Good to be wrong

A moment please before beginning while I scrape all the egg off my countenance. Make that a couple of moments. Thank you.

After the Browns placed Austin Watkins Jr. on waivers Tuesday and made him available to the other 31 National Football League teams as they pared the roster to the mandated 53-man limit, fans were upset. I thought for sure he was gone.

But no one, to the surprise -- and subsequent delight -- of those who also believed the club's training camp star was gone, picked him up. Not one bite in spite of the fact Watkins put up 16 receptions of 257 yards,  a couple of touchdowns and numerous clutch catches in four exhibition games.

What's going on here? Is there something new in talent evaluation I missed? Is there a reason numbers like that aren't rewarded? Were there flaws in his performances I missed? 

Surely there had to be someone out on the NFL landscape paying attention to what Watkins was accomplishing. What didn't they see that we all did? 

Is there something we don't know about Watkins? Any off-the-field misbehavior that would scare off scouts? Is he too old at 25? Guess we'll never find out.

Better to enjoy what did not happen and be thankful his presence gives the Browns depth in the event any member of the extremely talented wide receivers room runs into physical problems. Watkins is now one injury away from suiting up.

***

The 15-man practice squad is comprised of Watkins and 11 training-camp teammates thought of highly enough to be invited back after clearing waivers. Quarterback P. J. Walker and offensive lineman Alex Leatherwood also were signed after being cut by the Chicago Bears.

Leatherwood is an interesting case. He played left tackle on the other side of the line from Jedrick Wills Jr. of the Browns at Alabama for a couple of seasons and was drafted as a tackle by the Las Vegas Raiders (17th) in the first round of the 2021 college lottery. 

Problems playing the position at the NFL level caused the Raiders to move him inside at guard as a rookie where he played all 17 games. His problems continued there, too, and the Raiders in a highly unusual move cut the cord after just one season. The Bears picked him up, but he logged just four games last season after missing time with mononucleosis and other injuries. They released him a few days ago.

Cleveland will be Leatherwood's third team in three seasons. In two short years, he is on his way to becoming an NFL vagabond at the age of 24. Guessing here the Browns will make him Bill Callahan's next project in an effort to halt the journey.

The highly-regarded offensive line coach, whose units with the Browns annually receive high praise as one of the league's best, is known for molding and developing struggling linemen, turning them into productive pieces.

Walker, a savvy four-year veteran, was signed to the PS instead of Kellen Mond. He most likely will become the scout team quarterback, whose important job is to simulate the tendencies of that week's opposing quarterback.

New kicker Dustin Hopkins will be backed up on the PS by Lucas Havrisik, who  previously was in camp with the Indianapolis Colts.

***

To no one's surprise, except maybe the Browns', Cade York is now a member of the Tennessee Titans practice squad. He, again surprisingly, cleared waivers and could have re-signed with Cleveland, but chose instead to head back down south.

York returning to Cleveland would have shocked me. He would have been placed on the practice squad behind newly-acquired Dustin Hopkins. Putting myself in his position, why would I want go come back to all that aggravation? That ship sailed the second he was placed on waivers.

"I think you can understand him maybe wanting to go somewhere else and maybe get a breath of fresh air," said Glenn Cook, the Browns' VP/Personnel. Ya think?

York might have to wait a little while to get his chance at retribution. The Titans, as the Browns, have struggled in the kicking department, so they traded the other day for 40-year-old Nick Folk.

***

And finally . . . Say goodbye to cornerback A. J. Green III and welcome fellow corner Khalef Hailassie, the only player thus far claimed off waivers from Kansas City. Apparently General Manager Andrew Berry saw something he liked from the undrafted rookie. Maybe it Hailassie's three solo tackles in the Chiefs' 33-32 victory in the exhibition finale last Saturday.

Hardly knew ye

Surprised Austin Watkins Jr. won't wear the Seal Brown and Orange this season? So was I. Disappointed, too.

Despite a terrific, eye-opening training camp, the big wide receiver failed to make the Browns' final roster cut Tuesday. Fans wondered why. Me, too.

The Browns, perhaps to mollify angry fans, say they'd love to bring Watkins back to the practice squad after he clears waivers in the next 24 or so hours. Fat chance. Every National Football League team has tape of the second-best receiver during the league's exhibition season. 

That tape showed Watkins with 16 receptions for 257 yards and two touchdowns in four games. He was also first in total yards, average yards per catch, average yards per game and second in yards after the catch.

He won't clear waivers. 

FYI, Chicago tops the waiver list, followed by Houston, Arizona, Indianapolis, Denver, Los Angeles Rams, Las Vegas,  Atlanta, Carolina and New Orleans. If you're concerned Watkins night wind up elsewhere in the AFC North, Pittsburgh is 17th, Baltimore is 23rd and Cincinnati is 29th.

After calming down, I got to thinking, trying to rationalize why the Browns' brass made this decision and concluded Watkins was a victim of a loaded wide receivers room. Quarterback Deshaun Watson should prosper with the talent in that room.

If this was last season, Watkins would have been a lock to make the final 53. Just a case of bad timing for the player and the team. There is no question General Manager Andrew Berry, head coach Kevin Stefanski and the coaching staff thought -- and probably argued -- long and hard before the final verdict.

Guessing it came down to Watkins or David Bell for the final spot. Watkins has more natural talent and makes plays. Bell was a very reliable receiver at Purdue, but didn't get many looks in his rookie NFL season. The big difference probably came down to special teams, where Bell excelled last season.

He saw only 35 targets all last season. Caught 24 (69%) for 214 yards and seven first downs. With the arrival of Moore and Goodwin, he might be targeted even less this season. Watkins would have booked plenty of bench time outside of special teams.

Another factor might have been trying to figure out how much Watkins would see the field. Whose reps would he take? Amari Cooper's? Elijah Moore's? Donovan Peoples-Jones'? Cedric Tillman's? Marquise Goodwin's? David Njoku's? Whose?

Showing up as an undrafted free agent just prior to camp, Watkins wowed just about everyone in Berea, taking the Browns by surprise. Capturing the imagination of the fans made the final decision that much tougher to arrive at.

***

That was the only major surprise in the final trims, although I can't believe defensive tackle Jordan Elliott made the final cut. That decision was more like a minor surprise. I'd love to hear the rationale for keeping him for a fourth season.

The Browns selected him in the third round of the 2020 college draft and he's been a huge disappointment. The 6-4, 305 pounder is not the run stuffer the club thought it drafted to neutralize opposing infantry attacks. Only 77 tackles in three seasons, just 35 solo, a mere seven quarterback hits and a teeny 2.5 sacks.

It's also why the Browns brought in Dalvin Tomlinson and Shelby Harris as free agents and Siaki Ika via the draft to anchor what has been a perennial weak spot in the Cleveland defense. Took Berry two seasons to figure that one out.

