We are now on the heels of the second preseason game for the Cleveland Browns as they get set to take on the Washington Commanders. Rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson was all of the talk after his dynamite debut against the New York Jets in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game. However, the starters will play a series or two in this one, so we will have to be patient to see the UCLA product hit the field.
As the banged-up Browns look to stay healthy in their second preseason game, here are six points of emphasis to keep a close eye on tonight.
Can the first teamers at least operate on schedule in limited playing time?
Head coach Kevin Stefanski has stated quarterback Deshaun Watson and the starters will play one or two series against the Commanders tonight. Again, they will keep the playbook minimal and will not disclose too much on tape when the starters take the field. But the question that needs to be answered, however, is: can they operate on schedule, on time, and without any pre-snap issues?
Last week the second and third teamers struggled with presnap alignment. It would be concerning to see the starters have some of those same issues. Even through the air, the playbook will be relatively simple. Can they execute? Can they move the ball down the field? Those will be the biggest takeaways from the starters more so than the box score or flashy plays.
It will once again be the Dorian Thompson-Robinson show
While Watson, Joshua Dobbs, and Kellen Mond will still play in this matchup against the Commanders, the excitement around rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson has been swirling after his lights-out performance against the Jets.
Mond has no shot of making the roster but is still listed above Thompson-Robinson on the depth chart (mainly a seniority thing at this point), but there is no doubt the rookie brings more to the table. The Browns guaranteed Dobbs all of his money this year, but if he does not provide a spark on the field, Thompson-Robinson could even push for the backup job over the next three weeks.
Nonetheless, just the amount of fun he brings to the field brings an unusual excitement to a preseason game, especially late in an exhibition game.
One less DT roster spot open; who will stand out?
The Browns went out and finally added another player of starting quality to their defensive tackle room, inking veteran Shelby Harris to a one-year deal to play next to Dalvin Tomlinson. This means, however, there is one less roster spot for the rest of the defensive tackles to earn.
Rookie third rounder Siaki Ika is a lock to make the roster, leaving just one or two spots (they could roster five defensive tackles) for the likes of Trysten Hill, Maurice Hurst, Jordan Elliott, Tommy Togiai, and Sam Kamara to fight for. The word in Berea is that Hill, while he is now hurt, looked like a real rotational player when he was practicing. Elliott restructured his deal, but his now $1.7 million in guaranteed money is not insurmountable if the Browns want to move on.
The battle is uphill for the likes of Togiai and even Hurst to make their mark on the coaching staff to earn a roster spot. However, there are still three weeks for them to prove their worth to the Browns.
Rookie DEs have a chance to shine with Wright, Thomas sidelined
Both second-year defensive ends Alex Wright and Isaiah Thomas had knee surgery that could sideline them into the regular season. This opens up the door for fourth round pick Isaiah McGuire and undrafted free agents Lonnie Phelps and Jeremiah Martin to put their stamp on the coaching staff and front office.
Do not expect Myles Garrett, Za’Darius Smith, and Ogbo Okoronkwo to play more than two series (maybe three or four for Okoronkwo). This means the young guns will play the majority of the game. McGuire was relatively quiet against the Jets, but can he explode onto the scenes against the Commanders?
Will the Ohio State big boys dominate once again?
It was quite the debut for both rookie Ohio State offensive lineman during the Hall of Fame Game as right tackle Dawand Jones and center Luke Wypler played lights out in the brown and orange. Can they make it two in a row against the Commanders?
Wypler is currently locked in a battle with veteran Nick Harris over the backup center job, with perhaps the edge going to the rookie given his cost-controlled rookie contract versus the last year of Harris’ deal. The Browns already have another versatile offensive lineman in Michael Dunn who can also play center if needed, so it may be stretching it to roster two other centers as well.
Jones and Rodney Hudson III bookended the offensive line last Thursday night and will do so again tonight when the second team takes over. However, the two may also be locked into a battle for the swing tackle job as both Jedrick Wills and Jack Conklin have missed time with injuries in the past.
The transition up I-71 North for both Jones and Wypler has been smooth thus far, but the two will look to stack games.
Cade York has to rebound or the conversation gets dire
The Browns have instilled a ton of faith in Cade York. They drafted him in the fourth round and have not added another kicker to the roster despite his struggles as a rookie. However, if York continues to show a lack of confidence on the field, the Browns will be forced to decide to bring another body into camp.
Despite starting his career on a high note, it has been way more up and down for York. Now with new special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone, can York find that inner confidence and a consistent streak? The ball is in York’s court, or more accurately off his foot, and it is up to him to prove he can be the piece that has been missing since the departure of Phil Dawson.
