Amari Cooper, Cade York highlight five new faces to watch as Cleveland Browns open training camp
BEREA – There's a lot of familiar faces on the Browns this season. The continuity is why there's some optimism within the organization for what they could possibly accomplish.
However, as always, there's new faces in the building as well. Those new faces are going to have their own say in what happens for the Browns during the season.
Obviously, the biggest of those new faces is Deshaun Watson, who plays arguably the most important position in sports. His availability due to a potential suspension due to any personal conduct policy violations stemming from the more than two dozen allegations of sexual misconduct while getting massages will have the biggest impact of all on the Browns' season.
That is well-documented and well-understood. What follows is a look at five other new faces on the Browns who figure to be very important in their own ways throughout the season.
Amari Cooper, wide receiver
Whether it's Watson or Jacoby Brissett or whomever throwing the passes, there needs to be someone to catch them. The Browns went out in the offseason to provide them with a No. 1 option when they acquired Cooper from the Dallas Cowboys, sending a fifth-round pick while swapping sixth-rounders in April's draft. The 2015 first-round pick out of Alabama by the Raiders, Cooper is a four-time Pro Bowl selection and has caught 517 passes on 818 targets for 7,076 yards and 46 touchdowns. Last season with the Cowboys, Cooper had 68 catches on 104 targets for 865 yards and eight touchdowns. He'll be asked to both be the No. 1 option and the veteran leadership needed in a mostly-young receivers room.
Cade York, kicker
If you're drafting a kicker in the fourth round, you're doing so because you believe strongly the individual can have an impact the way Even McPherson did for the Cincinnati Bengals on their way to the Super Bowl. Kicker has been a black hole of sorts for the Browns since Phil Dawson departed following the 2012 season. The strong-legged York is seen as the answer to all of those issues. In his three years at LSU, he made 15-of-19 kicks from 50 yards or more, including a career-long 57-yarder to beat Florida – with McPherson on the other sideline – in a thick fog in Gainesville. York was 54 of 66 on fields goals and 164 of 168 on extra points in his career. Now, he's being asked to be the one who can finally end a decade-long quest to fill Dawson's shoes.
David Bell, wide receiver
The Browns watched Jarvis Landry depart this offseason when they released him. What they did was go out in the third round of the draft and find someone they hope can eventually fill those large shoes in the Purdue product Bell. The college production certainly indicates he's capable of it, with 232 catches for 2,946 yards and 21 touchdowns, and a career drop rate of just 4.7% (11 total drops). That includes a program-best 17 career 100-yard receiving games and an FBS-leading 101.6 receiving yards per game in his three collegiate seasons. In the controlled environment of OTAs and minicamp, Bell showcased that ability to grab everything. If that continues on into training camp and the regular season, it may just help to soften the loss of the consummate pro Landry.
Taven Bryan, defensive tackle
One area the Browns have not broken the bank for in free agency has been at the interior defensive line position. By and large, it's been fliers like Malik Jackson or Sheldon Day that have complemented the defensive tackles they've acquired. Bryan is the latest version of that. The Browns signed him as a free agent following four seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars. A Florida product, Bryan started 17 of 63 games with the Jaguars, compiling 86 tackles, 5½ sacks, 15 quarterback hits, a forced fumble and one pass defensed. He's being counted on to join the likes of Browns draftees Jordan Elliott, Tommy Togiai and Perrion Winfrey, another new face, to provide a stout presence in the middle of the defensive front.
Jakeem Grant Sr., wide receiver/return man
The Browns averaged 7.2 yards on 47 punt returns and 20.7 yards on 40 kickoff returns last season. What they're banking on is Grant to help give those numbers a nice bump. A free-agent signing from the Chicago Bears, Grant has averaged 10.3 yards with four touchdowns on 119 punt returns and 24.5 yards and two scores on 110 kickoff returns. Grant is primarily being looked upon as a weapon in the return game, but he'll also give another veteran presence in the receivers room. A seventh-year pro, Grant has caught 100 career passes for 1,140 yards and seven scores.
Contact Chris at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com.
On Twitter: @ceasterlingABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Amari Cooper, Cade York among new faces to watch as Browns open camp