Elliott quite simply is not strong at the point of attack and can be frequently and easily maneuvered out of position. That he lasted this long is semi mind-boggling. Wouldn't be surprised if Berry scours the free-agent market for another defensive tackle in an effort to make Elliott an ex-Brown.

***

Nine rookies (including all seven draft picks) made the final cut, three of them from Ohio State. Safety Ronnie Hickman Jr. offensive tackle Dawand Jones and center Luke Wypler join cornerback Denzel Ward to give the Browns four ex-Buckeyes on the team for the first time in memory.

Nice to see linebacker Mohamoud Diabate and Hickman make the final 53. Both are undrafted free agents certain to receive plenty of action on special teams. They also have shown they can be trusted with reps on occasion on defense.

Diabate's size (6-4, 230) and athleticism and innate ability to frequently be in the vicinity of the football fits nicely into defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz's world of aggressive football. The fact he's a strong tackler and makes plays should win him some reps.

Hickman flashed early in the exhibition season with three interceptions, two in one game. Stuff like that garners more just a little attention from the coaching staff. He is also a sure tackler.

***

Finally . . . This is not the roster that will suit up for the season opener at home against the Cincinnati Bengals. It will be massaged a bit either through free agency or a trade or two before that game kicks off. . . . Other new faces on offense are quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson and wideout Cedric Tillman. On defense, they belong to cornerback Cameron Mitchell, defensive end Isaiah McGuire, Diabate and Ika.

It had to happen

In a way, I can't say "didn't see that coming." With one big whack, the Browns finally admitted making a mistake of monumental proportions on placekicker Cade York. 

After days and weeks of dodging questions and hemming and hawing on how safe the erratic York was with regard to being confident enough in his ability to kick a football through uprights from great distances to secure a place on the 53-man roster, the answer came silently and swiftly.

In a deal that was consummated Monday, but most likely initiated sometime Sunday, General Manager Andrew Berry sent a 2025 seventh-round draft choice to the Los Angeles Chargers for veteran kicker Dustin Hopkins and waived York after no longer believing in him.

As late as Sunday, head coach Kevin Stefanski danced and then danced some more when pestered by the media if York would be his kicker when the Browns open the regular season Sept. 10 at home against the Cincinnati Bengals. He never answered in the affirmative.

In spite of public verbal back-patting in an effort to assure York things would eventually work out, there obviously was enough concern in the last week or two that caused Berry and Stefanski to inch closer to making a move, one that needed to be made in the best interests of the franchise.

What almost surely pushed them over the edge was York's performances in the last two exhibition games, where it appeared his self-confidence looked shot. Failure to take a late lead against Philadelphia and outright failing to beat Kansas City had to be the last straw.

Earlier in the exhibition season, York twice had been given reprieves when penalties gave him a second chance. He still missed both. It was a sign at the time that apparently wasn't taken seriously by the front office before eventually taking on greater importance as the calendar crept closer to Sept. 10. 

Even though the results of these games were meaningless, this part of the season is a training ground to prepare teams for the regular-season grind. A dependable kicker is one of the main ingredients toward success. York was becoming the anthesis to that end, growing worse by the week.

The Browns play every AFC North team in the first four weeks of the season. Stefanski shouldn't have to worry about his unpredictable kicker during arguably the most important part of the schedule. That should be the least of his worries. He won't have that problem with the more reliable Hopkins.

The soon-to-be 33-year-old redhead was originally drafted by Buffalo in the sixth round of the 2013 draft and spent the first couple of seasons with the Bills and New Orleans, but never got into a game. He spent the next seven seasons kicking for Washington before moving on to the Chargers.

During his NFL career, the Florida State product has connected on 84.8% of his field-goal attempts and 94.9% of his extra-point tries. His reputation as one of the NFL's most consistent and accurate kickers precedes him.

The roster has been crafted to the point where everyone is all in. Strength abounds on both sides of the football. The goal of this team is not to just make the playoffs. Or win at least one post-season game. They want to play football in late January.

It has reached the point where the players no longer hope they can win. They no longer think they can win. They know they can win. They do not need distractions. York had become a distraction. Even though he was around for just one season, he had to go. 

It's been a brief but hard fall for York, who was drafted in the fourth round of last year's lottery after a heralded career at Louisiana State. He began his rookie season with eight field goals in a row before cooling off (only 16 of the last 24).

As it turned out, he reached the pinnacle of his brief career in Cleveland with a dramatic 58-yard game-winning field goal to knock off the Carolina Panthers in the season opener at home last season. Browns fans exulted. The missing piece of the puzzle had arrived. Until it hadn't. 

And just like that . . . gone.

Fireworks, York & Denzel

Throughout the exhibition season, the Browns' offense sure looked familiar. Like the last two seasons. Pretty much standard stuff with execution the main goal. 

Most of the players participating weren't going to be around for the regular season, anyway. So why bother installing the new --- and possibly radically different -- stuff for other teams to glom onto and prepare for? Stick with the old playbook.

And then Deshaun Watson broadly hinted after the 33-32 loss Saturday in Kansas City that just might be the case, almost boastfully suggesting the 2023 Cleveland Browns offense will be quite disparate without going into specifics.

"It's going to be great," said the quarterback, who will be the ringmaster of the new look. "I think Kevin (Stefanski) is on the edge of wanting to call some things. There are a lot of things that are going to look very different."

Now that's a tease that almost certainly will excite Browns Nation, especially those denizens who miss the early days of Stefanski, whose offense in 2020 was one of the most dangerous in the National Football League with Baker Mayfield in control.

Watson wasn't through. "We have 10 days to get that tuned up and ready to go," he said. "Once September 10th comes around in Cleveland Stadium, it's going to be fireworks. That's the plan. Don't hold anything back and let it all loose. We want to go out there and have fun doing it."

All well and good, but isn't Stefanski known for his conservatism on that side of the football? When Nick Chubb is your running back, you know he's going to get at least 20 touches a game. Air Stefanski might have to dial it back somewhat.

More Watson. "If you don't take your chances and try to be conservative, that's when you kind of get behind the 8-ball and we don't want to do that," he said. "We want to be able to take our chances and give our receivers and playmakers a shot."

Now all Watson and his cohorts -- and Stefanski, of course -- have to do is go out and make it happen.

***

Let's start with the facts: Denzel Ward is one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. Has been ever since arriving from Ohio State as a first-round draft selection five seasons ago. Voted to two Pro Bowls. One of the league's best press-coverage corners. Cleveland-area product.

That said, it should also be pointed out Ward has never played an entire injury-free season in the NFL. The Browns have played 82 games the last five seasons. Ward has suited up for 66 of them, injuries robbing him of 16 games. 

Two concussions in his rookie season (missed three games); hamstring in 2019 (missed four games); calf in 2020 (missed three games); hamstring in 2021 (missed three games); concussion last season (missed three games). 

And now he is back in concussion protocol for the fourth time in his career after getting dinged early in the Kansas City loss. His troubling history with concussions questions Ward's availability for the season opener against Cincinnati.

