Tag: Jamie Gillan

Jamie Gillan shows off the bare legs while skiing

The Scottish Hammer is a different cat

Browns punter Jamie Gillan is a guy who marches to the beat of his own drum. The “Scottish Hammer” came to Cleveland from Scotland as an undrafted free agent from an HBCU with his long hair flowing.

Gillan is also known for being quite jacked up for a punter. He showed off the impressive legs in a recent skiing trip. Yes, he skied in shorts.

Not just shorts. Jorts.

From Gillan’s Instagram story over the weekend…

 

Gillan is coming off a second season where he battled through injuries before getting healthier and performing better late in the year. His legs look fine on the ski slopes.

Studs and duds from the Browns Week 8 loss to the Raiders

Last week it was hard to find many duds in the win over Cincinnati. This week, the “studs” column is a dairy farm with no bull.

A 16-6 loss in a windy, wintry mix isn’t what anyone in Cleveland wanted from the Browns as they enter the bye week. But that’s the cold reality of what happened on Sunday in the lethargic loss to the visiting Las Vegas Raiders.

Last week it was hard to find many duds in the win over Cincinnati. This week, the “studs” column is a dairy farm with no bull.

Here are the duds and a couple of Browns who didn’t play poorly in the Week 8 loss to Las Vegas.

Final Week 6 Browns injury report: 4 out, 6 questionable vs. Steelers

2 of the top 3 safeties and RG Wyatt Teller are all out

If it was possible for an entire football team to limp into an opposing stadium, the Cleveland Browns would be doing so in Week 6. The Browns head to Pittsburgh to face the unbeaten Steelers with four regulars ruled out and six others questionable with various maladies.

The most prominent name of the foursome ruled out is starting right guard Wyatt Teller. Pronounced week-to-week earlier by head coach Kevin Stefanski, Teller will miss the first game since he suffered a calf strain in Week 5.

Also ruled out

  • Safety Karl Joseph
  • Safety Ronnie Harrison
  • LB Jacob Phillips

Harrison started in place of Joseph in Week 5, but a concussion will keep him on the sidelines. Joseph still hasn’t been a full go at practice and will miss his second consecutive week. Expect a healthy dose of Sheldrick Redwine at safety.

As expected all week, quarterback Baker Mayfield is listed as questionable with his bruised ribs. The QB expects to play.

WR Odell Beckham Jr. is also questionable with his still-undisclosed illness. Beckham tested negative for COVID-19 on Friday after being sent home on Thursday. He is required to remain quarantined until he gets another negative test.

The rest of the questionable list:

  • WR Jarvis Landry
  • Punter Jamie Gillan
  • DT Larry Ogunjobi
  • DE Olivier Vernon

Jamie Gillan activated, Garrett Gilbert goes on Browns’ COVID-19 reserve list

Punter Jamie Gillan is activated while QB Garrett Gilbert is placed on Browns’ COVID-19 reserve list

The Scottish Hammer is back on the active roster.

In a series of roster moves on Monday, the Cleveland Browns activated punter Jamie Gillan from the reserve/COVID-19 list. Gillan went on the list on Saturday but quickly came off. The popular second-year punter admitted he had previously tested positive earlier in July and did suffer symptoms at that time, but tested negative twice last week before testing positive again.

It’s a complicated situation regarding the testing status. The best explanation comes from NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, the man who Gillan told about his earlier positive test. From Pelissero’s twitter on Monday morning,

As Gillan comes back onto the active roster, the Browns placed reserve QB Garrett Gilbert on the reserve/COVID-19 list. The team also waived Brian Herrien, an undrafted rookie running back from Georgia.

What’s next for Jamie Gillan and other Browns on the COVID-19 reserve list?

Gillan’s case could be an exception to the general rules here

Browns punter Jamie Gillan joined RB Dontrell Hilliard and safety Jovante Moffatt on the NFL reserve/COVID-19 list this week. It’s an indication that the players either tested positive or have been in close contact with someone who is confirmed to have the coronavirus infection.

What happens next for those players and the Browns as training camp fires up?

Per the NFL’s information on the newly created reserve/COVID-19 list, there are three different scenarios. They depend on if the player tested positive or negative and if he is symptomatic or asymptomatic.

For positive tests…

Asymptomatic players cannot return until:

  • 10 days after the initial positive test OR
  • 5 days have passed since the initial positive test and two consecutive negative tests are completed separated by 24 hours within a five-day period
  • Return must be approved by the team’s physician and the league’s Infection Control Specialist, or ICS

Symptomatic players can’t return until:

  • 10 days have passed since the first COVID-19 symptoms appeared
  • At least 72 hours have passed since the symptoms last occurred
  • Return is approved by the team’s physician after consulting with ICS and NFL’s chief medical officer
  • Local regulations and requirements are satisfied

For players who test negative and are asymptomatic but have been in close contact with an infected person, the rules change.

