Monday leftovers

It is now certain that one of the most important roster decisions Andrew Berry will make in the next few weeks involves a parade of candidates.

The Browns general manager is now tasked with finding a placekicker after Cody Parkey yanked a quadricep muscle sometime Sunday in the exhibition victory over the New York Giants and was placed on injured reserve.

Chase McLaughlin, with whom Parkey was dueling in training camp, is still around, but you can bet he won't be lonesome for long. The young National Football League journeyman -- the Browns are his eighth team since 2019 --  will soon have company.

This is a position that has gained in importance incrementally since the club's offense has graduated to dangerous status. Great teams, as a rule, have great kickers, or at least kickers who can make a difference in close games. In other words . . . clutch.

McLaughlin, who booted a 49-yard field goal that would have been good from 60 in the Giants' victory, does not fit that profile. He has missed six of 28 attempted field goals in his career, five of them between 40 and 49 yards. Consistency is not his calling card.

The Browns need a stone-cold kicker with icy veins you know, not hope, you know can be counted on to deliver in the clutch. Automatic Phil Dawson was such a kicker for the Browns for all those barren seasons. Unfortunately, he didn't get much help from the offense.

The need for this team to secure the services of such a kicker cannot be understated. That's why it is incumbent on Berry and his staff to scour as never before to bring in kickers off the street, if need be, to make certain this element of the team is not left wanting. 

Surely there are many placekickers lurking out there in the vast landscape of free agency who can come in at virtually a moment's notice in an effort to further their NFL careers. Berry & Co. need to find them with the regular season less than three weeks away.

Who knows? Maybe McLaughlin eventually turns out to be the man. Now that Parkey has been removed from the picture, he nevertheless needs to be challenged even more. 

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It has become more than obvious that Greedy Williams cannot stay healthy. The cornerback is an injury waiting to happen at any time. All of which means he is becoming worthless as he attempts to resume his career. Playing football doesn't seem to agree with his body.

The 2019 second-round draft choice did bank 12 games in his rookie season after missing the first four with hamstring issues. A nerve problem in his neck and shoulder area shelved him the entire 2020 season. 

He fought his way back to the point where the club hoped he could play this season, but hamstring problems reappeared for a short time in training camp. He got the green light in the Giants exhibition, but exited after just 10 snaps with a groin injury.

It reminded me of the catchphrase the late Gilda Radnor used to say on Saturday Night Live as the character Roseann Rosannadanna when things seemingly went wrong.. "It's always something," she would say. 

Yep, that's Williams. If it's not one thing, it's another. When the groin heals, and there is no guarantee it will heal quickly, what's next? A knee? An elbow? A concussion? As it stands now, rookie Greg Newsome II has won the cornerback job opposite Denzel Ward almost by default. 

It will be interesting to see how patient the Browns are with Williams' visits to the dressing room to check out the latest problem. In order to be productive, he needs to steer clear of the dressing room and contribute. Whether that happens is the big question.

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It is virtually certain Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (JOK) will be in the starting lineup in the season opener at Kansas City. The rookie linebacker, who flashed brilliantly in the opening exhibition in Jacksonville, started the Giants game, but was pulled after14 snaps.

Now that Jacob Phillips is through for the season (torn biceps) and Mack Wilson and Sione Takitaki are nursing lesser injuries, JOK is almost a lock to start at weakside linebacker with occasional trips to the slot in certain packages to cover the slot receiver.

Elijah Lee picked up the slack with a team-leading nine tackles (only four solo), along with veteran Malcolm Smith and Willie Harvey Jr., each booking six tackles. Lee and cornerback Brian Allen combined on a key stop on a two-point attempt by the Giants.

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Based on his performance against the Giants, keep an eye on defensive tackle Malik McDowell. Off-the-field baggage has kept him from playing in the NFL until now. He has never played in the league after Seattle drafted him in 2017.

The Browns signed him as a free agent earlier this year. He did not play in the opening exhibition, but made up for it with a five-tackle, one-sack, two-quarterback-hits performance against New York and was a general fecal disturber against the Giants' running game.

Would like to see more of the former Michigan State Spartan in the final exhibition in Atlanta on national television Sunday night. The Browns could use all the help they can get at the defense's weakest area.

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Finally . . . The Browns have an embarrassment of riches at running back. John Kelly ran like Leroy Kelly against the Giants with 58 yards in nine carries and a tackle-busting 21-yard run with a flat pass, but he bucks long odds to make the final 53-man roster. D'Ernest Johnson most likely will be Nick Chubb's relief on occasion. . . . Fullback Johnny Stanton IV sent a message to the coaching staff while displaying his versatility. The former quarterback played a little tight end, strictly blocking, and caught two passes for 33 yards. "Looking for a fourth tight end?" he seemed to say. "Here I am." Versatility like that could land him on the final roster. . . . Donovan Peoples-Jones  caught the only pass directed his way early in the game, but emerged with a highlight grab. Case Keenum delivered the pass late, forcing the wide receiver to reach back nearly three or four yards to haul it in one-handed for a 13-yard pickup. . . . Keenum also delivered an absolute dime to KhaDarel Hodge for the club's first touchdown on the opening drive, a seven-yard strike deep in the end zone corner that only Hodge could catch.