Well folks, we’re one step closer to the start of the regular season. All four preseason games are in the books, and the 53-man roster has been finalized. Kevin Stefanski, Andrew Berry and the Cleveland Browns are officially primed and ready for Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals. I know the two words every NFL fan says this time of year. “It’s preseason.” And it’s true to an extent. The games don’t count on the record, and a lot of the guys who play in those games won’t make it to the final roster.
But the preseason does have a purpose. Not only do fans get a look at the starters when they knock the rust off, but they may also get a chance to see some hungry new faces as well. Coaches also get a chance to see what they have to work with, both from expected starters and newcomers.
So, how did the Browns perform this preseason? Let’s get into some of the key storylines, and see just what kind of team we have going into 2023!
Deshaun Watson: QB1
While I think most Browns fans are confident that Deshaun Watson will be the quarterback he’s expected to be, there seemed to be a sizable group of them that put a lot of stock in how he performed coming off his suspension last year. And I will agree with them, it was nothing to write home about. In six games, the Browns went 3-3, while Watson threw seven touchdowns to five interceptions and 1,102 yards.
These definitely aren’t eye-popping numbers. But the main thing I will say to that in response is this: He hadn’t played a full-speed, regular season game in two years. He also didn’t have a full offseason to get accustomed to the Browns’ offensive system or his teammates. Now he’s got all those things under his belt. Whether it was in Puerto Rico right after the Draft, West Virginia during Training Camp, or in Berea as we get closer and closer to Kickoff, Watson has continued to grow and get better, with his most explosive outing coming in the team’s final preseason game against the Chiefs.
He led the Browns on two touchdown drives, including hitting Amari Cooper on a 53-yard strike to set up one of them. All in all, Watson went 5-10 for 92 yards and a touchdown and had a QBR of 115.4. When it mattered most in the final dress rehearsal before the season, he showed up and did what he’s expected to do. Can’t ask for much more than that. And the best part? He’s healthy. It’ll be interesting to see how he performs against Cincinnati’s defense on September 10th at home in Cleveland!
Cade York is gone
Are we really surprised with this one? York struggled for a while. From the back half of last season up to now, it was an adventure whenever he’d line up for a field goal. And even though I like exciting, white-knuckle football games, this is the one area of the game where things should almost never be in any doubt, unless the field goal is 50+ yards. And even at that distance, NFL kickers should make more than they miss.
But unfortunately for Cade York, his brief time as a Cleveland Brown came to an end yesterday. In his career with the Browns, York was 24-32 on field goals, with a long of 58 yards, the game-winner in his rookie season against Baker Mayfield and the Carolina Panthers. But 24-32 is only 75 percent. Kickers should probably be hitting 85-90 percent. At least.
But even beyond the statistics, York often looked flustered, and like he was inside his own head too much. He cost this team at least two games last season. Not to mention he missed at least three game-winning field goals in the preseason. He missed two against the Eagles that should have broken an 18-18 tie and delivered a win for the Browns. And he missed at least one against Kansas City that would have been the difference against the Chiefs. Those were the final nails in his coffin, sadly.
His downfall as a Brown was definitely mental. And you don’t want someone who doubts himself with the game on the line. Especially not with a chance to beat the Steelers, knock off Cincinnati, or winning playoff games and Super Bowls. Like closers in baseball, kickers need to have antifreeze flowing through their veins. They are expected to perform and succeed in the most high-pressure situations. If they can’t do that? They don’t need to be in the NFL
Surprise cut of the preseason: Austin Watkins
I’ve had a chance to look at the finalized 53-man roster, and agree with the vast majority of the players who made it onto the team. But the Browns cutting Austin Watkins over David Bell kind of stumps me. Watkins is a lot faster and more athletic than Bell, and he caught pretty much everything thrown his way.
Throughout the preseason, Watkins caught 16 passes for 257 yards and a pair of touchdowns. His 257 yards led not just the Browns, but all receivers in the league during this part of the season. The team could sign him to the practice squad if they wished to pick him back up, but chances are someone else will grab him very soon. I think Andrew Berry made a mistake with Watkins by letting him go. But this move tells me they still haven’t given up on David Bell. They want to keep one of their homegrown guys since they drafted him in the third round last year.
Finalized 53-man roster
With every game in the books, and all the cuts officially made, here are the 2023 Cleveland Browns:
Quarterbacks
Deshaun Watson
Dorian Thompson-Robinson
Running Backs
Nick Chubb
Jerome Ford
Pierre Strong Jr.
Wide Receivers
Amari Cooper
Marquise Goodwin
Elijah Moore
Donovan Peoples-Jones
Cedric Tillman
David Bell
Tight Ends
David Njoku
Harrison Bryant
Jordan Akins
Offensive Linemen
Joel Bitonio
Jack Conklin
Nick Harris
James Hudson III
Dawand Jones
Ethan Pocic
Wyatt Teller
Jedrick Wills Jr.
Luke Wypler
Defensive Linemen
Myles Garrett
Jordan Elliot
Shelby Harris
Siaki Ika
Isaiah McGuire
Ogbo Okoronkwo
Zadarius Smith
Dalvin Tomlinson
Alex Wright
Linebackers
Anthony Walker
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
Sione Takitaki
Matthew Adams
Mohamoud Diabate
Tony Fields II
Jordan Kunaszyk
Defensive Backs
Denzel Ward
Greg Newsome
Juan Thornhill
MJ Emerson
Grant Delpit
D’Anthony Bell
Mike Ford Jr.
AJ Green
Ronnie Hickman
Rodney McLeod
Cameron Mitchell
Special Teams
Dustin Hopkins (K)
Corey Bojorquez (P)
Charley Hughlett (LS)
This team definitely has the talent to compete with and beat most of the teams on their schedule this year. They can win at least 10 games this season. But being able to win 10 or more games, and actually doing it, are two very different things.
If the Browns take care of business, they’ll make the playoffs, and could challenge for and win the AFC North. It would be their first division title in 34 years. But if they fail to live up to their potential, it would not surprise me if both Andrew Berry and Kevin Stefanski are out of Cleveland very soon. This is where the rubber meets the road. The Browns need to put their money where their mouth is. And it all starts on September 10th at home against the Bengals! GO BROWNS!
Sources: ESPN, Browns Wire, clevelandbrowns.com
Picture Credit: Browns Wire
