'You want to just be yourself': New Browns assistants meet new players in rookie minicamp

BEREA — Cleveland Browns rookie defensive tackle Michael Hall Jr. had a question for his coaches. It was direct, but it spoke to the second-round pick out of Streetsboro High School and Ohio State's aspirations.

All Hall wanted to know was, "What does it take to become rookie of the year?" One coach, in particular, had the answer that resonated the most.

“It takes a lot of hard work and dedication," Hall recalled during the team's rookie minicamp. "You gotta be the last guy out and first guy in. Got to be early to meetings and everything. Just have to stay after practice and be a student of the game, but just eager to learn more. Never be satisfied, never be comfortable. Always asking more questions.”

The coach who told Hall that was defensive line coach Jacques Cesaire. Cesaire is a newcomer in his own right, not to the NFL or to coaching, but to the Browns.

In fact, while the Browns had 27 rookies in this weekend's minicamp, they also had seven coaches who are in their first year with the team as well. Cesaire's the lone defensive coach who's new, but virtually all of head coach Kevin Stefanski's offensive staff is brand new.

The makeover started at the coordinator spot with Ken Dorsey. It trickled down to included offensive line coach Andy Dickerson and his assistant line coach Roy Istvan, running backs coach Duce Staley, tight ends coach/pass game specialist Tommy Rees and offensive assistant/run-game specialist Nick Charlton.

So while the rookies and various practice-squad players are trying to make a first impression on their coaches this weekend, those coaches are getting their first opportunities to make an impression on the players. They've already had a month, through the voluntary offseason program, to do the same with the Browns' veterans.

“I think with any person coming in to replace anybody, you want to just be yourself," Stefanski said Friday. "You are not going to replace the person who came before you. That is for players, coaches, head coaches, coordinators, position coaches."

Of the six draft picks for the Browns, only two were offensive players. They selected Michigan offensive guard Zak Zinter in the third round and Louisville wide receiver Jamari Thrash in the fifth round.

Zinter believes there's a secret to a good position coach, at least from his own personal experience.

"I mean, especially in the O-line room, there's so much you can critique on every play," Zinter said. "I mean, even if it's an explosive run and the back’s not touched till the safety, I mean, there's still something you can always correct, whether it's footwork or hand placement. I mean, there's something small that you can correct damn near on every play. So just a coach that's looking at that and able to coach us and teach us that for sure."

Zinter's gained a first-hand look at a new position coach this weekend in Dickerson. Even if he wasn't in his first year on the Browns staff, the line coach would've been a new face for the former Wolverine.

However, outside of Dorsey, none of the new assistant coaches may been more intriguing to the general populace than Dickerson, who came over from the Seattle Seahawks. A big part of that is because he's replacing one of the league's most respected line coaches in Bill Callahan, who left to join his son Brian's staff with the Tennessee Titans.

Dickerson spent time working for Callahan with the New York Jets in 2011, so the lineage is there. For Zinter, the initial impressions have positive.

"Yeah, I mean, obviously great dude, great guy, phenomenal coach," Zinter said. "It's been fun getting to know him just like you. I've only been in the meeting room a couple times with him so far, but just being around him, learning the way he coaches and the way he coached us out on the field has been great so far."

Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns' new assistant coaches make introduction to new Browns players