Coming off a historic, dismal 0-16 season, the Browns have been chosen to appear on HBO’s popular ”Hard Knocks” series that gives NFL fans a behind-the-scenes look at training camp.
The Browns have turned down previous opportunities to be on the award-winning series. But with renewed optimism around Cleveland following the recent draft, and the selection of quarterback Baker Mayfield, the team is granting HBO unlimited access to its upcoming camp.
Cleveland is the 13th franchise to participate in ”Hard Knocks,” which began in 2001 with the Baltimore Ravens. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were featured last summer.
Although they’ve won only one game the past two seasons under coach Hue Jackson, the Browns see the show as a possibility to highlight some of their younger players and put a positive spin on their rebuild.
And for HBO, Mayfield’s quest to win the starting job is just one of several juicy story lines.
”NFL Films has always been exceptional at bringing fans closer to the game and they do an outstanding job with every show they produce, including HBO’s Hard Knocks,” Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam said. ”We have been asked multiple times about being featured on Hard Knocks, and we really felt like it was our turn this year and the timing was right. We want to be great partners in this league, and we also recognize Hard Knocks gives fans a special opportunity to learn more about our team and players.”
HBO’s cameras are certain to focus on Mayfield, the brash Heisman Trophy winner from Oklahoma the Browns chose over other quarterbacks. Mayfield is expected to back up Tyrod Taylor this season Ryan Smith Jersey , but their competition could make for the kind compelling TV that has made the series a must-watch for football junkies.
A 30-person film crew will be at the team’s training facility in Berea to record more than 2,000 hours of footage for the five-segment series that will debut Aug. 7.
The Browns have some good young players who are not well known outside Cleveland. But ”Hard Knocks” will give national exposure to budding stars like defensive end Myles Garrett, Mayfield and safety Jabrill Peppers and give the network a chance to tell the well-documented story of former Pro Bowl wide receiver Josh Gordon, who has missed most of the past three seasons because of drug suspensions.
Mayfield has experience in front of the cameras. He was recently featured in a recent documentary series as he prepared for the draft, and feels the Browns can make ”Hard Knocks” a positive experience.
”For me looking at it, and us as a team, I’d say it can be good if you handle it right. I’ll just say that,” he said on SiriusXM NFL Radio. ”If you think about it as a way to get on camera and try to show off and do certain things and handle it the wrong way then that can be very negative, it can be a distraction. But if you use it as a sense of, `OK, I got to block out everything else and just focus on playing ball,’ then that can be a great thing for us.”
Jackson and Browns defensive coordinator Gregg Williams have both been on ”Hard Knocks” – Jackson with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2013 and Williams with the Los Angeles Rams in 2016.
”Being able to bring our fans in so they can get to know our players and our organization in a different way will be a huge positive for us,” Jackson said. ”I want people to see how much our players and coaches care Mark Ingram Jersey , how hard they work and how badly they want to win for Cleveland. This will be a great opportunity for our team.”
Browns general manager John Dorsey had reservations about the series, but feels the team is equipped to handle the added scrutiny.
”Once we sat down and talked about it as an organization, I feel a lot better and understand why the time is right,” said Dorsey, who has been overhauling the team since being hired in December. ”Hue and I both feel like this team is in a good place and that we are in the process of building something that will lead to success.”
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One of the first passes thrown by Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay Packers camp was as noteworthy for who was competing for the ball as much as the play's result.
Cornerback Kevin King, locked in coverage deep against receiver Randall Cobb, appeared to wrestle away an interception, though the ever-competitive quarterback disputed that call.
Coach Mike McCarthy took a diplomatic approach.
"Yeah, I'm a head coach so I thought it was an excellent play by both guys," McCarthy said Friday, drawing laughs. "I like the way Randall finished with the ball but I like the position that Kevin was in."
Outcome aside, the most important takeaway might be that two players who could be pivotal to Green Bay's success are healthy again.
Cobb revealed Friday that he had ankle surgery after offseason workouts. He was spotted at an airport with a walking boot on his right foot last month.
Doctors "went in and pretty much just removed a piece of cartilage that was giving me some problems," Cobb said . "Obviously not that big of a deal. But feeling a lot better than I did before."
Enough so that the senior member of the Packers receiving corps is a full go in camp .
"I think the first call Marshon Lattimore Jersey , the first play ... where the ball goes deep to Randall, I think that tells you the kind of shape (Cobb is in)," McCarthy said.
Cobb's health is important for a receiving corps that lost Jordy Nelson after the respected veteran was cut in the offseason in a money-saving move. It left Cobb and Davante Adams as the Packers' top wideouts, plus a bevy of young players competing for targets that once went to Nelson.
"At this point, it's just getting my conditioning back. I was here the entire offseason working with our strength and conditioning staff trying to get back and get right," Cobb said.
King had left shoulder surgery after his injury-shortened rookie year. The shoulder maligned him for much of last season, and King was limited to individual workouts in the offseason as he recovered.
But King is a full go now, and his interception against Cobb in practice Thursday offered a glimpse of King's full potential when healthy. He is talented enough to be the Packers' top cornerback.
King wasn't done. On the next play, he broke up a throw for receiver Geronimo Allison and ended up hitting the ground.
"I could have done that last year," King said in the locker room.
Maybe, but he might have been in pain.
The shoulder no longer hurts, King said. The injury during his rookie season also sharpened his mental game.
"Mentally, it elevated me. It's been positive for me Mitch Morse Jersey ," King added.
A healthy King could do wonders at a cornerback position beleaguered by injuries the last couple of years. The 6-foot-3 King has the length to play effective press coverage for new defensive coordinator Mike Pettine.
Now King just needs to stay on the field after making 31 tackles in nine games last season, including five starts.
"There's no question about Kevin's ability and his level of talent and the ability to play," McCarthy said. "Yes, he made two competitive plays on the ball. ... The biggest thing I'm happy about is Kevin's healthy and he's come back from the shoulder surgery and is off to a good start."
NOTES: OLB Nick Perry, who is starting camp on the physically-unable-to-perform list, said he had no concerns about being ready for the opener on Sept. 9 against Chicago. Perry, who had offseason ankle surgery, and Clay Matthews are the veteran leaders at a position otherwise short on experience and production. "We're still going to take it one day at a time just to make sure that everything goes smoothly and I'm here for the long haul," Perry said. ... Rodgers and TE Jimmy Graham showed rapport in connecting for some tough pass plays during team drills. Graham was signed in the offseason as a free agent. ... A pass from Rodgers over the middle during a two-minute drill was picked off at the goal line by ILB Blake Martinez. ... Two backups, QB DeShone Kizer and TE Robert Tonyan, connected on a 15-yard scoring pass in coverage for the offense's only score in two-minute drill work.
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