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.