PHOENIX — As Freddie Kitchens waxed eloquent about all issues Cleveland Browns on Tuesday morning, the proposition was once put to him that the mix of quarterback Baker Mayfield and receiver Odell Beckham Jr. may well be dynamite. “I’m hoping so,” Kitchens stated with out hesitation. “And I’m hoping we blow a large number of issues up.”
The quip was once true Kitchens. The brand new Browns trainer is fast to make a self-deprecating remark — he deadpanned greater than as soon as that he’s “scared to dying” of the Browns enjoying in top time — however he additionally has the similar perspective as his quarterback, that he’s in it to win it.
“I do not thoughts expectancies,” Kitchens stated. “I need them.”
Kitchens’ fast function is to get Beckham to Cleveland and to get to grasp him following his acquisition from the Giants on March 12. Regardless that common supervisor John Dorsey stated he expects Beckham for the beginning of the offseason program on April 1, Kitchens stated Beckham will do all he can to be there — leaving open the likelihood he won’t arrive on Day 1.
“His existence was once grew to become the other way up (with the business),” Kitchens stated. “Up till two weeks in the past he concept his reporting date was once mid-April.”
Beckham’s acquisition put hype and offseason buzz on complete boil for the Browns. Kitchens is definitely conscious that his crew is being mentioned as a contender within the AFC North — or even is within the Tremendous Bowl dialogue.
“They are essentially the most proficient crew within the department; there is not any query about that at the moment,” stated Ravens trainer John Harbaugh, who took a number of questions in regards to the Browns in a consultation in regards to the Ravens. “We’re going to see what that implies. I do know this: that is at the moment. The most productive crew within the department is the crew that is going to win the department. So, we will see what the most efficient crew is.”
Kitchens stated the top expectancies don’t carry power. He calls power “waking up with no task, having a child at house to feed, your spouse simply left you and you don’t have any cash for your pocket.”
“That is real-life power,” he stated. “The power on us is solely win or lose. Let’s simply move carry out the most efficient we will be able to and spot what occurs.”
He additionally understands that he’ll be coping with a number of robust personalities in this younger crew — robust personalities that experience a little bit of superstar. He welcomes it, pronouncing the important thing with Beckham and each and every different participant is incomes agree with. To that finish, he’ll let the avid gamers be themselves.
Ego is okay, he stated, so long as the ego is folded into the crew.
“It is by no means been tougher, ever, for those guys to play, carry out and be successful as a result of they are at all times being critiqued in the whole thing that they do,” Kitchens stated. “And on the Cleveland Browns, we wish to be offering them a protected area, according to se, of simply doing their paintings, doing their task, getting to grasp their teammates, which is gonna construct their agree with and persona inside their crew. And that’s the reason all we are going to do.”
ESPN’s Jamison Hensley contributed to this document.