The Cleveland Browns are entering the 2019 season in unchartered waters as they have legitimate expectations. After being the laughing stock of the NFL for decades, Cleveland are now contenders in the AFC.
Earlier this offseason, in a blockbuster move, the Browns traded for Odell Beckham Jr. from the New York Giants. Once that happened, there were instant projections for Cleveland this year.
Last season, the Browns seemed destined for another abysmal season with Hue Jackson leading the way. That was until Baker Mayfield stepped in as the starter in Week 3 against the Jets.
Before Mayfield came off of the bench, the Jets led the game with a score of 14-3 at halftime. Then, Mayfield worked his magic and helped the Browns secure a 21-17 victory in his first NFL game.
His play would improve throughout the season as he threw for a rookie-record 27 touchdown passes. Alongside Mayfield, rookie Nick Chubb and Denzel Ward helped give the Browns a star-studded 2018 NFL Draft class.
Besides the move for Beckham Jr., the team also promoted Freddie Kitchens from being the offensive coordinator to being the head coach. The Browns have already begun their first training camp under Kitchens and will have their first preseason game on Thursday.
Here are three storylines to pay close attention to in the Browns' Week 1 preseason against the Washington Redskins.
3. Where is Greedy Williams Currently at?
Last year, the Browns drafted Denzel Ward with the fourth-overall pick out of Ohio State. In his rookie season, Ward immediately contributed to the defense and showed he was worth his draft position.
This year, the Browns drafted Greedy Williams out of LSU in hopes to pair him with Ward to form a lockdown duo. Although Williams was a second-round selection and will need to get up to speed with the Browns defense before he sees the field.
On Monday, the Browns released their first depth chart and Williams is currently listed as the fourth cornerback on the roster. That shows that Williams will need to continue to improve to earn his way into the starting lineup.
Fans in Cleveland will be able to see where their rookie cornerback currently is in Steve Wilks' new defense. When Thursday comes, Williams will need to show signs of growth as the Browns take on the Redskins.
2. The Wide Receivers Aside from Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry
As we all know, Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry are both going to be key cogs in the Browns offense this season. Behind them, multiple young receivers will need to step up to help the offense further.
Currently, Antonio Callaway, Rashard Higgins, and Jaelen Strong are listed as the three receivers behind Beckham Jr. and Landry. All three of those guys have a chance at becoming the slot receiver as the team advances towards the regular season.
Last year, Callaway and Higgins showcased their deep-threat ability in the offense. This offseason, the Browns added Strong after he missed the entire 2018 season due to injury.
When the Browns take the field on Thursday, it will be interesting to see how Kitchens decides to deploy the wide receivers outside of their two star-wideouts.
1. The Offensive Line
Last season, the Browns had one of the NFL's best offensive lines. As a team, Cleveland allowed 38 sacks, which was 19th-best in the NFL.
Now, coming into this season, there are some question marks that weren't surrounding the offensive line in 2018. Most notably, the team traded Kevin Zeitler to the Giants in a separate deal from the Beckham Jr. trade. The deal landed Olivier Vernon for the Browns.
This season, the team is deciding to move forward with Greg Robinson as the starting left tackle beside Joel Bitonio. Robinson started in the last eight games for the Browns, but it remains to be seen if he can be the long-term solution for Cleveland.
Plus, replacing Zeitler will not be easy as the Browns will turn to second-year player, Austin Corbett, to get the first opportunity at right guard. J.C. Tretter and Chris Hubbard return at center and right tackle respectively.
As exciting as the Browns offense can be, the play of the offensive line will be crucial to their success in 2019.
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