Johnny Manziel had a special signal for the Washington bench Monday (Photo: csnwashington.com)
DraftBrowns.com Staff Writer: Justin Higdon
Game Two of the preseason was supposed to decide the Browns quarterback competition, but neither Brian Hoyer, nor rookie Johnny Manziel could convince Head Coach Mike Pettine to finalize his decision; and as of this posting, the Week One starter against Pittsburgh remains up in the air. The most noteworthy thing either quarterback did was when Manziel tossed a middle finger in the direction of the Washington bench, setting off a barrage of hot takes that scorched the internet all day Tuesday. The ashes are almost all swept up now, so here’s a look at what went right, what went wrong, and where a few players stand midway through the preseason.
(Snap counts courtesy of profootballfocus.com)
Shaw’s Show
While Hoyer and Manziel incited panic in the Cleveland fan base, rookie Connor Shaw was impressive in his first action of the preseason. He threw the ball with zip and accuracy, showed command of his third and fourth string teammates, and connected on a last second prayer to give the Browns a chance to win the game with zeros on the clock. Shaw was passing against soft coverage and players who may not be in the NFL next week, but he did everything he could to make the most of the opportunity. If the Browns planned to try to sneak Shaw onto the practice squad, he may have thrown a wrench into the works Monday night. He was the most popular player in Cleveland on Tuesday morning, but he faces an uphill climb to beat Rex Grossman out for the third quarterback job. Still, Shaw’s performance against Washington is a step toward landing on somebody’s 53-man roster at the end of the month.
Gray Matter
Emmanuel Ogbuehi, who caught the Hail Mary as time expired, has worked out of the slot about half the time. But he’s also done a decent job of blocking in the run game. Meanwhile, MarQueis Gray has dropped a couple of passes, fumbled a ball, and struggled to provide quality run blocking. Granted, Gray has also provided a few big gains in the passing game, but he seems to have an awfully clear path to the 53-man roster for a player who’s given such an uneven performance. It would be interesting to see Ogbuehi get some snaps in Gray’s role, if for no other reason than to provide some competition at what appears to be a key position in the offense.
Fullback Option
Gray had been listed as the starting fullback on the Browns first official depth chart of the summer, but when the second depth chart was released, he was listed at tight end with undrafted rookie Ray Agnew assuming the top fullback spot. It seemed that Agnew was poised to see an increase in playing time against Washington, but instead he played only four snaps on offense and was left out of the special teams rotation altogether. Talk about mixed signals. It’s hard to imagine Pettine and company spending much time on Agnew in Saturday’s regular season rehearsal, so the young fullback may have a hard time surviving next Tuesday’s cutdown.
Running on Empty
Agnew wasn’t the only back left out of the action on Monday. Veteran Chris Ogbonnaya hasn’t seen a single rep on offense through two games. Will his special teams contributions be enough to secure a roster spot? Edwin Baker didn’t see any action on offense or special teams against Washington, and has played only six offensive snaps this preseason. Rookie Isaiah Crowell finally saw the field for a whopping three plays. He carried two times for three yards. If playing time is an indication, Dion Lewis looks like the front runner for the third running back job. But he has just seven carries for 13 yards and three reception for six yards through the two games. Lewis did rebound from a Game One fumble to battle his way into the end zone on a middle screen from Manziel Monday night, so perhaps he is gaining momentum with the coaches. He still seems like an odd fit for the offense, but all of his competition has been on ice.
Rookie Redemption
Rookie receiver Willie Snead shook off a pair of Game One drops with three fourth quarter receptions against Washington. Fellow rookie Jonathan Krause made the catch of the game, leaping to snag a 24-yard pass down the middle from Shaw. And undrafted Taylor Gabriel caught three more passes, and leads the team with six through two games. With Nate Burleson on the shelf with a bum hamstring, and Anthony Armstrong dropping a crucial fourth down pass, the rookie free agents each seized their opportunities to gain ground in the fierce competition for receiver roster spots.
Staying Afloat
With the secondary decimated by injuries, Leon McFadden saw extensive playing time, and he fared much better in coverage than he had against Detroit two weekends ago. McFadden was called for two more penalties, bringing his total to five flags so far this preseason; but he broke up a pass, and didn’t allow a single reception on five targets. If cornerbacks Buster Skrine and Isaiah Trufant remain on the shelf for an extended period of time, McFadden’s chances of making the roster automatically improve. But his play on defense Monday, and his strong special teams play through two games, may earn him a spot regardless.
Crowded Line
Undrafted rookie defensive linemen Calvin Barnett and Jacobbi McDaniel drew raves in minicamp and the team scrimmage respectively, but through two preseason games they’ve been outplayed by young veterans Ishmaa’ily Kitchen and Cam Henderson. Assuming six roster spots are locked down by Desmond Bryant, Phil Taylor, Ahtyba Rubin, Billy Winn, John Hughes, and pass rushing dynamo Armonty Bryant, the remaining four linemen may be battling for a single job. Desmond Bryant missed Monday’s game with a wrist injury, and it’s unclear right now how long he’ll be out. If the issue carries on into the regular season, the Browns may decide to keep eight linemen to start the year. Always a stout run defender, Kitchen is the frontrunner to be the seventh lineman, but Henderson’s play through two games has been a pleasant surprise. The Browns may ultimately try to keep one of the rookies around for the practice squad, but neither has made a mark in game action to this point.
Human Torch
The unquestioned goat of the Monday night loss was defensive back Royce Adams. Pressed into action by all of the injuries, Adams didn’t even get close enough to commit defensive holding. Targeted eight times on the night, he was burned for five catches, 105 yards and two TDs. Adams clearly lacks the speed necessary to play cornerback in the NFL, but the Browns will need at least a couple of the six cornerbacks who missed the Washington game to return to health before they can trim the defensive backfield. Adams probably wouldn’t see the field on Saturday under normal circumstances, but he may get a chance to redeem himself.
Also Noteworthy:
- Reserve guard Keavon Milton, who converted from tight end this offseason, played only two snaps Monday after a disastrous Game One against the Lions
- The Browns will be in a world of trouble if either Joe Thomas or Mitchell Schwartz ever miss any time. Backup tackles Martin Wallace and Reid Fragel were turnstiles on the field, consistently allowing pressure. Fragel, who had been injured earlier in the preseason, was particularly disappointing, and may get the Milton treatment on Saturday.
- Wide receiver Marlon Moore has been one of the team’s best special teams players so far this preseason, both returning and covering kicks. He’ll be suspended for Week One of the regular season, and he remains a long shot to make the 53-man roster at a crowded position. But Moore is making his case to convince the coaching staff that they can afford to spend one spot strictly on special teams.