BROWNS WR JOSH GORDON
On the highs and lows of his season…
It's been definitely a crazy roller-coaster ride. We started off, I think, pretty good, won a few games here and there. As the season went on guys went down, guys got hurt, the things that go with the game, and we've been battling that attrition and try to fight through it and persevere. But we just couldn't really finish out games like we wanted to and that goes for the record showing right now.
On if he thought he would be contributing the way he is at the start of the season…
I wouldn't expect all the media coverage, things like that, maybe. But definitely from the point I got back, I definitely decided to try to make as big of an impact as I could for the team, for the offense and being the biggest playmaker possible for this team.
On what he needed to do to develop off the field…
I really just think it was the approach to each week and each game. What we do up here at the facility with utilizing most of your time in how to prepare for each week and each game and how to practice exactly and the effort given into the small detail things make a big difference on gameday is really what I think it is.
On Jets CB Antonio Cromartie…
I guess he's kind of hanging off a lot of players this year. He's not really giving too much in the press like he used to be. But I'm not really sure how he'll play me. He's been in the league a long time. He's just one of those veteran guys trying to keep on playing the game, but he's a great competitor. He's really good. I've got the utmost respect for a guy like him and I know I'm going to have to play my A-game because I know he will.
On Dee Milliner…
For a rookie defensive back to start in the NFL, I think that's the hardest job out of any position, considering the fact that offenses just know that we're going to have to go attack him and we're going to test you every drive and almost every play of the game. So I know it's rough for him, but it's just his rookie season and he's been struggling a lot from what we've been seeing.
On if they think they can exploit the Jets secondary…
Yeah. They do have the No. 1 run defense. Coach still wants to run the ball on them but exploiting their secondary is something we're pretty good at doing, I believe, and at getting down the field and stretching the field on teams. I think that's exactly how we're going to try and convert most of our big plays and get down field.
On what the Jets secondary has struggled with…
I can't really say. I guess on one half of the field, you have a rookie over there. Guys are probably just trying to bomb on him every chance they can get. That might have a lot to do with it, more so than Cromartie's side. Either way, maybe they're just not there yet, but they're a great defense altogether. That defensive line makes up for a lot of lack in any other area they have.
BROWNS HEAD COACH ROB CHUDZINSKI
On what Josh Gordon has gone through this year…
Yeah, he's really been playing at a high level and really come a long way from going back all the way in the spring. He missed the first couple games with a suspension and had gone through training camp, really progressed, come along as a player. He's a guy who hasn't played a lot. You go back to his college days and he really only had one year there, played one year here in the NFL, was injured for parts of that, and really a guy who didn't have a lot of experience playing the position, and so he's really worked at it. He's quiet, a guy that really loves playing football and I think that Norv [Turner] and Scott Turner have done a great job with him in developing him and he's going through a lot of things for the first time ever and really jumped in the spotlight in the last month or so.
On his message to Gordon regarding off-field conduct…
He's taken very well to that. The bottom line is Josh loves playing football and so he recognized that to do that he'd need to mature and learn what it takes to be a pro and learn what it takes to be a great receiver in this league and his work ethic has been outstanding, his commitment has been outstanding in those areas. He's really completely made a turnaround.
On what has contributed to Jabaal Sheard's recent improvement…
Yeah, I think Jabaal really has come on. He was injured and had an injury midseason or so, and so just coming back from that and getting back up to full speed as well as the position change. He's always been a defensive end and that's an adjustment, going through that process of learning to play outside linebacker and do some things that he's never done before. So I think that we're really starting to see these last few weeks it clicking for him.
On why they did not keep David Nelson…
Yeah, it was a tough decision for us. We really just didn't have a lot of opportunity to see him. He was injured pretty much the whole camp so we just got a little bit at the very end. And it's a tough decision. Those decisions always come down to the whole roster, not just one position or not just one guy. But it's good to see he's back on the field and playing well, doing the things that you knew he could do, and he's an outstanding person and I'm happy to see that he's made it back and doing well.
On Geno Smith…
From a skillset standpoint, he's very unique, has a great arm, can make all the throws that he needs to make and can run, can escape and then obviously the things that the Jets are doing with the run game with him and he's doing some of the read-option things. He's a very versatile guy, very talented guy and a developing quarterback. I've been in that situation before and watching guys grow and it's a process, but I think he has a very bright future.
On injury updates on RB Willis McGahee and TE Jordan Cameron…
McGahee has been cleared, so he'll practice today. Jordan will not practice today.
On Cameron's status for Sunday…
Yeah, we'll just have to see as the week goes on.