If he hasn't been cleared by then, forget who would have to replace him. Right now, Ward has to be thinking how many more concussions does he have to sustain to determine how much longer he wants to be a professional football player.

Four concussions is serious territory. Ward might love the game, but is it worth getting your brain scrambled to the point where it impacts the rest of your life? Sometimes, it's wise to leave before the situation gets worse.

***

The continuing saga of Cade York rages on as the season opener nears. Stefanski on Sunday responded with a non-answer when asked if the troubled young placekicker will kick in that game. Check out the answer.

"Yeah, I think those types of things, as you know, we always keep those internal as we go through the week, but I'll reiterate I think Cade is very, very talented," he said. It's not that he didn't say yes that matters. It's that he went all-politician and answered a question that wasn't asked.

York thinks so, too, about the very talented part. Here he is after having a game-winning field-goal attempt blocked that could have turned the KC loss into a victory. 

"To be honest," he said, "people gave me pats (of consolation) on the back and crap like that. But I hate pity. Pity pisses me off. I want to be a weapon, I know how good I am. That's been the most frustrating thing the last month, struggling with that. So the real games start soon. Just trying to take a running start into the season and just putting them through all the time."

OK, so will he be the man against the Bengals? Don't ask Stefanski.

***

The Browns Sunday released wide receiver Anthony Schwartz among 14 cuts, trimming the roster to 75. The last 22 names will be released sometime between now and Tuesday at 4 p.m., the deadline for the 53-man roster. There were no surprises in this round of cuts.

Schwartz was a curious -- no, make that shocking -- third-round draft pick in 2021. The Browns wanted speed. Schwartz had plenty of that. Only one problem. He couldn't catch the football. Always believed he was a world-class sprinter masquerading as a football player.

General Manager Andrew Berry twice passed (for Schwartz and offensive tackle James Hudson III) on Amon-Ra St. Brown, who was grabbed by the Detroit Lons in the fourth round and has become one of the league's outstanding young receivers. 

The Pro Bowler has booked 196 receptions for 2,073 yards and 11 touchdowns for the Lions after a productive career at USC. Ironically, Berry loves productive players. Flat our missed here.

What have we learned?

Four meaningless exhibition games now in the books. Time to start taking professional football in Cleveland seriously. 

But first, a question: What have we learned about the Browns the last several weeks? We learned . . . 

Despite all the wonderful things we have heard about how much different, how much better the offense will look this season, we saw little evidence of that in the exhibition finale Saturday afternoon in Kansas City, a hard-to-swallow 33-32 loss after holding a 22-3 first-quarter lead.

Head coach and chief operating officer for the offense Kevin Stefanski has a lot of work to do with that side of the ball before opening up the regular season two weeks from Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals.

To give you some idea of just how bad it was when the Browns owned the football, none of the three quarterbacks were effective. Yes Deshaun Watson was the quarterback of record when the offense put two touchdowns on the board in the first 15 minutes, but he looked nothing like the terrific practice quarterback we've heard so much about.

He was shaky at best. It took him four possessions to sustain any kind of momentum, generating just 43 yards on the first three before shepherding an 80-yard scoring drive. He completed half of his 10 throws for 93 yards, but 53 of them were on a scrambling heave to a wide-open Amari Cooper in busted coverage that led to one of the scores.

It's not the kind of performance you expect from your starting quarterback as you head toward the regular season. Unless Stefanski has a surprise or three in his arsenal that he hasn't unveiled yet, this offense still looks a lot like 2022.

Backup Dorian Thompson-Robinson, after three showy games, looked ordinary, banking nothing in a couple of quarters. Kellen Mond solidified QB3 with an equally ordinary stint, but he was the quarterback when Cade York's 40-yard field goal recaptured the lead at 30-29 with four minutes left in the game.

If it wasn't for the opportunistic Cleveland defense in the first quarter, this would have been a rout for the Super Bowl champs. A large majority of the credit in the first 15 minutes belongs to the defense, which put up six points and produced a short field for another.

And that brings us to what we learned about the starting defense.

Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz had to like what he saw in the first half with three interceptions, two (by safety Juan Thornhill and rookie cornerback Caleb Biggers) that wound up in the end zone for a 29-16 halftime lead.

Players were flying all over the field, shutting down a Chiefs offense with Patrick Mahomes II sitting this one out. In four possessions, the defense forced a Harrison Butker field goal after a takeaway in Cleveland territory on the opening possession, consecutive picks by the defense and a punt, limiting the Chiefs to just 46 yards on 16 snaps.

Operating without Myles Garrett, who was watching from the bench, Schwartz's swarming very active defense showed, unlike their brethren on offense, they are more than ready for the regular season. 

Unlike the last few seasons, this unit shows strong signs of almost certainly becoming the offense's best friend, producing short fields all season. In these four games, the defense picked off seven passes and recovered a fumble.

The middle of Saturday's three interceptions gave Watson a short field at the Chiefs 16. Three plays later, tight end David Njoku hauled in a pretty fade from the 12, easily the quarterback's best throw of the afternoon.

Now about that hard-to-swallow loss. We learned . . . 

It's time Stefanski steps up and admits there is at the very least some level of concern with regard to York, his very unreliable placekicker. If he continues to say, almost defiantly, that he is not worried and remains confident in the second-year kicker, he's not dealing with the truth.

It's safe to say at this point that Stefanski, as he is wont to say, better not have "a ton of confidence" in his kicker. This has turned into a major problem that needs to be addressed pronto. Time to bring in another kicker? You really need to ask that?

At this point, it's not about winning or losing games anymore. It's about what is wrong with this young man. Nothing seems to be getting through to him with regard to how important he is to this team, to the program. One can only wonder what his teammates are thinking as he continues to fail in clutch situations.

Forget his six-for-six perfectos in practice from various distances. They mean nothing. All it proves is he's terrific in practice and a whole bunch gets lost in translation when the actual games are played. I'd much rather him look terrible in practice and kick them right down the middle when it counts.

This game could have been won with a 43-yard field goal. Similar situation in the tie with Philadelphia in the last game. York had a chance to put the Browns up with six minutes remaining, but was wide left from 41 yards.

In this one, Mond had put York in position to make a 40-yarder that regained the lead a possession earlier. Butker got the lead back with a 44-yarder right down the middle, as were all of his boots. This time, Mond got York, who also had missed an extra point earlier, to the KC 25. 

The confidence Stefanski has in York hasn't reached me yet and I couldn't help myself. I foresaw a negative result. Wide left, wide right, certainly not down the middle. I never gave consideration to a block. This time, the blocking up front broke down and Chiefs defensive tackle Phil Hoskins swatted away the low trajectory takeoff.

Overall, York is four for eight on field goals and perfect on five points-after, although his miss against the Chiefs was wiped out by a roughing penalty and the Browns were successful on a two-point attempt. He's been successful from 43, 37, 43 and 40 with misses from 49 (wide right), 46 (wide right), 41 (wide left), and 43 (blocked).

