Cleveland Browns: 5 preseason position battles taking shape for 2019

4. Joseph vs. Seibert, K

After watching last season, no Browns’ fans should blow off the kicker any longer. The position is too darn important to be an afterthought.

If Cleveland had even an average kicker to start the season last year, the Browns probably would’ve been in the playoffs.

Just look around the NFL. The league has things exactly the way it wants them. Each contest is designed to be close. With that in mind, you can bet, at least a few games will come down to a field-goal attempt.

That’s why people complaining about the drafting of Kevin Seibert in the fifth round should chill out. What was Cleveland going to do? Take another Beau Bell clone?

The preseason puts pressure on the incumbent, Greg Joseph, which is fine. If Joseph is going to be make big kicks in a game, he needs to be able to stave off a challenge from a rookie who was never really asked to try anything from 50 yards out because his team didn’t need him to.

He only attempted one kick of 50 yards or more last season.

Seibert converted 89.5 percent of his field goal tries as a senior. He also cached in 168 of 169 PATs during his final two seasons with the Sooners.

Joesph was 17-of-20 since joining the Browns last season. He was 1-of-2 on field goals of at least 50 years. His longest was made from 51 yards.