The Cleveland Browns will soon commence Training Camp, as ton of uncertainty still looms over the franchise as the team waits to hear how long starting quarterback Deshaun Watson will be suspended.
Rookies report Friday, while the first-full squad session is set for Wednesday, July 27.
The goal for the preseason is always for the starters to get through without injury, but the 2022 Camp/Preseason slate is an important one–especially on offense.
While Kevin Stefanski keeps play calling duties, he’ll be introducing several new weapons on offense, as the era of Baker Mayfield, Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham is now just a memory.
Here’s five Browns that really need to get reps in during the preseason to ensure Cleveland doesn’t lay a dud with Baker Mayfield awaiting his vengeance game in Week 1.
1. Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson
Even if Deshaun Watson is suspended, he’s eligible to play in the preseason, and considering Watson hasn’t played since the 2020 campaign, he should probably take some snaps.
I guess the caveat here is if the looming suspension is for the entire season. No need to play in then.
If he’s out eight games, all the more reason to play him. He can start, or it even makes sense to have him backup Brissett.
Jacoby needs to work with the first team and it wouldn’t be fair to him to have him only work with the backups if he’s going to be QB1 for the first half of the season.
For what it’s worth, it’s being reported that the Browns are working out A.J. McCarron and Josh Rosen. Important, as the Browns look to add depth to the quarterback room ahead of the potential suspension.
2. Cleveland Browns QB Jacoby Brissett
The reason to play Jacoby Brissett is obvious. He needs to be up-to-speed with Kevin Stefanski’s offense ahead of Cleveland’s Week 1 match-up against the Panthers.
You know Baker Mayfield is coming out fired up…so this can’t be a time for Brissett to try and figure things out. That means play him and get him ready for game action.
Of course, this decision currently comes with risk, as the inexperienced Josh Dobbs is still set to start the season as Brissett’s backup assuming Watson is ineligible to play.
I guess you could go ahead and throw Dobbs into the mix to play as well, as he’ll need reps as well. Hopefully, the Browns add someone else before the start of training camp to solidify the position.
I assume they’ll hold off on this until they find out how long Watson will be out.
3. Cleveland Browns WR Anthony Schwartz
Schwartz will turn 22 just six days before the start of the season and while we’ve heard a lot about his speed, it’s time to see him perform on the field.
Can he be a viable, every down threat for Cleveland? The truth is he needs to be because the Browns receiving corps just doesn’t have anyone who can match his speed.
Schwartz really needs to do some basic things, which should help his confidence. Catch a couple balls on a series. Catch a first down. Catch two firsts downs. Hit on a deep ball. All of these things will be a good indication of what we can expect from him in 2022.
Of course, Schwartz is currently remembered for one of the biggest “What Ifs” in Cleveland sports lore. What if he had made a better effort on that Baker Mayfield pass and Baker doesn’t try to take down the interceptor, tearing his labrum in the process.
4. Cleveland Browns WR David Bell
Losing Jarvis Landry means the Browns are looking for a possession receiver and based off their moves this offseason, GM Andrew Berry has tapped David Bell for the job.
Having played Big Ten ball at Purdue has certainly seen Bell go against some top corner prospects, particularly at Ohio State, but of course, the NFL is a different beast.
Game reps will be invaluable to Bell, who will likely be going up against players from other teams who are fighting to make a roster. That’s fine, to start, because if he can’t get open against them, we’re all in trouble.
The Browns traded for Amari Cooper, which helps fill the void left by Odell Beckham and Jarvis Landry, and while Donovan Peoples-Jones is expected to rebound after a disappointing 2021 campaing, Cleveland looks to be counting on Bell, which is a strange thing to say about a third-round pick on a team that has playoff aspirations.
Cleveland Browns K Cade York
When we get past the first team phase of preseason games, coach Kevin Stefanski may want to use every opportunity he can to test new kicker Cade York.
Really, no remembers who wins preseason games, so if the Browns can get York to the point where he’s making significant kicks in November and December, the summer effort will have been well worth it.
Unfortunately, kicking in Cleveland during August and December are nothing a like, but like with the other rookies on this list, there’s no substitution for game speed, even if you’re kicking in the fourth quarter against guys who will likely be cut.
The early reports from min-camp on York all sounded good, but we’ll have a better idea of where he’s at once the preseason gets rolling.