Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry: What he said at training camp

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry spoke Monday morning following the team's fourth training camp session at The Greenbrier.

Berry touched on a variety of topics during a roughly 26-minute question-and-answer period with the assembled Northeast Ohio media corps, including the Beacon Journal. Those topics included Amari Cooper , Nick Chubb , Deshaun Watson , extensions and, even, his feelings on the stadium issue.

Here's some of the notable things said by Berry about a week into training camp.

Andrew Berry on wide receiver Amari Cooper and contract talks

Berry was asked about the contract renegotiation with wide receiver Amari Cooper, which was announced last Tuesday when veterans reported for camp. He was also asked about the potential for an extension for the 30-year-old, 10-year veteran.

"I have the policy. I don't talk about contracts, don't talk about the discussions that we've had with individual players," Berry said. "I think everybody here understands what Amari has meant to this organization and our affinity for him. He's an excellent player, outstanding human being. He's a really good professional. One of the things that's interesting with Amari, assuming normal health, he has a chance to get to 10,000 yards this year, and he's probably about a year and a half away from having his, if you look over the course of his career, spending the most time with the Browns relative to other organizations. So all of those things are important to us. He's been a big part of our success last year and we were glad we were able to resolve the situation coming."

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Andrew Berry on running back Nick Chubb and his rehab progress

Chubb drew a crowd on Friday as he went through a post-practice running session. The four-time Pro Bowler had two surgeries last fall to repair damage to his knee sustained in a Sept. 18 loss at the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Berry was asked about Chubb's timeline back.

"I mean, look, Nick, he's Batman, right?," Berry said. "We are incredibly pleased with the work that he's put in, the progress that he's made. He still has a little ways to go, but we're really happy to see where he is as we enter camp and look forward to him to continue to improve the health of the knee."

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Andrew Berry on quarterback Deshaun Watson entering year 3 after 2 incomplete seasons

The subject of quarterback Deshaun Watson remains the biggest one hanging over the team. He's made just 12 starts in the last two seasons since the Browns traded with the Houston Texans to bring him in prior to the March, 2022, season.

Berry was asked specifically about Watson's recovery from shoulder surgery, which occurred last Nov. 21. That ended his season after just six starts.

"We've been very pleased with Deshaun," Berry said. "I think you've all seen that he's really worked his tail off in terms of his shoulder rehab over really the past year, had a really strong spring. He's done a really nice job here early in camp, so we feel like he's in a great place both physically and mentally and look forward to a big year."

Andrew Berry on extensions he and head coach Kevin Stefanski received

Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski were given extensions on June 5, making them the first general manager/head coach combination to be together going into a fifth season since 1978-84, when Peter Hadhazy was the general manager and Sam Rutigliano was the head coach.

"First and foremost, it's a huge blessing," Berry said. "I don't think either of us take it, take it lightly. We very much realize that we are in a fortunate position. We have really good ownership who are really good people. We have an organization where we love working with the people on a daily basis. I have the easiest head coach to get along with in the entire NFL and, oh by the way, he happened to be a two-time coach of the year. So it's a really great situation and we're looking forward to pushing the organization and pushing the team because we certainly haven't met our long-term goals yet."

Andrew Berry talks about extensions and the planning around them

The Browns are in the midst of a major run of extension coming up. Those players include Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Jedrick Wills Jr., Copper and Elijah Moore.

"It's timing, amount, what areas you want to lean into the roster," Berry said. "That all comes into play because we're all given the same resources in the NFL and so you only have so many dollars to spend. So you do have to be purposeful in terms of how you map it out. But it's also why we are so proactive in that area because we think it allows us to get ahead of different markets. We think it allows us to be more, I guess, dictate the action, so to speak, in terms of how we invest in the roster. Whereas if you wait and you wait and you wait, you are usually a little bit more subject to market forces, which may make building the team a little bit harder over a multi-year period."

Andrew Berry on for either a Cleveland Browns Stadium renovation or a Brook Park dome

Berry, ever the one to not tip his hand too much, was asked about his feelings around the stadium issue. Does he was a new stadium in Brook Park or a renovated Cleveland Browns Stadium.

"So I'll say first and foremost, from a football standpoint, any solution is we're a yes, two thumbs up," Berry said. because any solution where we're improving our home environment, where we're improving the fan experience, that's going to be great for us regardless of where we're outdoors and indoors. I know ownership, (team president) Dave Jenkins, our local politicians are hard at work on the solution.

"If you're asking my opinion personally, I personally think that we are paying these guys to be athletes as opposed to gladiators. So I'd prefer the dome solution. I'd prefer to be indoors. I think that's better for the team. And I also think being in the Midwest with the elements and everything, it's better for our fans as well. It creates a better fan experience late in the year when we're making those playoff cultures. But I do want to emphasize any solution's a good solution. We're happy whether it's a renovation, a build, whatever, because it just means that our home environment is that much more of a home field advantage here."

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: Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry: What he said at training camp