Memorable training camp

Is there any question the Browns' 2023 summer training camp will be remembered mostly as the one that featured two play-making undrafted free agents and a fifth-round rookie quarterback who plays the position like a young veteran? Rhetorical question.

It's rare in training camp to see the likes of linebacker Mahmoud Diabate, wide receiver Austin Jenkins Jr. and quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson step right up and let their eye-catching performances introduce themselves to not only the coaching staff, but to Browns Nation as well.

And now after three exhibition games, where the Browns overwhelmed one opponent, underwhelmed another and whelmed the third, Saturday's afternoon's finale in Kansas City will be the final test for Diabate and Jenkins, who most likely will see numerous reps after the starters play for about a quarter.

Both arrived as unknowns trying to make the regular roster with the odds clearly stacked against them. They were late signees considered initially as nothing more than camp fodder.  DTR, by virtue of his draft status, was a lock. His solid performances thus far is a bonus that has excited the fan base.

The other two are on the bubble. Or are they?

Diabate is the kind of lean, mean and quick linebacker who appears to fit perfectly in defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz's attacking scheme. He also has the knack of showing up near the football quite often. You can't teach that. Tackling also does not seem to be a problem. 

Based on what we've seen in three games, Jenkins deserves to make the final roster on a team that predominantly throws the football. He runs extremely disciplined routes; owns terrific hands; wins a majority of 50-50 balls; and he makes plays in general.  

To calm down the excitement for Diabate and Jenkins, it can be argued neither young man has played against starters on other teams. We have no idea how they would fare. But if you use that as a barometer, there's a chance you might make the wrong move and cut a future starter for some other team. 

It won't be easy for these two to reach their goals. The Browns are stacked at wide receiver with Amari Cooper, Elijah Moore, Donovan Peoples-Jones, David Bell and rookie Cedric Tillman with Marquise Goodwin nursing an injury.

Diabate, meanwhile, would bring fresh air to the linebackers room. Returnees Anthony Walker Jr. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and Sione Takitaki are coming off surgery, Tony Fields is in his fourth season and Jordan Kunaszyk and Matthew Adams are there for special teams.

It's a gamble General Manager Andrew Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski will address over the weekend as they descend into the bunker to decide who winds up on the regular 53-man roster by 4 p.m. next Tuesday. 

From this viewpoint, both deserve to be in uniform and contributing when the Browns welcome the Cincinnati Bengals in the season opener Sept. 10.

***

Funny how things work out just when you think you've made one decision and move on to the next. That's exactly what happened Thursday when Stefanski announced Dobbs would be QB2 behind Watson.

While Stefanski fed the media the news Dobbs was the man, Berry and Arizona GM Monti Ossenfort came to terms on a deal that would send Dobbs and a seventh-round pick to the quarterback-strapped Cardinals for a fifth-rounder.

Kyler Murray is recovering from knee surgery and isn't expected back until early November. Ossenfort needed help with the likes of Colt McCoy, Jeff Driskel and rookie Clayton Tune available. Drew Petzing, his offensive coordinator, was the Browns' quarterbacks coach last season and liked Dobbs.

So the two GMs got what they wanted. Ossenfort a seasoned quarterback and Berry, who loves draft picks, another draft pick. And now everybody's happy, especially Browns fans, as DTR moves up to replace Dobbs.

The end.

***

The move was made shortly after Ossenfort swapped productive linebacker/safety Isaiah Simmons to the New York Giants for a seventh-round pick. Swapped? More like robbery in broad daylight. It was an outright gift. 

I wonder if Berry was aware of Simmons' availability. The 6-4, 240-pounder was the eighth overall pick in the 2020 draft and played linebacker for three seasons in Arizona, racking up 258 tackles, including 204 the last two seasons, 138 of them solo.

He asked to be switched back to safety this season, a position he played at Clemson for two years before switching to linebacker in his junior season. He's played a couple of exhibitions this year at safety for the Cards and did not look good. That's when they pulled the plug and shipped him to the Giants.

Meaningless

It isn't often you get a chance to see an entertaining exhibition game in the National Football League. In fact, it's extremely rare.

Monday night's nationally televised game between geographic rivals Washington and Baltimore produced such a game. Five lead changes and a last-minute field goal from 49 yards added up to a come-from-behind 29-28 victory by the Commanders over the Ravens.

Most of the emphasis at this time of the NFL season is placed on constructing 53-man rosters, Most teams rest their starters. Entertaining football is a rarity. Winning and losing are not paramount. It's nice if you win; not devastating if you don't.

Preparing for the regular season has become an exercise in getting ready to play 17 games that mean something. No, make that everything.

In the NFL, National Hockey League and National Basketball Association, this is like spring training in baseball. Games are played, but the results do not count until the regular season. Been that way for a very long time. 

So when the Ravens compiled a 24-game winning streak in games that do not count, it rates nothing more than a footnote that deserves far less attention enterting the Commanders game than some members of the media have given it.

I call these exhibitions meaningless because in the grand scheme of life, that's exactly what they are. There is no value to them from a scoreboard standpoint other than reflecting the final score. Victories and losses do not count toward the regular season.

Exhibition results in no way forecast how a team performs in the regular season. I remember the Browns a long, long time ago lost every exhibition game one season and then went on to win the NFL championship (before the Super Bowl).

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh apparently doesn't see it that way. Perhaps stinging a little from the loss, he lashed out at those who consider exhibition football games meaningless, sort of taking it personally.

"You never played the game," he began his rant. "You never were out there in a pre-season game. You never were fighting for a spot on the field. And yet you have the audacity to say the effort somebody puts into that, to fight and win a game like that is meaningless."

Of course, members of the media never played the game. So that means they were never out there. And yes, they weren't fighting for a spot on the field. That's not their job. Their job is to write and report about what they observe. And I wouldn't call it audacious to label games like this meaningless. 

Why not? Because it's true. They are meaningless. Most fans do not attach importance to them. The final score in these games render them meaningless. It means nothing. Always has.

Harbaugh continued, "I can't respect anybody who says that because of the effort these guys put into it. And that's why I'm so proud of these guys for the way they fought. It doesn't matter, win or loss. (There he said it.) It matters the way they went about their business. And I'm proud of that and always will be."

(I wonder how Harbaugh would fare if he had to write a 500-word game story.)

It's been 24 straight victorious exhibition games since the Ravens boss uttered words like that. Sure sounded a lot like he was assuaging the feelings of the players who failed to extend the winning streak.

Many of those players come into training camp knowing they don't have much of a chance to make the final roster. A lot of them stick around in order to get reps and an opportunity to be seen by scouts from other teams. Exposure is what they seek.

Easy and hard

Trimming the Browns' so-called final roster by 4 p.m. a week from Tuesday will be simultaneously easy and difficult. So-called final roster because it will be massaged frequently once the final 53 players are determined and remain in transitional mode throughout the season.

