BEREA, Ohio -- By all accounts, Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jarvis Landry has been a good teammate within the locker room, but even loyal players have their limits when it comes to contact in “non-contact practices.”
Landry reached that limit in Tuesday’s practice, as he was driven to the ground by defensive back Terrance Mitchell, and responded by springing to his feet, throwing the ball in the veteran corner’s facemask and tussling to the ground before teammates broke them up.
“This is football,” Browns coach Hue Jackson said. “We have been practicing. We have been going after it. It is not something that we want. It is going to happen. We are men. Things are going to happen that way. Guys know as long as we do not start swinging with our fists and we let it go, we can move on from it.
“It is not something that we want to do every day, but this is that point of training camp when things start happening like that. We will continue to coach them up and coach them through it. We do not want to get anybody hurt that way, but I do know those things happen.”
The Landry-Mitchell skirmish was one of three on the day, and four since the middle of Monday’s practice, when offensive coordinator Todd Haley had a verbal exchange with defensive coordinator Gregg Williams after rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield was hit by a teammate because of an oncoming rusher.
Jackson chalked up the exchange between Haley and Williams as nothing more than two competitive coaches trying to prepare their players for the rigors of a 16-game regular-season schedule.
While the players and coaches were serious about their actions and words, Jackson felt there was “no reason to” call everybody together and address the situation.
“I think that this is the time of year that it happens,” Jackson said. “I think that our guys know that there is a line that we are not going to cross. They are going to grab and pull and scream and yell, but we are not going to swing on anybody. We will go from there.”
PHOTOS: Cleveland Browns Training Camp Practice - 8/14
Despite the battles that broke out between players and coaches over the last two days, Jackson is confident the team is improving.
“It was a good, spirited practice,” Jackson said. “We got after it. Some good stuff out there today on both sides and special teams.
“Our team always responds. That is good. I think guys are getting better in some areas. I saw some units get better. I saw some players individually get better. That is what you look for. We’ve just got to keep stacking good days on top of each other.”
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