Yahoo Sports Senior NFL Reporter Jori Epstein is out on the road covering training camps. Today’s stop: the Cleveland Browns.
About the QB
Deshaun Watson has been cleared from his 2023 shoulder surgery, participating in all practice drills when not scheduled for a rest day. Head coach Kevin Stefanski told me Watsonâs âmultitude of throwsâ and arm strength are strong, while his accuracy âlooks exactly how it did previously.â That will serve the Brownsâ offensive rebuild well, as they install a system that they believe better accentuates his skill set of RPOs and drop-back passing.
Rookie to watch
Cleveland didnât pick until the second round and didnât pick a skill player until Round 4. Trenchmen take time to develop in the NFL, and the Browns have depth at defensive line. Even so, I expect second-round defensive tackle Mike Hall to work his way into DC Jim Schwartzâs rotation via rushing opportunities on third downs.
Keeping my eye on
The health of the Brownsâ defensive front. Multiple players went down in team drills while I was there, edge rusher Za’Darius Smith even carted off as he grimaced and clutched his left knee. Smith should still be available for the season, but how many nicks can the Brownsâ DL withstand before losing their explosiveness? A banged-up line may wreck Clevelandâs chance to win its division for the first time in 35 years.
Fantasy thought
Amari Cooper isnât going to suddenly play with Tyreek Hillâs speed or Justin Jeffersonâs play strength. But the 10-year vet hauled in a career-high 1,250 yards with four quarterbacks last year and is healthier than he ever was in Dallas, he tells me. Believing heâs leveraging skill more than talent to dominate, Cooper doesnât expect a dropoff entering his 30s. After watching him amass seven 1,000-yard seasons, why should we?
What I saw that was interesting
The Browns unveiled their new weight room and training facility Monday, and the walkthrough space impressed me. Two 25-yard-wide screens allow Cleveland to project game film or Madden-like opponent alignments to create opportunities for more kinesthetic learning. A little less sitting time looms.
Wild card
Itâs tough to say what the Browns offense will show us with head coach Kevin Stefanski and offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey calling plays. But what I donât think theyâll show us is repetitive, vanilla plays. Players, coaches and execs alike described a high-volume playbook ahead of diverse game plans to capitalize on scheme and matchups. I expect a higher-tempo system than last year.
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