With the preseason halfway done, teams are usually expected to ramp up the snaps for their starters before sitting them out of the finale in preparation for the 2019 NFL season. It appears Cleveland Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens does not agree with this idea.
The Browns have taken precautions with some of their key players thus far. According to Scott Petrak of The Chronicle-Telegram, Kitchens does not feel their third preseason matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers does not hold any significance:
Browns Freddie Kitchens not “sold” on idea of 3rd preseason game being dress rehearsal. Other ways to prepare team for season
The Browns opted to sit their first-team offense out of their Week 2 preseason tilt against the Indianapolis Colts. Meanwhile, all but three starters on defense were held out of the game due to undisclosed injuries. It appears they may be taking things on a game-by-game basis heading into the regular season.
Kitchens could be looking to find a middle ground between getting key players snaps while shoring up enough to time for backups to establish a role for themselves. Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay has opted to sit out the majority of his starters for the entire preseason. Although the Rams endure their fair share of struggles early on like any other team, this approach clearly did not result in any lingering effects after they went the Super Bowl last year.
With expectations as high as ever going into the 2019 campaign, Kitchens' primary goal is to ensure that all his star power is intact for a potential playoff run.
Follow Us
Subscribe