Cleveland Browns: Notes from the first preseason game
By Peter Smith
The Cleveland Browns finally got to go against another team as their preseason got started against the New Orleans Saints and there is plenty to discuss.
The Cleveland Browns had their first preseason game and got a win against the New Orleans Saints. The win is significant since the Browns won one game out of 20, including the preseason last year in Hue Jackson’s first year. More importantly are the individual performances as players compete for roster spots for the final 53.
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The NFL has changed the way rosters work so that there is only one cut down day, having teams go from 90 to 53 all at once before the season starts. On some level, this is good for players as it means more of them are employed for almost an extra month, but for guys who know they are going to be released and want the opportunity to get signed elsewhere with time to learn their new team’s systems, it is extremely frustrating.
Especially in the first game, the depth chart is not important. There’s a lot of focus on who is playing first, second and third, but outside of established players, the order won’t be representative if they had to play a regular season game as opposed to an exhibition. A coaching staff may specifically want a player in a particular spot to see if they rise to the challenge against the opposing team’s starters or may be getting some respect due to their experience in the league.
In some cases, third string players might be safer than the guys playing above them, but the team. The coaches simply want to see if another player is going to do anything to change their mind, so they put them into the game earlier. So much depends on what the team wants to see, so the depth chart can be manipulated to create those opportunities.
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Lastly, one preseason game does not invalidate a dozen practices. It is one day, even if it’s on television and against another team, to make an impact. These notes are entirely based on this game and might not be necessarily indicative of performance in practices to this point.
Deshone Kizer had the best performance of the quarterbacks, albeit against the weakest competition. He had half a dozen terrific passes, maneuvered in the pocket pretty well and made some big time plays. There was also holding onto the ball too long resulting in two bad sacks, reading slowly and missing some opportunities. A nice first outing and something to build on, but there are still clearly issues to address.
Brock Osweiler looked miserable. He has had very few reps with the ones and it showed. The one exception was the throw in the corner of the end zone, which Kenny Britt caught, but was ruled out of bounds. Overall, the offense didn’t move and looked discombobulated.
Cody Kessler looked like Cody Kessler as a rookie. Accurate and protecting the football, but when he held onto the ball, things went badly in a hurry. He did have one terrific pass down the middle of the field with excellent zip and accuracy, which provided a little hope for his improvement in year two.
Isaiah Crowell’s day in the running game was pretty non-descript. The offensive line got some push but didn’t create big seams for Crowell to make an explosive plays, but he consistently went forward and gained yards.
More importantly for Crowell, he looked good in pass protection, which is something he hadn’t been trusted to do for the Browns in previous years. He picked up some blitzes, gave himself the space necessary to absorb blocks from pass rushers and handled them well. If he can do that consistently and have the team trust him in pass protection, he becomes a true full-service running back and increases his value to perspective teams, including the Browns.
Dan Vitale did a pretty good job as the lead blocker at fullback. This is an area where he struggled in college and did not show particularly well last year. Against the Saints, Vitale was able to lock on to his blocks and in one play in particular, drove the opponent backwards several yards. Vitale has tremendous potential as a runner and receiver, so if this continues, he becomes a weapon as a fullback. An effective lead blocker who can be a threat with the ball in his hands.
Cameron Erving was an absolute mess in pass protection at left tackle. His balance, initial step on the snap and weight distribution were problematic. He always manages to fail in spectacular fashion, so he never does himself any favors.
As awful as he was in pass protection (and it was brutal), he was powerful as a run blocker. Save a counter play where he should’ve had his head inside and lead the back up the field, he was powerful at the point of attack. His pass blocking makes him unplayable currently, but his athleticism and strength in the running game show why the team keeps playing him. The best thing for Cam is to spend the year on the bench as Bob Wylie continues to work with him.
The other thing that helps Erving is Rod Johnson. The team’s fifth-round pick this year struggled in both run and pass protection. Johnson’s failures are less spectacular, but consistent and it hurt both Cody Kessler and Deshone Kizer. In Kizer’s case, Johnson gave up one sack and Kizer avoided his guy on the long throw to Richard Mullaney.
The second team offensive line made up of Johnson, Marcus Martin, Austin Reiter, John Greco and Zach Sterup was pretty average. They didn’t get much push in the running game, but were okay in pass protection, save Rod Johnson. The third unit, which had Johnson, Spencer Drango, Anthony Fabiano, Kitt O’Brien and Matt McCants only had one running play, but got better push there than the second team did on any play.
