This morning, new Cleveland Browns coach Hue Jackson made himself available for a press conference at the NFL Combine. During this time, we learned more than a few things about how he and his new front office are preparing for the upcoming draft.
Jackson guaranteed the Browns were going to select a quarterback at some point, though he wouldn’t confirm whether not it would be with the second overall pick. He also intimated Cleveland might just go with the best available player at No. 2, which may end up not being a QB.
Another thing one could gather from Jackson’s press conference was he’s sick and tired of being asked about Johnny Manziel. The soon-to-be released quarterback is currently waiting to hear if he’ll be charged for his domestic abuse incident in Dallas, but it doesn’t seem like Jackson has anything else he wants to add to the matter.
In his response to the questions about Manziel, he gave a quote which should’ve caught the attention of Browns fans everywhere, specifically about the kind of players he’s looking for in general.
“I want guys that have high character and guys that have high football character,” Jackson said. “And I think those two are a little different. Obviously there’s been some things well-documented about some players here and again I take them on a case-by-case basis and see if they fit exactly what it is that I’m talking about when I’m saying that.
“But I’m not going to bend them, I don’t think you can.”
To me, this may be one of the most important things Jackson said all day. In no uncertain terms, this quote essentially guaranteed that he plans on bringing accountability to Cleveland, something which has been missing from this team for quite a while.
Let’s face it – the past few Browns regimes have been known for a lot of things, but holding players accountable wasn’t one of them.
During Mike Pettine’s time as coach, training camps were known by many as being pretty soft. There wasn’t much contact even in the later days, and veteran off days seemed to be handed out like candy. It was no wonder last year’s camp was plagued with minor injuries.
Additionally, it wasn’t until late last year when Pettine finally started showing any sense of forcing accountability. While Manziel was benched for disobeying team orders last season, he still seemed to get away with everything else leading up to it. His rookie year was one full of similar incidents, as well as an overall lack of preparation. However, if he was ever disciplined, we never heard a word about it.
Before Pettine, one-and-done coach Rob Chudzinski wasn’t exactly known for holding anyone accountable either. Numerous players seemed to get the same amount of playing time on a weekly basis despite not really earning it. A prime example would be much-maligned wideout Greg Little, who was playing so poorly the front office wanted Chudzinski to cut him. However, there Little was, on the field every Sunday despite this.
In no uncertain terms, Jackson has shown more discipline in his two months on the job than either of the past two coaches combined. He immediately voiced his displeasure with Manziel’s antics even before this latest incident occurred. Asked about Pro Bowl receiver Josh Gordon, who’s awaiting reinstatement from his latest suspension, Cleveland’s new coach hardly indicated he was thrilled to potentially have a legit No. 1 wideout on his roster. Instead, Jackson claimed Gordon, like everyone else, will have to meet with him in order to determine whether or not he’s a good fit for the team.
At this point, it’s safe to say no player should expect preferential treatment under Jackson’s watch. He’s already stated he has no idea what a veteran off day is, and seems more than willing to let off-the-field traits be a major factor in determining someone’s place on the team.
Of course, it’s easy to say these things in February in front of a media horde. We won’t know how effectively Jackson can put his words into action until camp opens later this year.
That said, Jackson appears to know what he wants out of his players, and he’s making this message loud and clear. I think I speak for many Browns fans when I say this newfound accountability being brought to the team will be quite a welcome sight.
