WFNY Roundtable: Training Camp Nearly Over

With training camp coming to an end soon, Cleveland's last preseason game is Saturday against the Kansas City Chiefs, we thought it would be good to get a vibe check on where the Waiting For Next Year staff is on their hometown team. Be advised: these questions were posed before general manager Andrew Berry pulled off a coup and got literally anything for backup quarterback Josh Dobbs, let alone a 5th-round pick.

1) Who or what has surprised you the most from training camp?

Bode: I am rooting hard for Austin Watkins. He is a player who could not get off the practice squad for the Saskatchewan Roughriders before getting cut in August 2022, then signed with a USFL team that promptly folded before the season started. So, of course, it is Sammy's cousin who keeps showing up and showing out on Browns' preseason highlight reels. ((OK, yeah, against third string defenses... I don't care. I'm rooting for him to make the 53-man and get an opportunity because our world needs this Disney+ movie.))Chris: Going the pessimist route here, I'll say Cade York has been surprisingly disappointing. It seems like none of his kicks that go through have been drilled down the middle, while the misses have been even more erratic. Sometimes there's slice, sometimes there's hook, and every time we are all getting heartburn when he steps up to kick. After all the reports from camp came back positive with him making everything in practice, I expected more in the preseason games. The first miss against the Jets didn't feel too bad because it's the nothing Hall of Fame game, but I think even the most patient of us started groaning at the miss against Washington. Throw in the debacle at the end of the Philly game, now no one feels good.Andrew: I don't know that I was really surprised by much. And I'll preface my answer by saying that this isn't actually a huge surprise to me, as I loved the Dawand Jones pick and I have always believed he could be a really great offensive lineman, but the surprise for me is just how fast he has already shown noticeable improvement since his time at OSU. So my answer is Dawand Jones.Milner: The fact that Elijah Moore’d role might be Deebo Samuels-lite. We’ve been getting sprinkles of his potential usage, including taking a handoff in the backfield during the preseason game against the Commanders. I love this idea, cause it’s clear he’s a more dynamic athlete than what has been out there. It should go a long way to keep defenses on their toes on top using his refined route runner to create openings in the passing game. That to me is the biggest surprise coming out of camp.Gerbs: How little we saw expected starters. Browns teams of the past would be preseason warriors, battling every game to fumble the bag in the regular season, but that was mostly because our "starters" were battling it out with 2nd- and 3rd-team guys on opposing rosters. It was nice to have a training camp and preseason mostly devoid of big-time injuries ((Sorry, that hammering is me knocking on every piece of wood in my home.)) and games filled with guys trying to earn/keep their spots.

2) What are your general feelings about the defense heading into the season?

Bode: The Cleveland Browns have legitimate starting defensive tackles. Let me repeat in case you missed it: the Cleveland Browns have legitimate starting defensive tackles. That alone should immensely improve a defense that has a lot of talent.Chris: The defense looks good, from what little we've seen of the guys that are gonna play the most. The line looks to be enjoying the aggressive and simple scheme Jim Schwartz has laid out for them, the linebackers looks like they have space to make plays with real defensive tackles in front of them, and the defensive backs have made plays when they've been presented opportunities. It's hard not to think they'll be a much-improved unit from last year, and I'm letting myself hope Myles, Ward, JOK, and Newsome all have the best seasons they have had at the same time. If that happens, the offense might not even need to be above average to have a winning season.Andrew: I'll believe it when I see it? Look, I agree with all the reasons why this defense could and should be a lot better this year. I have liked almost every move they have made, and I think this is the deepest the Browns' defense has been since...I don't even know when. The potential is there. I believe in Jim Schwartz as a DC. But I am Doubting Thomas on this one. I need to see it to believe it.Milner: I would say Causally optimistic. I love the new direction and point of emphasis, it honestly should’ve been since Myles Garrett is one of the team's best players. the talent is there around him now, but with it being a new scheme and new coordinator, I’m not expecting a complete 180. The expectation should be growing pains in the first 5 or so weeks, but I feel like it’ll come together, especially with new names surrounding Garrett on the D-Line this year.Gerbs: It's gonna be better because it can't be worse, but how much better? This is the most help Myles Garrett has ever had on the defensive line; you know Myles Garrett, the most double-teamed edge rusher in the league yet still had 16 sacks last year? Imagine what he will be like when he 1) has help to take some of those double teams off of him so they can focus on Za'Darius Smith or Dalvin Tomlinson or Ogbonnia Okoronkwo and 2) doesn't have to take plays off because he has been double-teamed all game. The secondary has been great, with three corners who could all starter anywhere else and additions like Juan Thornhill who has already broken every "Gets Us" meter in Cleveland.

3) What are your general feeling about the offense heading into the season?