Unlike previous seasons, when roster cuts were spread over a four-week training-camp period, this one will be one and done under the new rules. One major whack. That means 37 of the current 90-man roster . . .  gone just like that.

So why easy and difficult? Easy because this roster is so talented and deep, an overwhelming majority have already played their way onto the roster. Difficult because decisions thus have to be made on whether to keep training-camp surprises by players the front office does not want to lose.

Also making it difficult is the league rule that requires players, unable to play due to injury problems that have sidelined them, be included on the final list before being eligible to be transferred to another status. That includes receiver Marquise Goodwin and defensive linemen Alex Wright and Isaiah Thomas.

Which means General Manager Andrew Berry probably will have to scramble and engage in roster maneuvering to open up those three spots. 

By my count, 48 starters and major contributors are locks to make the team. They include nine defensive linemen, five linebackers and eight defensive backs; nine offensive linemen, five wide receivers, three running backs, three quarterbacks, three tight ends and three specialists.

That leaves five spots left with about a dozen players living on the bubble. Most notable on that list are wide receiver Austin Watkins Jr., linebackers Jordan Kunaszyk and Mahmoud Diabate, offensive lineman Drew Forbes, receiver David Bell, defensive linemen Jordan Elliott and Tommy Togiai, safeties Ronnie Hickman Jr. and D'Anthony Bell and return specialist Jakeem Grant Sr.

Watkins and Diabate have played eye-catching football during the exhibition season and would be no-brainers in other situations. It has reached the point, though, where several other crystal-ball practitioners already have them penciled in. Same with Kunaszyk, a special teams standout.

As expected, all seven members of the Browns' college draft class are safe. General Manager Andrew Berry like to keep his selections for at least two or three seasons before dropping the hammer. Undrafted platers like Hickman and Diabate have an outside shot at swelling the rookie class this season to nine.

If nothing else, it will be interesting watching Berry, who doesn't sit still for a moment on days like this, work his magic as he sculpts his roster. That could include, among everything else, the possibility of a deal or two.

This 'n' that

Kevin Stefanski, it would appear, is a very stubborn football coach. Shocking, I know. It is quite evident in his approach to the handling of enigmatic placekicker Cade York.

On the one hand, the Browns' head coach has become almost adamant that York, whose performance last season and early in the exhibition season has been disappointing, will be fine. I'm not worried, he maintains. Thus, you shouldn't be, either.

York has been the subject of numerous questions by the Cleveland media after badly missing, for him, too many easy field-goal attempts. Stefanski is pestered relentlessly, as he should be. Yes this is still the season of meaningless games, but c'mon, this cannot be dismissed.

It's now at the point with the beginning of the National Football League's regular season dead ahead that York's difficulties need to disappear. Stefanski won't publicly acknowledge it, but he knows York's success, or lack thereof, is attached to his job security.

In close games, placekickers become the most important player on the team. They all too often in the waning moments of a close game are the difference between winning and losing and face more pressure to succeed than any other position on the roster.  It's part of the job.

From all other standpoints, the Browns are a very talent-enriched team. The offense is potentially one of the most dangerous in the NFL. The equally-talented defense, which underperformed and underachieved the last three seasons, has a new coordinator who espouses belligerence and attitude.

Questioned once again in the wake of York missing back-to-back field goals in the final two minutes of Thursday night's 18-18 tie in Philadelphia, Stefanski held his ground even when the media suggested  bringing in someone to challenge his kicker.

"It's preseason, so everyone is working through their preseason,"Stefanski said. "He's like any other player on our roster. . . . He's got to work his way through it. . . . You're constantly trying to perfect your craft." 

The question then becomes how much longer will he be allowed to work his way through it? Sept. 10 will be here sooner than you think. Disdaining the possibility of bringing on another kicker lends fuel to the fire.

"That's our decision," Stefanski said in a case-closed sort of way. "Cade is our kicker. (Period. Me) We support him. We have a ton of confidence in him. It's really as simple as that." Thought, but not said: "Let's move on."

Guess here is Stefanski is smart enough to know he can't publicly acknowledge his concern with York, whose terrific kicking in practice is as meaningless as the results of exhibition games. He sees little or no pressure in training camp.

Subsequent negative results in games, where pressure is the great equalizer, suggest the problem with York might reside between his ears. He seems to be thinking (overthinking?) too much, guesses your humble amateur psychologist.

***

Deshaun Watson wants to start the final exhibition game in Kansas City next week and play at least a quarter. He shared his thoughts with the media after the tie in Philly.

"I would love to be out there," said the quarterback, who has played only one series thus far (in the Washington loss) and looked good. "I know Kevin doesn't want to play us the whole game, but get a little rhythm going for maybe a quarter. . . . and just to have that test I think would be fun."

Stefanski declined to comment on the situation. "I'll let you guys know next week," he said coyly. "He's (Watson) not supposed to spill the beans."

It was a bit surprising he rested his starters in the so-called dress rehearsal game in Philadelphia and then come back in the final game with the crew that played in the Washington tie.

As a general rule, playing the regulars in the final exhibition has become a no-no for most teams, mainly because of the risk of possibly losing a starter or two to injury before the regular season begins.

Another guess: Stefanski will gamble and play the starters against the Chiefs for at least two possessions depending on how they fare.

***

It's pretty safe to predict Dorian Thompson-Robinson will shy away from blocking anyone on opposing teams whenever (if?) he gets reps in a regular-season game. The rookie quarterback was rebuked by his head coach after throwing two blocks on the same play in the Philly game. The second one for a blind-side block drew the scolding.

"He knows the rule you can't block back," Stefanski said. "I love the kid's effort. I love the feistiness. I love that he wants to throw his body around. His teammates love that. But I don't love hurting the team with a (15-yard) penalty."

Meh deadlock

A tie in football, someone once said, is like kissing your sister. Thursday night's exhibition deadlock between the Browns and host Philadelphia Eagles was a little more interesting than that. 

The Browns scored their 18 points every conceivable way, posting a safety for the second straight game; Austin Watkins Jr. hauling in another touchdown pass; rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson displaying  inconsistency for the first time. in his first start; and Cade York booting three straight field goals.

York could have won the game with a fourth with two minutes left in regulation. But then he reverted to form, missing two attempts -- he gained a reprieve from the 47 (wide right) when the Eagles were flagged for an illegal formation on the first -- and was wide left with the second from the 42.

It kind of spoiled a dominating -- nearly 39 minutes of ball control -- and yet frustrating all-round effort on both sides of the football from those battling to make the final 53-man roster. The final definitely does not reflect how dominant this one was.

From the outset, it became obvious head coach Kevin Stefanski wanted to see if DRT could handle a heavy passing load. He called 30 passes in the first 44 plays in the first 30 minutes and the young kid was not the sharp quarterback of the first two meaningless games.

He threaded the needle several times to Watkins, but completed only 13 of his 25 throws for 164 yards. The closest he came to the end zone was the opening possession, which was aborted when running back John Kelly Jr. was stripped of the ball at the Eagles' two.

