The Cleveland Browns signed a bunch of undrafted rookies and these three have a good shot at making the roster out of training camp.
The Cleveland Browns are not a complete team. Not yet. With holes that would make a block of cheese blush, the team still has got to find out some answers at key positions. For instance the tight ends, the offensive line, linebackers, the defensive secondary, and special teams. Granted that’s a lot of big holes and that doesn’t even factor in the receiving corp or backup positions.
The four big questions involve the offensive line, the cornerbacks, and who’s behind Austin Hooper on the depth chart. The offensive line, like the safety positions, has all the guys the team feels necessary at the moment. It’s more about finding out who fits where. The cornerbacks and tight ends however are more fluid than anything else.
Greedy Williams is seen as the guy who could be a real star in this league or be out of the league next year. His play was way too uneven to say for sure at the moment. Williams had an up-and-down rookie year but there’s potential there. Yet, we’ve seen second-round picks gone from the league in less than three seasons before and the sports media are already seeing him as a potential problem area. If he doesn’t improve, his performance could kill the secondary. The problem isn’t just him but what’s left around him should he fail or get hurt?
At least with the safeties, you have four potential options. So who will be filling roles this year from the free agency wire? Let’s find out.
AJ Green CB – Oklahoma State
As mentioned before, this team isn’t that stacked at the cornerback spot. Of course, there are always guys in this league that can emerge from out of nowhere and becomes stars. Or Josh Norman type players. Even that would be better than having a shakey set of cornerbacks. This is not a judgment on guys who have yet to showcase what they can properly do but Kevin Johnson and Terrance Mitchell? Is anyone getting hyped for them?
AJ Green has been able to establish a lot of hype for himself so far in the offseason, mostly based on his play at Oklahoma State. He’s not going to come in and start, more than likely, even if there are injuries but he’s seen by many as a project worth putting time into. Whether that time and energy nets anything positive or tangible is anyone’s guess.
There is always a chance that fans and pundits are latching onto Green due to his name. For those new to the sport, “AJ Green” is also the name of Cinncinati Bengals wide receiver and potential Hall of Famer AJ Green. This has lead to many a fun scenario where both Greens are pitted against one another. Sometimes the hype around an idea is more dream than reality.
The Browns wanted the defensive Green very badly, apparently. Signing him to a deal worth in $145,000 guaranteed money, with a $130,000 base salary guarantee and a $15,000 signing bonus. Green got a lot of teams interested in him following the Senior Bowl where he had one of the big breakout performances.
While he still went undrafted, the Browns feel they may have gotten a steal.
Kevin Davidson QB – Princeton
Kevin Stefanski went to Penn, an elite Ivy League school that turns out some of the best and brightest. New rookie quarterback Kevin Davidson thinks that’s neat. See, Davidson went to Princeton. One of a handful of schools that make Penn look like a class full of kindergartners who got stuck together when they all collectively tried to eat paste.
Long story short, Davidson is “the big smart”. He can also chuck a football. Which, apparently helps in the NFL.
Davidson isn’t that big (6’3, 225 lbs) nor is he fast (5.0 40-yard dash). In fact, NFLcombineresults gave him an ‘F’. That’s the only ‘F’ he’ll ever get in his life. See, while he’s as athletic as a goalpost, he was remarkably impressive as a passer. He completed 67% of his passes, while only throwing six interceptions and lead his team to an 8-2 record. None of this is to make you think he had a college career like Tim Tebow or will be the next Tom Brady or Patrick Mahomes, but Davidson is a prospect.
While the team should be fully committed to Baker Mayfield, there’s no harm in developing Davidson. If he can get better, and produce he could be traded for future assets if he’s good enough.
The Browns are set at the first two quarterback spots, with Mayfield at the No. 1spot and Case Keenum at the No. 2 spot. Yet, No. 3 isn’t secured. Most teams carry two if not three quarterbacks on their main roster just in case. So there is a shot that Davidson can earn a main roster contract down the road.
Nate Wieting TE – Iowa
Outside of AJ Green, Nate Wieting is the closest thing to a “lock” of making the main roster as the Browns get. Wieting is arguably the fourth-best tight end on the roster. The Cleveland Browns have a dysfunctional tight end just ahead of him in David Njoku. Assuming the Browns trade Njoku, and they should – he’s a malcontent, then Wieting would be eagerly scooped up and given a main roster spot.
Wieting was a back up most of his time in Iowa, behind the likes of Noah Fant and T.J. Hockenson and in 2019 behind true freshmen Sam LaPorta. LaPorta is a highly valued prospect that NFL scouts are already taking an interest in, while Fanta and Hockenson were first-round draft picks. Wieting never had a chance.
A good blocker, Wieting is athletic for a man his size and can play both tight end and fullback if needed. While neither position is one of need at the moment with both being fully stocked, having Wieting as a third-string guy to backup fellow rookie Harrison Bryant and former Pro Bowler and recently-signed starter, Austin Hooper isn’t a bad idea.
He only makes the roster if (when) Njoku gets traded, however. If the team hangs on to the disgruntled former first-round pick, then it’s possible Wieting gets put on the practice squad for the foreseeable future.