  • Second negative test within 24 hours of initial negative test
  • Increased symptom monitoring
  • Eight days of daily virus testing
  • Regular testing schedule thereafter

Gillan’s case is unusual because he had a positive test and some mild symptoms in early July and then also tested negative with his initial screening on Tuesday. His positive test on Wednesday sends him into the protocols for positive testing, but how the league handles his prior symptoms and lack of them now remains to be seen. I reached out to the NFL for clarification and have not gotten a response.

Portions of this article previously appeared in another I wrote for Lions Wire

Jamie Gillan explains his COVID-19 experience and testing positive

Browns punter Jamie Gillan explains his COVID-19 experience and testing positive

Jamie Gillan is now on the Cleveland Browns COVID-19 reserve list. The Browns placed their punter on the newly created list on Thursday.

While being placed on the list doesn’t necessarily mean a player tested positive for COVID-19, Gillan came out and publicly acknowledged that he did in fact test positive for the virus. He shared his situation with Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, who relayed the info via Twitter.

Gillan said he first tested positive on July 9th, over three weeks ago. The “Scottish Hammer” noted his symptoms as well. His first test with the Browns on Tuesday was negative but his second test on Wednesday resulted in a positive result. Gillan did test positive for viral antibodies on Tuesday, a strong indication he may have already had the coronavirus.

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Coach Kevin Stefanski: ‘I believe in this bubble’

While the Browns aren’t technically in a bubble environment, coach Stefanski says it feels like they’re in one

The Cleveland Browns are not in a bubble, not in the strict quarantine sense of the word. But Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski says the team’s current status and safety protocols definitely feels like they are in a bubble environment.

The rookie coach discussed the COVID-19 pandemic impact on the start of Browns training camp and how the team is adapting to the ever-changing protocols from both the league and the state of Ohio. His Zoom session on Thursday with reporters alluded to the “bubble” concept that the other professional sports leagues, including the NBA and MLS, have utilized to isolate the players and team staff.

The NFL isn’t doing that — the logistics of keeping an entire football team of 90 players and all the coaches, trainers, support staff and more is almost impossible to comprehend. But the Browns are doing their best to keep team members as isolated from possible COVID-19 infection as possible.

“I’m optimistic,” Stefanski said. “I believe in this bubble. You may say we’re not in a bubble but I feel like we’re in a bubble. “We’re wearing masks everywhere, staying away from everybody, I’ve got my Kinexon, which blinks when I’m within six feet of people, so it feels that way.”

Stefanski knows it’s a big task.

“We just have to make sure with that shared responsibility as you leave this bubble that you maintain and follow the protocols,” the coach continued.

Stefanski’s words came on the same day where punter Jamie Gillan was placed on the COVID-19 reserve list, joining Dontrell Hilliard and Jovante Moffatt. Going on the list does not necessarily mean a player tested positive, but it helps protect against a more widespread exposure.

Jamie Gillan was the best rookie punter of the last five years

Gillan was the No. 3 overall punter in 2019 as a rookie

At this time a year ago, nobody thought much about the undrafted rookie punter/kicker from Arkansas Pine-Bluff. Jamie Gillan was just a camp leg designed to keep veteran punter Britton Colquitt from overworking, or so many believed.

Gillan quickly proved more than some camp curiosity. Once he proved he could function as the holder on placekicks, Gillan supplanted Colquitt as the Browns’ punter. The rocked-up, long-haired Scotsman won over the fans quickly, too.

The gamble on Gillan paid off. He captured the AFC Special Teams Player of the Month in September and wound up in the top 10 in both gross and net punting in his rookie campaign. His great season was the best for any rookie punter that Pro Football Focus has graded since the start of 2015.

Gillan finished third overall among NFL punters in 2019. That’s one spot above the man whose job he usurped, Colquitt, who latched on with Minnesota. Way to go, Hammer!

Way-too-early 53-man roster projection for the Browns: Defense

Way-too-early 53-man roster projection for the Browns: Defense

The 2020 NFL Draft class creates some movement on the roster projection front. With at least five of the Browns’ draftees absolute locks to make the 53-man roster, there are some ripple effects up and down the depth chart.

Here is our early stab at the final 53-man roster when the Browns kick off the 2020 NFL season. To keep it more manageable, the offense and defense will be divided up in different posts. This one covers the defense and the specialists. The 25 members of the offense can be found here:

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Note: undrafted free agents are only included if they’re officially signed their Browns contracts as of press time.

