The Cleveland Browns have been known to have one of the most passionate and most loyal fan bases in the NFL. That explains the frustration of the fan base, who have been clamoring for a winning product for many years and almost never get anything close to that. However, the Browns are building around a solid nucleus of talented young players.
After suffering through several coaches and general managers, Cleveland seems to have found their footing with Andrew Berry, Kevin Stefanski, and an analytically-based approach. That is one of the reasons for optimism in Berea. Cleveland has done an excellent job of accumulating young talent over the last few years, both through the draft and free agency. However, the roster still has holes and they could still upgrade certain positions as they climb out of the cellar of the AFC North. As they currently sit at 3-1, here are five players Browns fans should watch this weekend:
Kyle Trask, QB, Florida
#4 Florida at #21 Texas A&M 12:00 p.m. ET
The jury is still out on Baker Mayfield. Cleveland could bring in another quarterback in the event that they conclude that Mayfield and his turnovers are holding their offense back. Creating competition at key positions is ultimately the goal anyway. They will likely play themselves out of contention for any of the big three quarterbacks and Trask could be a late riser and a candidate to be a good addition to their quarterback room. He’s played well so far and his ability to take care of the football so far this season would be a breath of fresh air in Berea.
Joseph Ossai, EDGE, Texas
Oklahoma at #22 Texas 12:00 p.m. ET
Cleveland has added some inside pass-rush with Sheldon Richardson, Larry Ogunjobi, and Jordan Elliott. They have been looking for another young edge defender to develop opposite of Myles Garrett. Ossai brings length and athleticism to the edge. He’s still raw and may be a bit underdeveloped as a pass-rusher, but with his athleticism and length, his upside is tremendous. With Cleveland’s formidable defensive line, he could see many one-on-one opportunities on the edge.
Eric Stokes, CB, Georgia
#14 Tennessee at #3 Georgia 3:30 p.m. ET
You can’t have enough corners in the NFL. Both Greedy Williams and Denzel Ward have spent time on IR. Giving Cleveland another outside corner could also allow Denzel to play more nickel in sub-package situations. Stokes brings some size and big-game experience having played in the SEC. He would be a more physical press corner with the size to match up with the bigger wide receivers in the AFC North.
Richard LeCounte III, S, Georgia
#14 Tennessee at #3 Georgia 3:30 p.m. ET
Currently, the Browns’ starting safeties are Karl Joseph and Andrew Sendejo. Both are good assets against the run. However, the NFL is a passing league where defenders that can cover are an invaluable asset. LeCounte III brings some coverage upside at safety and has the ball skills to be a starter in that secondary.
Dimitri Moore, LB, Vanderbilt
South Carolina at Vanderbilt 12:00 p.m. ET
The linebacker unit is the weakest unit on the Browns defense. Moore could be a later-round pickup as a three-down linebacker that has the potential to be an asset in the passing game and a potential starter at WILL. Having linebackers with the speed and athleticism to compete in the passing game, makes the defense more versatile and more multiple overall.
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