Cleveland Browns: 5 Players with something to prove vs. Buccaneers
4. D’Ernest Johnson, RB
With Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt receiving limited preseason work to this point, the door has been opened for AAF standout D’Ernest Johnson to step up and make a name for himself. He’s taken full advantage of that opportunity to this point, rushing for 71 yards on 15 carries and catching three passes for 26 yards and a touchdown.
More from NFL Spin Zone
- Dallas Cowboys made the trade everyone else should have made
- Pittsburgh Steelers rookie sleeper everyone should be talking about
- Anthony Richardson putting jaw-dropping talent on display immediately
- Denver Broncos’ stud wide receiver might be out for a while
- Washington Commanders: Three takeaways from win over Ravens
Particularly with Hunt suspended for the first eight games of the season, Johnson is trying to prove that he’s not just worthy of a spot on the 53-man roster but that he should play a role in the offense when the regular season comes around. Another strong performance from the running back and it’ll be hard for Kitchens and Todd Monken to deny him that chance.
3. Braxton Miller, WR
The Browns may be playing their starters but without Beckham and due to a couple of injuries, we could get a quality look at the wide receiver depth in Cleveland. As such, new addition Braxton Miller should get plenty of reps in this offense to prove what he can do. With only two preseason games to showcase his talents, this could be a big moment for the former Texan and Ohio State quarterback.
Miller has 34 catches for 261 yards and two touchdowns in 21 career NFL games since being a third-round pick by Houston back in 2016. He’s not a polished wide receiver still but the athletic traits that he possesses are still enticing. Kitchens and the offense will likely look to get him involved a lot in this game on Friday, and it’ll be intriguing to see how he acquits himself when the ball is thrown his way.