1st and Goal: Browns supposed QB competition was more of a dog and pony show!
The Cleveland Browns QB competition between the old and injury prone Deshaun Watson and the young and upcoming second year player Shedeur Sanders wasn’t much of a competition after all. That’s not for lack of effort on Sanders’ part. But the Browns and new coach Todd Monken began really skewing the final outcome of who would be the Week 1 starter in the last two weeks of training camp. This dog and pony show was more of a staged event to try to capture the interest of Cleveland fans.
In the end, it was never going to be Sanders. It was always going to be Watson. Was it the $240 million contract that the Browns gave Watson talking? Absolutely, it was!
It’s unfortunate that the Browns really have never shown interest in trying to develop a quarterback like Sanders. If they were more invested in the young and talented Sanders they should have committed to trying to make him better.
Instead they put on this glamorous staged event that took away valuable time and reps on the field of play that could have only made the young Sanders even better.
So look for Watson to start Week 1. It’s a waste of time and Browns fans know that and that’s what makes this upcoming season hard to get behind.
Monken talks about winning being the most important thing but he forgot you have to win the fans and at least in this supposed QB battle he lost.
2nd and Goal: The Browns defensive secondary depth a big concern
We know Cleveland has two of the best cornerbacks in the NFL in Denzel Ward and Tyson Campbell. They also have a pretty good crew playing at the safety positions in Grant Delpit, Ronnie Hickman and new rookie Emmanuel McNeil Warren.
However, they are lacking in depth at these positions, especially at corner. There have been a few bright spots in rookie UDFA Michael Cotes Jr. who had an interception in the last preseason game.
However, the Browns need to find more talent. The Cleveland GM Andrew Berry may need to make a trade for a player or two. Recently, I suggested that the Browns trade for Carrington Valentine from Green Bay. He’s in his final year of his rookie contract. He was a starter for 11 games a season ago and the Packers may be interested in trading him as they have better depth at the position.
3rd and Goal: The Browns rookies are shining!
New rookies Spencer Fano, KC Concepcion, Emmanuel McNeil-Warren and Denzel Boston have all been playing well at training camp.
Fano, the new Browns left tackle has been going against newly traded for defensive edge Jared Verse during camp and it’s been one of the more entertaining battles. They literally have rumbled during practice throwing punches and all.
Concepcion caught a touchdown pass for the Browns touchdown in the recent preseason game and also took a punt return back for a big 31 yard run back. His teammate in Boston also had a nice catch in the preseason game.
It certainly looks like Concepcion and Boston will be starters and contribute a lot to an offensive that in the past has been stuck in the mud.
4th and Goal: How will the “old” fit with the “new”?
The Browns new head coach Todd Monken is beginning his NFL head coaching career at the ripe old age of 60. His team is made up of mostly young 20 somethings. How will the two things work together?
Time will tell. Right now the coach and players are in the honeymoon stage. The real games haven’t started so they have until then until we find out if this mix sticks.
There has been a lot of praise for Monken to this point of training camp. His personality seems different then the Browns previous coach Kevin Stefanski.
While Monken does come across more vocal, frank and in your face then cool, calm and collected Stefanski, the new “old school” coach will have to start answering the bell once the games actually count.
Right now, it’s all just talk and a lot of people can talk. Let’s see how Monken’s team responds to his demands as the season gets started.
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