In regards to Greco, he didn’t look like himself. He’s coming back really quickly from the Lisfranc injury he suffered last year and that might still be limiting him somewhat and he wasn’t bad, but he also wasn’t someone that looked like he could step in play on Sundays right now.
Seth DeValve and Randall Telfer played a ton of reps with David Njoku out with a back issue and the rest of the group didn’t appear to rep at all. DeValve didn’t produce much, but he was consistently able to create separation and had opportunities if quarterbacks were able to get the ball to him.
Telfer has been the team’s best blocking tight end and there is no drop off in that area, but he did show some ability as a receiver against the Saints, catching two passes on three targets. If Telfer can be a viable pass catcher, even if it’s simply making the most basic of plays, it makes him more well rounded and improve the tight end group as a whole.
Myles Garrett was the most impressive player on the entire defense when he was in the game. He demanded double teams, got pressure on the quarterback, chased down a play across the field and got a tackle for loss. Garrett was as advertised and looked like an absolute force for the time he was in the game.
Nate Orchard was only credited with half a sack for the game, but he was able to cause substantial pressure on multiple plays. He used a stutter move, going straight at the opposing blocker, then shooting up the field and using his hands to beat the blocker, cut around the corner and get to the quarterback.
It was a big game for a player in Orchard that could use it. One does wonder if the reason Orchard has been relatively quiet in training camp is his opponents there had time to get used to these moves and counter them. If Orchard has a quiet rest of the preseason, that might be a reason for it.
Trevon Coley showed to be a consistent problem for the Saints. He displayed a great motor, used agility to get opponents off balance, so that he could mix in power and frustrate the opponent. He was able to cause the strip sack that set up a Browns touchdown. An undrafted free agent in an extremely deep group of defensive linemen, it’s difficult to take eyes off of him when he’s on the field and he could be a huge surprise on the final roster if he can continue this disruption.
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Larry Ogunjobi and Xavier Cooper played on the third team. It was instantly clear they outclassed the Saints blockers they were going up against. They were keys on the Browns goal line stand and consistently changed the line of scrimmage toward the end of the game.
Tyrone Holmes played both on the edge and some reps as a 3-technique defensive tackle in the third group. He was able to notch a sack on an inside move where he just blew past his opponent, missed the tackle on the quarterback initially and was able to recover to secure the sack. His athleticism and upside make him a real threat to make this team.
Joe Schobert looks like a starting middle linebacker for what the Browns need. He was able to cause a pass deflection, shuffle over and make a big tackle near the line of scrimmage against the run and showcased his timing on the blitz, notching a sack. It helped that Schobert stepped in after Tank Carder, who struggled with the ones in that role, but Schobert was impressive.
Jamie Meder showed why he’s a difficult cut if that is ultimately the route the Browns choose to go. He bulldozed the center into the quarterback on a sack and did a pretty good job in run defense. Meder will play on Sundays this year; it’s just a question of where.
Briean Boddy-Calhoun had an impressive game. He fanned on one tackle, but was able to cause two impact tackles for loss including the fourth down play near the goal line. At least in that contest, Calhoun looked like a starting corner that had no business playing against backups.
There’s not much to him physically, but Kenneth Olugbode played well. He was very reminiscent of Dominique Alexander last year in preseason, where a player most people don’t know was consistently around the ball and making an impact.
Ricardo Louis and Corey Coleman were able to showcase their ability after the catch. Both were able to make catches, then turn them up the field and gain extra yards. In the case of Louis, he was able to catch a pass and use his legs to get to the first down marker and extend a drive.
Kenny Britt had a forgettable night. He had the block in the back penalty as well as catching the pass in the corner of the end zone where he was unable, perhaps unwilling, to get his second foot down. While his talent is evident, it just didn’t seem like the game was terribly important to Britt and the hope is that changes quickly. If not, calls of him being the new Dwayne Bowe will be swift.
Matthew Dayes’ stats won’t stand out, but he displayed excellent vision on his touchdown. The blocking really didn’t produce much, but Dayes found a hole and got into the end zone. He was drafted largely because of his blocking and receiving ability, but he looked confident as a runner.
The Browns have a number of interesting wide receivers competing for the final spots for that position. Jordan Payton, Richard Mullaney, Jordan Leslie, Rannell Hall, and Josh Boyce were all able to make at least one really nice play on the evening.
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The safety position as a whole was largely invisible. Jabrill Peppers didn’t really play aside from as a returner. Justin Currie had the best play of the group diagnosing a screen, fighting through trash and making tackle. Kai Nacua had one nice play where he diagnosed quickly and tackled an out route as soon as it was caught.
Zane Gonzalez can kick the ball far.