The Cleveland Browns defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars in both teams’ first preseason game. The Browns controlled the game from start to finish despite not playing their starters while the Jaguars played many of theirs.
For Cleveland, training camp and preseason games are more about staying injury-free and the back end of the roster than it is about installing schemes. Unfortunately, injuries hit two players during the game. Stephen Carlson will likely miss the entire season with a knee injury while Mack Wilson gets an MRI on his shoulder to figure out the damage.
With those priorities in mind, evaluating the team during the preseason will be interesting. Gone are the days of hoping a player pops off the screen and can be one of the team’s top five to ten players. Instead, the evaluation is about who can take the next step up, who is struggling and could not make the roster and what is learned about the team as a whole.
We start with our Browns stock watch and the positives of which players’ stock went up due to their performance in the game.
LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
(AP Photo/Robert Franklin)
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from the opening preseason game was the performance of Cleveland’s rookie second-round pick. As highlighted here and here, JOK’s speed jumps off the screen against Jacksonville. The Notre Dame linebacker had a sack, darted through the line to blow up a run in the backfield and shut down a screenplay perfectly. He also showed amazing recovery skills after getting beat off the line of scrimmage. In just one game, after missing time in preseason due to COVID-19, Owusu-Koramoah may have put himself in a position to start at linebacker if he keeps it up.
WR Donovan Peoples-Jones
(AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Already the talk of training camp, Donovan Peoples-Jones showed that he could do it in a game as well. DPJ was covered by Shaquill Griffin, one of the better corners in the league who signed a big contract with the Jags this offseason. The second-year wide receiver looked quick, fast and showed off strong hands on his three catches for 26 yards. In short work, the former Michigan receiver proved that all the camp talk was going to translate to the field and give Cleveland options in 2021 and beyond.
Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
Taking over for Case Keenum, who started in place of Baker Mayfield, Kyle Lauletta struggled a little early on but picked it his play quickly. Ending the game completing 19 of 27 passes for over 200 yards and 2 touchdowns, Lauletta took advantage of the talent around him. With good timing, accurate passes and a strong arm, the former New England Patriot draft pick made people take notice with his performance. While unlikely, Lauletta could give the Browns a chance to trade Keenum, if a good offer comes a long, to save cap space, add an asset but not miss much. Lauletta would have to prove a lot in the next couple of weeks for that to even be an option then a team would have to make Cleveland an appropriate offer. For now, Lauletta can celebrate his rising stock after the first preseason game.
Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
It is important to note which Demetric Felton’s stock is up. After the Jaguars game, it is the wide receiver version where he hauled in four passes for 44 yards. He showed good route running, good hands and toughness to take a hit. Felton may be more of a running back this week against the New York Giants as the Browns figure out what he does well at the NFL level. He didn’t have a carry against Jacksonville. Felton, like Peoples-Jones, proved the training camp excitement would translate for him.
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