The poise was there, though. He did not panic when cornered, frequently escaping just when it seemed he would be sacked. He even threw a key block on a late first-quarter 11-yard run by Demetric Felton Jr., but overzealously delivered a second at the tailend of the play and was nailed for an illegal blind-side block.

You've got to admire his willingness to do anything to help a play succeed, but I wouldn't be surprised if Stefanski strongly suggests he stick to running and throwing the football. Remember what happened when Baker Mayfield attempted a tackle after a pick a couple of years ago?

Yep, it was the beginning of the end for him in Cleveland and turned him into a professional football vagabond at a very young age.  

Stefanski dialed Watkins' number eight more times after a six-target first half. It included a spectacular one-hand grab and a juggling reception on a 32-yard scoring hookup with Kellen Mond in the third quarter. He finished the evening with seven catches for 139 yards.

Considering what he has done in three games, I'll be stunned if the Browns release Watkins. He's the kind of playmaker this club needs. Granted he's doing this against backups, but no one else is. He has clearly played his way onto this roster.

The swarming and very active Cleveland defense, meanwhile, limited the Eagles to just 27 plays and 102 yards in the first 30 minutes, making life miserable for veteran Marcus Mariota, creating two turnovers along the way, including another Ronnie Hickman Jr. interception. 

A strong eight-tackle (seven solo) effort by outside linebacker Mohamoud Diabate in just a little over a half surely had to catch Jim Schwartz's attention. The 6-3, 225-pounder was seemingly all over the field, making play after play.

Midway through the second quarter, Diabate alertly punched the football out of hands of Eagles running back Trey Sermon deep in Philadelphia territory, setting up York's second field goal en route to an 8-3 halftime lead.

Also catching Schwartz's attention were the six sacks as the pass rush relentlessly hammered Mariota and backup Tanner McKee, seemingly coming from every direction on the field. They were spread among seven players, just two with a chance of sticking around.

McKee revived the Eagles' offense in the second half against the Browns' third stringers hoping to catch the eye of scouts from other teams around the National Football League. Sermon popped a 33-yard scoring dash up the middle to give the Eagles a 10-8 lead on the first series of the second half.

The Mond-Watkins connection regained the lead two series later and York made it an eight-point game in the opening moment of the fourth quarter with field goal number three. McKee knotted it with six minutes left, hooking up with Brady Russell from 22 yards, adding a successful two-point try.

Two ways of looking at York so far: He is getting better. Three in a row definitely substantiates that. But  he lacks the clutch gene so important to those who aspire to be among the best. In the land of woulda, coulda and shoulda, York didn't.

That's it for starters?

If I'm reading the tea leaves correctly, the next time we'll see the Browns' starting units on the field will be Sept. 10 in the regular-season opener at home against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Head coach Kevin Stefanski has already indicated backups will play the entire Thursday night exhibition game in Philadelphia against the Eagles. That also means they'll probably repeat that effort in the exhibition finale in Kansas City.

It has become almost tradition that starters sit out the final meaningless game to dodge the possibility of a serious injury on the precipice of the regular season. The penultimate exhibition -- e.g. the Eagles game -- is generally considered the dress rehearsal for games that count. Not anymore it would appear.

Ostensibly, the next two games will give General Manager Andrew Berry, Stefanski and the coaching staff the opportunity to determine what the bottom of the final roster will look like as the starters and major contributors watch from the sidelines.

It's an odd decision that conjures up the notion it could backfire. After all, the Browns' starting offense has booked just one possession to date. This offense needs more game reps and it doesn't look as though it's going to receive them.

The starting defense has had just two cracks, the second one lasting two plays and producing a safety. That's not nearly enough to begin a season finely tuned. 

But what, you say, about all the practice time between now and then? Surely that will be enough time to fine tune what needs to be fine-tuned, right? You know, practice makes perfect. Uh, no. It doesn't.

This curmudgeon is a firm believer that great practices, at least those praised highly by the coaches during the week, more often than not do not necessarily transition well to game-day performances. Give me great game-day players who merely tolerate practice over those who practice well and disappear on game day.

Players get tired playing against each other. After the second-game loss to Washington, several starters for the defense exulted how much they enjoyed hitting someone wearing a different uniform. 

With three of the first four games against division opponents, it is imperative the Cleveland offense is ready. One very impressive series is not nearly enough, however, to suggest Deshaun Watson and company will hit the ground running against the Bengals.

Timing is everything on offense. The running game with precise blocking. The passing game that requires exquisite timing between the thrower and the receiver. The tiniest mistake can blow up a play. 

Defense is another matter. Timing is secondary at best. It's all about aggression and attitude on that side of the football. And from what we've seen thus far in two games, new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz seems to have righted the ship after three years of passive defense.

***

Rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson will have the first half against the Eagles; future practice squader Kellen Mond the final 30 minutes. 

Semi-excited to see what DTR does as a starter. Thus far, he's been as close to perfect as you can get to the point where the thought of moving the fifth-round pick up to No. 2 behind Watson has entered conversations.

In two games, he has completed 17 of 21 passes for 184 yards, run nine times for 47 more yards and thrown two touchdown passes in six possessions with just one three and out. His poise is off the charts. His accuracy is virtually unerring. His pocket awareness is beyond his years. You can't teach that.

He has yet to face adversity, though. And that's what I want to see. How he handles a situation he's never faced before. It will happen eventually. How he deals with it will be telling. That's what generally separates the average ones from the good ones and the good ones from the great ones.

Tardy notes

Full disclosure: I was unable to access live coverage of the Browns' 17-15 home exhibition loss to the Washington Commanders last Friday night, delaying the latest rant until now after watching it on tape early Monday morning on NFL Network. Observations on the game.

First glimpse of the starting offense, albeit with just one possession, was an impressive sneak preview of what fans can expect once the 2023 regular season commences at home on Sept. 10 against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Although the 12-play, 67-yard, seven-minute drive begat no points, getting to within a yard of the end zone, it was a product of near flawless football, looking a whole lot different than just about anything we saw last season.

Deshaun Watson looked nothing like thd semi-lost quarterback in the final six games of 2022. He was confident as he ran what, for the most part, was a vanilla scheme that didn't produce a third down until the eighth play. That scheme changes against the Bengals.

Watson dropped back to throw five times, completing the only three passes he threw for just a dozen yards, and scrambled for 17 more yards while escaping the pocket, displaying a keen awareness that appeared to be missing last season.

The drive bogged down on third down at the Washington 1 when head coach/playcaller Kevin Stefanski went conservative and the Commanders' defensive line beat the Cleveland offensive line off the ball twice and stuffed Demetric Felton Jr. and John Kelly Jr. at the goal line on plays that had no chance to succeed..

The Cleveland defense rescued the offense, putting up a safety two plays later when ZaDarius Smith drew a hold penalty in the end zone. Those were the only Cleveland points in the first 30 minutes.

