8 biggest questions entering Browns training camp
Cleveland Browns training camp kicks off with the rookies reporting on Friday and the full team convening shortly thereafter. The Browns head to Berea for Kevin Stefanski’s third season as head coach with quite a few questions.
The biggest of those is what happens with QB Deshaun Watson, but that’s a greater question than can be answered in training camp. My questions for the Browns deal more with things that can be resolved in training camp and the three preseason games.
Here are the top questions for the Browns to answer on the practice field in training camp.
Can Nick Harris be effective at center?
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Harris is taking over for veteran stalwart JC Tretter, who remains unsigned after the Browns parted ways with their longtime starter.
In Harris’ two seasons in Cleveland, we’ve seen some promising moments and some rough patches in his 214 career offensive snaps. Now he’s being tasked with centering a precise timing offense while learning to snap to a bunch of different QBs. And while he has a veteran safety net in Ethan Pocic, the Browns are clearly depending on Harris to rise to the challenge.
How much progress from the young WRs?
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Rookie David Bell is part of this conversation as well, but the third-rounder from Purdue is more of an unknown commodity by default.
The bigger question is how much the Browns can rely upon Donovan Peoples-Jones and Anthony Schwartz. Now entering his third season, Peoples-Jones projects as a starter opposite Amari Cooper. “DPJ” took a decent jump in his second season in Cleveland with 34 receptions and three TDs, but those numbers will need to significantly uptick for the Browns passing game to work.
Schwartz is more of a wild card. His world-class speed didn’t translate into production as a third-round rookie. Schwartz managed just 10 receptions on 23 targets in 14 games. I’m among the hopeful for a big jump, but we need to see it quickly from Schwartz.
What do the Browns have behind Jacoby Brissett at QB?
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The presumption is Jacoby Brissett will start at least some games in place of Deshaun Watson. Brissett is a veteran with lots of starting experience and a capable leader for the offense.
But what if he gets hurt?
Josh Dobbs is a brilliant mind, but his football play hasn’t shone nearly as well as his rocket scientist academics. His very limited NFL in several seasons with the Steelers and Jaguars has proven Dobbs is closer to being out of the league than a reliable backup.
It would be reassuring if Dobbs showed quick mastery of the Browns offense. Just in case…because he’s the only other option.
Who are all these guys fighting to be the No. 3 tight end?
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The days of tremendous tight end depth are gone. Austin Hooper (thankfully) moved on, as did Stephen Carlson. Pharaoh Brown, Ricky Seals-Jones, Demetrius Harris, all long gone.
Cleveland has a very good top two in David Njoku and Harrison Bryant, but now the depth chart behind them is completely unknown. I have no idea who will step up and seize the No. 3 TE job out of the mix that includes:
Miller Forristall
Zaire Mitchell-Paden
Marcus Santos-Silva
Nakia Griffin-Stewart
Throw utility back Johnny Stanton, who could very well be the emergency QB as well, into the mix. Special teams will be the primary decider, but it would be nice if the Browns found someone functional in both blocking and receiving out of that group.
Can anyone emerge as an impact player at DT?
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The Browns have devoted a lot of mid-level resources to solving the ongoing DT problem. But it’s still the biggest problem area on Joe Woods’ defense.
Someone has to step up. Could it be Jordan Elliott in his third season? Rookie Perrion Winfrey or the man who was his closest draft scouting report comparison, newcomer Taven Bryan? Maybe a healthy Sheldon Day? Perhaps second-year Tommy Togiai?
Someone. Anyone. Please.
Where does Martin Emerson fit into the secondary?
I was a big fan of the Browns pulling the draft-day trigger on Emerson. His game tape at Mississippi State was strong and he fits the profile of what Stefanski, GM Andrew Berry and this Browns team want: smart, tough, consistent.
But where does he play? The outside CB role he’s best-suited for is the deepest position on the roster. He’s not beating out Denzel Ward, Greg Newsome, Greedy Williams or likely even A.J. Green. Emerson is leggy and doesn’t have the greasy hips or fast feet to project easily into the slot role.
I’m interested to see if the Browns give Emerson reps in the heavy nickel role that normally projects to safety Ronnie Harrison. Or are they comfortable with giving Emerson the NFL equivalent of a redshirt year and we only see him on special teams? Camp and preseason will determine Emerson’s fate.
What do the new pass rushers bring to the Browns?
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Chase Winovich and Alex Wright constitute the projected second-team pairing at DE. Both are new to Cleveland and how they fit behind Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney is one big question the Browns must solve in the next few weeks.
Winovich never materialized into the forceful pass rusher the Patriots wanted him to be as a third-round pick in the 2019 NFL draft. He bagged 5.5 sacks in each of his first two seasons, but his lackluster run defense and predictability as a pass rusher saw him lose reps in 2021.
Wright is a pure pass rusher as a rookie. Taken one draft slot (78th) overall three years later than Winovich, Wright has a lot more physical tools than actual technical proficiency at this point. If he’s not ready for prime time–and that’s a distinct possibility–can the Browns count on Isaac Rochell or Curtis Weaver, or will they need to make a panic signing for outside help? Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.
Can we trust the health of the offensive tackles?
(AP Photo/Gail Burton)
Left tackle Jedrick Wills and right-side counterpart Jack Conklin are a strong starting tackle tandem. When they’re healthy, which unfortunately was not the case in 2021.
Wills missed four games but was clearly limited in several others with a bum ankle that forced him out of Week 1. He’s not a player who has shown he can perform up to snuff while not 100 percent healthy in his two seasons in Cleveland, not yet anyway.
Conklin played just seven games, missing a few games with a dislocated elbow and then a torn patellar tendon. Those are major injuries for a player with his aggressive style of blocking. The Browns sorely need Conklin to be back to the All-Pro form he showed in 2020.
Backups Chris Hubbard and Alex Taylor have dealt with their own share of injury problems. Second-year James Hudson is primed to be ready, but that would require a big jump in his development.
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