CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Browns returned to practice on Monday after a league-mandated three-day break to prepare for a matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs, the defending AFC champs.
Unlike this time last year, the Browns have played three exhibition games. A year ago, the preseason was wiped out due to the pandemic.
Last year, Kevin Stefanski was a new head coach still trying to navigate his way through all of the aspects of being the Browns head coach. Now, Stefanski feels better prepared, especially given he had three games to see his team in action.
“I would say things are very different,” Stefanski said. “Obviously, we are all in a different place. Having a year under the belt for our coaches with our players, we hope provides an advantage, but there are a bunch of teams – including the one we are playing this week – where they have continuity, as well.”
The Browns are also past the monotony that comes with training camp.
“It feels good. It definitely feels like a game week. We are just excited to be out here,” Browns wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones said.
While Stefanski is familiar with his own personnel, he’ll also be familiar with the squad on the other sideline. The Chiefs knocked out the Browns in the playoffs.
The Chiefs won 22-17 in a tight contest between the two squads, but Kansas City was without star quarterback Patrick Mahomes late in the game.
Peoples-Jones said that he has watched a lot of film from last year’s playoff battle against the Chiefs.
“Every game I try to learn on,” Peoples-Jones said. “Definitely, I watched that game a lot of times, it being our last game of the season. Definitely, just want to learn and build.”
The Browns are hopeful that rookie linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah can be the difference in holding Mahomes and the Chiefs’ offense in check.
“Everybody comes into this believing that they are ready,” Owusu-Koramoah said. “I do not think any guy who would come up here and you ask that question, and be like, ‘I am not ready.’ I am definitely ready. We put in the work and we put in the time so we will see what pays off.”