Stefanski apparently had seen enough by that time and gave his offense the rest of the rainy evening off and let his other three quarterbacks battle to see who Watson's backup is this season. It's going to be either veteran Joshua Dobbs and rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson. The best Kellen Mond can hope for is the practice squad.

Dobbs right now is the leader in the clubhouse by virtue of his seven years in the National Football League. But anyone with 20/20 vision can see DTR is the better quarterback now regardless of experience.

Dobbs' four series in the first half resulted in three punts and an interception. DTR had the huddle for the first two possessions of the second half that yielded a missed 46-yard field by Cade York (more on that later) and the first touchdown of the evening after Washington took a 17-2 lead midway through the third quarter.

Once again, the rookie was poised beyond his years, He threw with confidence, hitting on all but one of his 10 passes for 102 yards, including a beautiful seven-yard scoring strike to David Bell on a quick slant. The coaches had to notice the difference.

It's only a matter of time now before DTR, who runs the RPO as well as Watson, works his way past Dobbs.

***

In his first two games as a Brown, even though they don't really count, Austin Watkins Jr. is slowly making it difficult for Stefanski and his offensive crew to determine what the wide receivers room will look like this season.

Amari Cooper, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Elijah Moore, rookie Cedric Tillman and Marquise Goodwin (when healthy) are locked in. They're not going anywhere. Bell is on the bubble. A few of the others, except Anthony Schwartz, who will be cut, are practice squad-bound.

That includes Watkins. But how do you ignore his eight receptions for 106 yards and a touchdown in two games. Yes, he's doing all this against second- and third-stringers. But he seems to have the innate ability to make himself available and catches just about everything with his hands.

Add a 6-3, 210-pound frame and you have a player who thus far makes plays. It is hoped Stefanski and his minions on that side of the football like what they see and continue to feed Watkins. 

Also bear in mind the buzz this might be People-Jones' final season in Cleveland. This is going way, way, way out on the limb, but Watkins seems to be the kind of receiver who would fit in well with Watson. I trust my eyes.

***

Can't say enough about Jim Schwartz's swarming and very active defense. The starters played the first two series, making life difficult for Commanders quarterback Sam Howell, who fared much better when they became spectators.

Throughout the game, Schwartz mixed up his coverages, every so often allowing members of the secondary to make plays at the line of scrimmage where they helped blunt Washington's run game. Howell later took advantage of a rare zone look from Schwartz, hooking up with Johan Dotson for a 26-yard touchdown on the first of two second-quarter scores. 

On the next Washington possession, old friend Jacoby Brissett, who will probably will be the opening -day starter for the Commanders, engineered an eight-play, 89-yard march, scrambling the final 12 yards untouched when not a single Brown played contain. 

Those kinds of blown assignments were the hallmark of last season's team. Schwartz is the kind of taskmaster, however, who will make certain that doesn't occur this season, if at all. The performance of the starters in this one gives rise to that hope.

***

The two rookie offensive linemen from Ohio State played well. Dawand Jones makes reaching his quarterback almost impossible. His impossibly-quick feet is his greatest asset and his 6-8, 375-pound frame creates poor visibility of his quarterback. His only mistake was a false start when he reacted to the movement of a Washington linebacker off the ball.

Luke Wypler began the evening in the second half at left guard next to center Nick Harris, who replaced starter Ethan Pocic and played until the final quarter. Wypler then moved to the pivot to finish out the game. He and Jones played big parts in the Browns' two touchdowns. Guess here is both young men will eventually crack the starting lineup. 

***

Finally . . . Stefanski after the game said he isn't worried about York, who has missed field goals from 48 and 46 yards, both wide right. He delivered a typical head coach word salad that never really answered the original question. He knows the importance of a reliable placekicker. He's worried, all right, but doesn't want you -- or York -- to know it. . . . Schwartz (Anthony, that is) is as good as gone. The only way he stays is clearing waivers and joining the practice squad. That won't help. He needs to concentrate on his professional career as a world-class sprinter. . . . Question of the week: Are two interceptions by rookie Ronnie Hickman good enough to wind up in the secondary room this season and make it four Buckeyes on the roster?

Test of Wills

Bill Callahan took the opportunity to talk about one of his operatives the other day at Browns' training camp in Berea. See if you can figure out who the offensive line coach was talking about.

"I think he's really progressed," Callahan began his assessment. "We came out of last year's film evaluation, the scheme evaluation from the offseason and saw a lot of positive things. We saw steps."

Think about those last three words as you try to figure out who the well-respected position coach was talking about.

"Now," he went on, "we want (him) to be more physical. We want (him) to be . . . more consistent in terms of the finish. We'd like to see that finish become more violent, more physical. I think we're pushing that."

Any guesses? Here's more.

"He's a great kid," Callahan continued. "He takes constructive criticism well. He takes challenges well, so he's up for it. He wants to get better. He's shown that in the offseason and in training camp. He's becoming a more consistent pass protector."

Hint: It's not third-year tackle James Hudson III. One more clue.

"We've added some things to his repertoire in terms of technique," Callahan revealed without getting specific. "We're really hopeful. I know he's challenged to get better and improve because there are some big things out there ahead for him.

At first blush, you might be thinking he was talking about a second-year player who struggled in his rookie season. Nope even though a lot of what he said pointed in that direction. "Really progressed"; "lot of positive things" "we saw steps"; "he wants to get better."

He was talking about Jedrick Wills Jr., the club's starting left tackle for each one of his three professional seasons. Three years in the National Football League and his position coach is talking about him like he's just starting to get it.

He should be talking about Wills' wonderful accomplishments as the second-most important player on offense, successfully switching to the left side after playing his entire career previously on the right side. He can't, though, because it's not true.

Callahan shouldn't be saying, "We saw steps." That's an indictment, as is "we're really hopeful." That kind of talk should have been uttered in Wills' second season, not his fourth. The former first-round choice is either a slow learner or way too nice to play the position as physically and violently as his coach desires.

(At the risk of being repetitious, you wouldn't be reading this had the Browns done the right thing and selected Tristan Wirfs at No. 10 in 2020 instead of Wills. Wirfs has booked three straight Pro Bowl selections with Tampa Bay as Wills works on his learning curve.)

That the Browns picked up Wills' fifth-year option earlier this year was a bit of a stunner. Hard to believe General Manager Andrew Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski sanctioned it. The only consistency Wills has provided in three seasons is playing below-average football on a weekly (weakly?) basis.

Bear all this mind as Deshaun Watson begins his first full season as the face of the franchise in about a month. His health -- and success -- depend heavily on the performance of the five guys in from of him. He must be protected zealously for at least 17 games.

"He wants to get better," Callahan praised Wills' attitude and approach. Not quite right. Wills needs to get better or else 2023 very well could turn out a lot like 2021 and 2022.

HOF leftovers 

This and that . . . 

At 6-8 and 375 pounds, Dawand Jones sticks out on a football field. You can't help but notice the enormity of the young man.