Bode: Watson is unlikely to reach his 2020 brilliance. But, he also does not need to attempt to carry the Browns' offense as much as he had to for the Texans that year. The weapons are there, the offensive line is there, the quarterback might finally be there. There are still a ton of questions to answer because defenses have gotten so good at defending mobile quarterbacks, but the possibility of being good is there.Chris: Boy, I sure hope they are above average. I don't think we'll see a full season of Watson at the peak of his powers, but a good 8-10 game stretch of it sure would ease my mind. Chubb might have his best season ever, and that could be good enough to cover for any lingering Watson rust. I won't allow myself to dwell on this maybe being his last season in Cleveland, depending on contract stuff. It's hard out there for a (running)back. I am preparing myself for Theoretical Best Season David Njoku to turn into Legitimate Best Season David Njoku this year. If it ever happens, this is the year. Weirdly, I'm not worried about the wideouts. They will produce, they will convert 3rd downs, and they will score in a variety of ways thanks to Weapon Elijah Moore and Punt Returner(?) DPJ. This feels like a well-put-together room. If it plays like it with Watson, this will be a top-ten offense.Andrew: Everything rides on Deshaun Watson. If he can be even remotely close to the kind of QB he was in Houston, I think the Browns offense can be one of the more potent offenses in the league. Can you imagine what life will be like for Chubb if the defense has to actually respect the threat of a passing game?!? But if Watson is closer to what we saw last year (which actually wasn't as bad as many are saying it was, for what it's worth), I expect the offense to largely struggle again with teams just selling out to stop Nick Chubb.Milner: Fairly confident. From reports and Deshaun Watson's own words, it is his offense and it should be. Stefanski having the flexibility to give the 230 million dollar man autonomy of the offense is a good thing in my mind. Even if it wasn’t, say what you will about Kevin Stefanski during his tenure, the offense has usually performed. Sure you might have the occasional bad call here and there, but if the HC gets good QB play, it usually works out.Gerbs: It's gonna work out because it has to. The continued rise of Watson (who was playing a little better in the last few games), the addition of Elijah Moore to the wide receiver room, and the expansion of Nick Chubb's role in the offense all point to rises for a team that was middle of the road on offense in 2022. ((18th, for those wondering.)) Watson isn't an elite guy right now, he has said that and he sure didn't look it last year, but he can make himself into one again with a banger year, and all signs point to it happening.

4) With the Joel Bitonio and Myles Garrett renegotiations, the Browns have over 30m in cap space. Would you use it to try and add to the roster (if so, who), extend someone here already, or keep it as rollover for 2024?

Bode: Over the last few years, the NFL has held less reliance on extending players before they "reach" free agency partially due to the CBA changes to allow negotiations continue until right before the free agency window opens and partially because the cap has continued to raise after the pandemic blip. So, it just doesn't matter to me... win games, keep good players, repeat.Chris: Can I use all three options? I think with Myles restructuring now, that's kind of the idea the front office has. Maybe Aaron Donald is walking through that door, but much more likely, they have made this much room to add someone else from outside. I've been refreshing the media-formerly-known-as-Twitter all day waiting for a news drop that just won't come, so I'll wildly speculate that they are trading for Devin White from the Bucs in exchange for a backup lineman of their choice that is not 6'8", and they are extending Jed Wills to a modest starting tackle deal while rolling over the rest into next year.Andrew: Extend. Nick. Chubb. I don't know what he's asking for or if the restructures can actually help (because I have no clue how the salary cap works in the NFL), but the Browns have taken a lot of care and spent a lot of resources to keep Chubb fresh for the long run, so let's be the team to reap the benefits of that investment.Milner: I think it’s more for cap relief for next year. Since we’re so close to the season starting I don’t expect anything outside of maybe an extension. Of course, anything can happen, but it’s likely rollover for the cap to keep their competitive window open.Gerbs: Before you give me your "the cap isn't real" spiel, (("Real spiel" rhymes)) let's applaud Andrew Berry for the ability to turn lemons into lemonade in Cleveland. Cap hell is real, we've seen plenty of teams affected by it in the past, and with a contract like Watson's on the payroll, it makes it hard to work with. But he's never let cap be a reason the team can't add to an already good roster and they have done that in spades. As far as what to do with it, I don't hate the Twitter idea of adding "Playoff Lenny" Fournette to the mix, offering LA any kind of draft pick for Aaron Donald, or extending Nick Chubb to be a Brown for life like he should be, but the most likely scenario is rolling it into 2024 and on where you're gonna need help with Watson's onerous deal.

5) Give me your Week 1 prediction, Cinci at Cleveland?

Bode: Pain. ((Editor's note: I added the GIF, sorry Bode.))I mean, seriously, Week-1 games in Cleveland's post-1999 history is an absolute train wreck even compared to the rest of their post-1999 history. It would be nice to signal better times ahead with a win, but the hill is steep given this is essentially a new offense going up against a stable (and quite good) team.Chris: I'm going the optimist route here and saying the Browns win 27-13. All of the Week 1 losing streaks are finally over, the quarterback is the quarterback they've been asking for, and the Bengals notoriously start slow and added a hobbled Joe Burrow to go with that reputation. No pressure, except Stefanski has to come out hot before the bye this year, or that hot seat starts boiling. I think he shows out on offense with the new weapons Elijah Moore and Jordan Akins each dipping their toes in the endzone waters and Chubb having a nice yardage game. Cade York makes two kicks, but everyone continues to feel queasy, even on the easy ones. The defense starts the year off winning the turnover battle and getting more fumble recovery luck than last year, the D-line has at least 3 sacks. Book it. Please, I need this.Andrew: Joe Burrow has struggled against Cleveland in his young career, but the Browns don't win their opening game unless Baker Mayfield is the opposing QB. So something has to give. The lifelong Browns fan in me expects the Browns to lose this game like they always do, but boy would a win in Week 1 do wonders to set the tone for this season.Milner: I’ll be a homer and say the Browns win! 26-23 on a game-winning drive by Deshaun Watson cause why not.Gerbs: I wanna believe, and believing in a Browns win in Week 1 is something to believe in, but there is just one huge unknown that weighs over it all: what is Burrow's status? Yes, even if he plays, it will have been with practically no preseason reps to knock off rust, and Cleveland has played him well before, but that was a different defense too. I want a win, so I'm manifesting one: Browns 27-25.