Getty Images Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski.
The Cleveland Browns are taking things slow with injured safety Ronnie Harrison, who tweaked a hamstring early on in training camp.
Harrison is penciled into the starting strong safety spot for the Browns and has been impressive early on in camp after starting seven games last season. He notched 38 tackles and an interception he returned for a touchdown. The Browns are not pushing Harrison to get back on the field and will be “extra cautious” with the injury, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reported. The Browns have been somewhat vague on Harrison’s status going forward.
#Brown DE Takk McKinley will remain out today with his illness, but is expected back soon. CB Ronnie Harrison Jr. (hamstring) will miss an undisclosed number of days. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah ‘getting closer’ to coming off COVID-19 reserve.
“Ronnie we are going to have to wait and see,” head coach Kevin Stefanski said. “He will be out for an undisclosed number of days here, but we will see.”
Defensive coordinator Joe Woods talked about Harrison during minicamp and was ecstatic about the improvements he was showing on tape.
“With Ronnie, I was watching film yesterday. I said, ‘Who’s that guy in the post?’ They said, ‘That’s Ronnie.’ ‘Ronnie?’ Just in terms of what he’s done so far, working on his movement skills, bending more in his back pedal, he looks like a different guy,” Woods said. “And he has a natural feel when he’s in the box, so I think he’s set up to have a really good year for us.”
Safety Grant Delpit on Snap Count
Getty ImagesGrant Delpit of the Cleveland Browns.
It was also noted that second-year safety Grant Delpit is on a snap count following an Achilles rupture during training camp last year.
There were high expectations for Delpit, who won the Jim Thorpe Award at LSU in 2019, given annually to the nation’s top defensive back. Delpit worked hard to get back on the field and brings a new mindset with him.
“Injuries can happen to anybody. Look at Odell, look around the league,” Delpit told the Browns official site. “Guys work as hard as they can all season, but it can just happen to anybody.
“It really opened my eyes to not take the game for granted. It can be taken away at any time. I took a lot of things for granted, just like walking, the simplest things like that. I definitely have a newfound respect for those things and I just can’t wait to get back on the field.”
Safety John Johnson III, who signed this offseason to take over at free safety, has had nothing but good things to say about both Harrison and Delpit.
“Both of those guys are smart players. Everyone knows that they can do everything. You can move them all around, versatile and athletes. I think the thing is just the work ethic,” Johnson told reporters last week. “Grant sitting back from that injury, and he is going to be a big part of the defense this year. Ronnie is just exceptional. I do not know how a team did not lock him in for a long time. Hopefully, that will happen. We are just going to go out there and have fun. Hopefully, all three of us can put in a lot of work for the team.”
Browns Activate Rookie Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
There was some good news out of Browns camp on Tuesday, with the team activating rookie linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah from the reserve/COVID-19 list.
We have activated LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah from the reserve/COVID-19 list.
Browns general manager Andrew Berry called Owusu-Koramoah missing camp early “less than ideal” but thinks he’ll bounce back, especially with 11 days to prepare for the team’s first preseason action.
“It is less than ideal for really any player to miss the beginning of camp, but you are right, particularly a first-year player,” Berry said. “I know he is doing everything in his power to make sure that he does not fall behind. Look, it is less than ideal. It is a little bit of adversity, but it is also not a death sentence.”
READ NEXT: Lakers Big Man Marc Gasol Confirms He’s Returning Next Season