DTs – 4

Starters – Sheldon Richardson, Larry Ogunjobi

Backups – Andrew Billings, Jordan Elliott

Bubble: Daniel Ekuale, Brandin Bryant, Justin Zimmer

This shapes up as a very nice 4-man rotation, with Richardson being the top talent. Expect free agent signee Billings and third-round rookie Elliott to both play extensively.

All of the bubble players here bring some NFL experience and a definite appeal to at least keep on the practice squad (if eligible). It would not be a surprise to see the Browns keep an extra DT in lieu of a 6th WR or 5th TE/FB.

DE/EDGE – 4 

Starters – Myles Garrett, Olivier Vernon

Backups – Adrian Clayborn, Chad Thomas

Bubble:  Porter Gustin, Robert McCray, Trevon Young, George Obinna

Garrett and Vernon were very good together in 2019 and return at full health. Clayborn was a smart veteran signing who can bring pressure off the edge. After that, it gets fuzzy here, especially considering Richardson can play on the edge and did so quite effectively last season.

Thomas has flashed at times but has also done nothing to guarantee his roster spot under a new coaching and management regime. Gustin, McCray, Young and Obinna (a UDFA) are probably not the answer but will at least get a chance to prove themselves. The fourth DE/EDGE might not yet be on the roster.

LB – 5 

Starters: Mack Wilson, Sione Takitaki, Jacob Phillips

Bench: B.J. Goodson, Willie Harvey

Bubble: Tae Davis, Jermaine Grace, Montrel Meander, Solomon Ajayi

The Browns will use three LBs significantly more under new coordinator Joe Woods than last year’s base 2-LB set. Wilson and Takitaki both project to start in their second seasons. Third-rounder Phillips and free agent import Goodson will battle for the other spot. Keep an eye on Harvey, who played well last summer and could rock the very established boat.

As with EDGE, this is another position where Berry and the Browns might not yet be done aggressively acquiring talent.

CB – 5

Starters: Denzel Ward, Greedy Williams

Bench: Kevin Johnson, Terrance Mitchell, Tavierre Thomas

Bubble: Donovan Olumba, Donnie Lewis Jr., Robert Jackson

Ward and Williams will start on the outside, with Johnson the presumptive slot corner. Mitchell is not a lock but offers versatility as a veteran. Thomas is a special teams standout and that’s his ticket to making it for a third season Cleveland.

This is another position where the Browns could opt to keep an extra player and trim elsewhere for special teams purposes. Williams, Ward and Johnson have all shown durability issues in their careers thus far.

S – 4

Starters: Karl Joseph, Grant Delpit

Bench: Andrew Sendejo, Sheldrick Redwine

Bubble: J.T. Hassell

The top three are all newcomers in Joseph and Sendejo as free agents and second-rounder Delpit. How the troika sorts out remains to be seen but expect all three to play extensively.

Redwine has a tentative grip on the final spot, but he’ll need to prove it on special teams after an underwhelming rookie season. Hassell might be the hardest hitter pound-for-pound on the entire team.

Specialists – 3

Punter – Jamie Gillan

Kicker – Austin Seibert

Long snapper – Charley Hughlett

No drama here; all three specialists return unchallenged as of press time.

Overall there is more uncertainty on defense than offense.

The 25 defenders and three specialists here add to the 25 on offense to make 53. With the pending expansion to 55 via the new CBA, expect those extra two spots to come on defense.

Jamie Gillan continues to earn praise from Browns special teams coach Mike Priefer

Gillan is having a great season as the Browns punter

The decision to keep Jamie Gillan over Britton Colquitt as the Browns’ punter in 2019 was not an easy one. Nor was it well-received by everyone in the media, both local and national. But it’s proven to be the right decision.

Nothing against Colquitt, who is playing well for the Minnesota Vikings. It’s just that Gillan continues to thrive as an undrafted rookie. The “Scottish Hammer” keeps nailing his punts with great hang time and improving ball placement.

Browns special teams coach Mike Priefer remains an enthusiastic supporter of Gillan. Priefer was asked if Gillan is getting better at the finer details of being a punter in his weekly press conference.

“He is. I have told many people and I think I told you guys before that we are just scratching the surface with this guy,” Priefer said of Gillan. “I am starting to find out some of the different things that he can do with the football. I think he had a real good night the other night. He was better as a holder, and he was better as a punter.”

Priefer was especially proud of the pressure punt Gillan hammered out near the end of the Week 11 win over the Steelers.

“The situation at the end of the game, he had a 1.75 get off which is outstanding when we knew they were bringing pressure, and they fair caught it at the 10 and almost dropped the ball. He is doing a really nice job with all the different situations. Very coachable, starting to understand the game better and he is helping us win.”

Gillan is in the top 10 in punting average, both gross and net, in his rookie season.