There are times where you can't take your eyes off him just to watch how the Browns' fourth-round draft choice a few months ago operates, marveling at how surprisingly light he is on his feet as he drops back to defend his quarterback on a pass play.

In the Pro Football Hall of Fame game in Canton Thursday night, the hulking former Ohio State Buckeye played every offensive snap (74), threw in four more on placement attempts and emerged a much better player than most believed. Nary a hold that was accepted nor a false start in 35 dropbacks.

If the Browns had any concerns about Jones handling the load of a full game and the stamina factor that went with it, they were dispelled. 

Playing every snap doesn't happen during the exhibition football season. Coaches play as many young men as possible as they begin to craft the bottom of the roster. 

Jones was close to perfect, although the Cleveland coaching staff no doubt noticed little mistakes that did not negatively impact plays. Yes he was going up against the Jets' twos and threes, but he dominated. He's worth keeping an eye on in the next three weeks.

His performance against the Jets should not have been surprising. He was groomed at Ohio State to play in the pass-heavy National Football League under Ryan Day's pass-centric offense. In the last two seasons, he allowed only three sacks (none last season), one QB hit and 12 hurries.

That he fell to the fourth round stemmed in part from the notion he would have problems handling speedy rush specialists at the next level. But he showed a quickness with his feet in this outing -- looking more like a 275-pounder than a 375-pounder -- that belied it.

He played on the strong (right) side against the Jets, where he also helped the ground game compile 172 yards. It probably won't happen, but I'd love to see him on the other side of the line before the start of the regular season juist to see if he can play there. That's where the lone offensive weakness operates. 

Jack Conklin is entrenched at right tackle. But if Jedrick Wills Jr. continues to wallow in mediocrity at left tackle as he has in his first three pro seasons, I have to think Jones' name has to enter the conversation at some point. Yep, I'm hopping on that bandwagon.

***

Jones' Buckeye buddy Luke Wypler also logged significant snaps (55) after taking over at center for Nick Harris. Whether it was a coincidence or not, the Cleveland attack seemed to perk up after he entered the game on the fifth series.

The result: Seventeen plays, 71 yards, 8:33 off the play clock and the first Cleveland score of the game after a 13-0 hole, running back John Kelly Jr. on the receiving end of a little three-yard flare pass to the weak side.

First possession of the second half, 11 more plays, 93 more yards, another 6:47 off the clock and a 16-yard dash around the right side unmolested by Demetric Felton Jr. rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson clearing the way with a devastating block on Jets cornerback Jimmy Moreland.

Capping it all off, Wypler two possessions later snapped the ball nine more times for 78 more yards in 5:08 and witnessed DTR threading a 22-yard perfecto to wide receiver Austin Watkins Jr. on a  beautifully-timed slant to complete the scoring in the 21-16 victory.

That's 37 plays, 242 yards, 18:42 off the clock and three touchdowns, all with Wypler in the pivot. Just sayin'.

***

Finally . . . Liked what I saw from rookie defensive tackle Siaki Ika, safety Bubba Bolden, rookie linebacker Mohamoud Diabate, Watkins and Felton. Ika played just 21 snaps, but produced two solo tackles. He sure takes up a lot of space with his 6-3 and 360 pounds . . . Bolden, who had four tackles (two solo) in 27 snaps is a ballhawk . . . The coaches must like Diabate, who led the defense with 84% of the snaps and recorded three stops (two solo) . . . Love Watkins' size (6-1, 210) and hands. He'll be tough to cut . . . Felton bounced around his first two seasons between running back and wide receiver. He's a running back. Period. Proved it on his touchdown run Thursday night. 

Meaningless, but pleasing

The scoreboard at the end of Thursday night's Hall of Fame game in Canton read Cleveland 21, New York Jets 16. An encouraging beginning to the 2023 exhibition season for the Browns.

Yes, every Cleveland starter and/or major contributor on both sides of the football watched from the Cleveland sidelines in street clothes as the second and third units overcame an early 13-0 deficit as head coach Kevin Stefanski provided a sneak peek at what the immediate future looks like.

Of course it was meaningless, as are all exhibition games. But it was difficult not to at least get a little excited about the performances of running backs John Kelly Jr., Hassan Hall and Demetric Felton Jr., who compiled 122 yards of the Browns' 172 rushing yards against the Jets scrubs.

Kelly and Felton, in particular, were strong at the point of attack and relentlessly picked up extra yards when holes appeared to be closed. It will be interesting to watch their battle with Jerome Ford for the backup spot to Nick Chubb.

But the most impressive reveal of the evening answered the question of who will back up Deshaun Watson and Joshua Dobbs at quarterback this season. Rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who will be known from now on as DTR, was clearly the star against the Jets.

The fifth-round pick out of UCLA was 8-of-11 for 82 yards and a beautifully-thrown 22-yard scoring slant to Austin Watkins Jr. that gave the Browns their first lead at 21-16 in the fourth quarter. It culminated a nine-play, 78-yard five-minute journey. 

In his very first series to open the second half, DTR guided the offense 93 yards in 11 plays in 6:47, Felton streaking the final 16 yards with the quarterback surprisingly delivering the key block for his ex-college teammate.

Along the way, Browns fans were also entertained by his quick feet, displaying at times the pocket escapability and elusiveness reminiscent of Baltimore's Lamar Jackson. He seemed, at least from the game, to know when to leave the pocket, and prolong drives. 

He all but sealed up the backup job in relief of Kellen Mond, who played the first half and led the offense to the first of three clock-chewing scoring drives, but was victimized by an Anthony Schwartz fumble on an end around deep in Cleveland territory in the opening quarter and by a poorly thrown pick.

That led to 10 gift points on the second of Greg Zuerlein's three field goals and the lone Jets touchdown by Israel Abanikanda.  After that, the defense took over. and dominated.

Outside of minimizing the damage caused by the two first-half turnovers, Jim Schwartz's aggressive backup crew was steady, holding the New York offense to just nine first downs, a meager 53 yards on the ground and only 188 yards overall.  

In five second-half possessions, the Jets punted thrice, turned the ball over on downs, were picked off by young safety Bubba Bolden on a desperate last-minute heave, and never got closer than the Browns' 29-yard line.

The defensive staff had to be pleased by Bolden, linebackers Charlie Thomas III and veteran Tony Fields II and cornerback Thomas Graham Jr., who were either in on or in the vicinity of numerous plays.

The only major concern on the evening -- and this is a bit of a stretch -- were the 90 yards the special teams surrendered on kicks; a 45-yard return of a kickoff by Xavier Gipson and the 45 yards on two punt returns by Alex Erickson, 

The pleasing result of this one aside, the evening provided more than a glimmer of hope and promise that the bench strength this season behind one of the league's strongest cores is a distinct improvement from last season.

Trimming the roster to the final 53 men next month, at least based on what we saw Thursday night, almost certainly will be challenging and rewarding at the same time for General Manager Andrew Berry.  Challenging because of its difficulty; rewarding knowing how much stronger the roster will be.