making a deal for Williams but I don’t envision Washington letting a potential hall of fame tackle walk for pennies on the dollar. Williams is one of the premier tackles in the league and Washington will likely work it out. If he actually is serious about getting moved and Washington looks around, I would expect draft compensation to be the major draw. Not the likes of Duke Johnson.

Q: What’s the main difference between what you see in the offense now vs last year. I know it is small sample size, but are we seeing less or more of certain personnel groups?

A: I think one massive thing that stands out to me is how often Monken and Kitchens reduce the wide receiver splits and bunch them tight together. They want to create as many angles as possible for the wideouts and I’m a big believer in the advantages of reduced receiver splits as it puts inside/outside pressure on coverage defenders. Also, a ton of zone work in run game blocking and less gap schemes (power/counter).

Q: Do you see Wilks relying more on his front 4 or still being aggressive blitz wise?

A: The pressures are still coming and I think he will be the same DC in 2019. They love using simulated pressures with walked down defenders and stems pre-snap to dictate protection and blitz from unexpected angles. The defense has been very aggressive in minicamp. That tendency will carry over.