The Cleveland Browns already began their buildup for the 2021 season with an impressive 23-13 win over the revamped Jacksonville Jaguars. They will face another rebuilding team in the New York Giants as they host them on their home turf for Week 2 of the preseason.
Kevin Stefanski and his men will definitely use the practice tilt to get accustomed to playing on game speed once again while also allowing the bench players to showcase their capabilities. Despite being a non-bearing game, the Browns' upcoming slate against the Giants will certainly be a physical and entertaining encounter all throughout.
Here are the four bold predictions for the Browns' preseason Week 2 against Big Blue:
4. Cleveland's stars will sit out the majority of the game.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield didn't see action in their first slate against the Jaguars as backups Kyle Lauletta and Case Keenum handled the playmaking duties. This time around, fans may potentially see the QB1 play a few snaps along with the starting offensive line against the Giants.
However, aside from Mayfield, their other top players in Nick Chubb, Jarvis Landry, Odell Beckham Jr., and Myles Garrett may all be sidelined to avoid getting hurt in preseason. The Browns will definitely need Chubb and Landry to be fresh come Week 1 while Beckham Jr. just recovered from a torn ACL injury last season.
Additionally, Garrett has also been slowed down by a hamstring injury that he sustained in camp. Linebacker Grant Delpit, who recently came from a torn Achilles injury and is currently nursing a hamstring injury, will most likely not play as well to serve as a precautionary measure.
All in all, the Browns will need their top players to be in the best shape possible to start the season so Kevin Stefanski would be smart to not let them play in preseason games at all.
3. Unheralded players will make a case for themselves once again.
Without their best players on the field, Cleveland's bench mob will be given sufficient opportunities to showcase their skills on the field. In the game against Jaguars, a handful of rookies made a splash including cornerback Greg Newsome II, safety Richard LeCounte III, and wide receiver Demetric Felton.
Other rookies such as offensive tackle James Hudson and defensive tackle Tommy Togiai are also expected to see action in the trenches for the rest of preseason festivities.
Aside from the first-year players, an under-the-radar talent in pass-catcher Davion Davis stole the spotlight as he notched 56 receiving yards on four touches along with a touchdown scored for the Browns. These players have yet to secure their spots on the final roster but performing well on the field will greatly increase their chances of doing so before heading to the 2021 season.
2. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah will continue to wreak havoc on defense.
Out of all the rookies that played in their first preseason game, no one impressed more than linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. The Notre Dame product was everywhere on the field as he recorded seven total tackles in his first taste of NFL action.
Many people tend to forget that this guy was projected to be a top 15 talent prior to the 2021 NFL Draft. However, reported health issues scared away many teams and thus became a huge factor as to why he fell off the board.
Owusu-Koramoah eventually landed to the Browns with the 52nd pick in the second round and he will continue to prove that Cleveland made a good decision to give him a chance in the big league. If the rookie manages to perform well for the rest of the preseason then he may potentially secure a sizable role within the team for their 2021 campaign.
1. The Browns will run away with a lopsided victory against the Giants.
Based on their first preseason tilts, Kevin Stefanski and his squad were in much better form as they emerged victorious on a 23-13 win against the Jaguars. Meanwhile, Big Blue found themselves on the other end of the stick as they dropped their first preseason tilt against the New York Jets on a 12-7 defeat.
Similar to their previous game against the Jaguars, the Browns remain to be the heavy favorites for their upcoming matchup against the Giants. However, it will certainly be a slugfest due to the recent fight that broke out from their joint practice that involved Browns CB Troy Hill and Giants WR Sterling Shepard.
Despite the history between the two teams, Cleveland is still in a good shape to dominate their counterparts and emerge with their second preseason win come Sunday.
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