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CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Browns improved to 2-0 this preseason with Sunday’s 17-13 victory over the Giants. But that’s exactly what the dashboard says.
Here are the real winners and losers of the game.
WINNER: Former high school quarterbacks who no longer play quarterback
One story I thought I’d write this year is a ranking of the best former high school quarterbacks on the Browns’ current roster. But to be honest, it’s just an excuse for me to write that Johnny Stanton IV, like fullback Johnny Stanton IV, is the best former high school quarterback on the Browns’ current roster.
Stanton was a four-star rookie from Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., In 2013, and the 11th-ranked double-threat quarterback in the country.
Today, he is the back of the Browns.
I will not recap his journey here. Listen to Dan Labbe’s interview with Stanton earlier this year, or the Mad Hypothesis I wrote about shortly after the Browns signed Stanton.
The point is, Stanton is carving out a berth in the NFL, and possibly on the Browns’ active roster this season. He caught back-to-back passes during a third quarter practice that led to a John Kelly touchdown on Sunday. And on this sleeve, it was Stanton sealing the aligned edge as a tight end, allowing Kelly to run up to the pylon.
Then there was Giants wide receiver David Sills V, whom I first wrote about when he was quarterback in high school. Sills was known to have joined USC when he was still in college. His Eastern Christian Academy (Md.) Team defeated local power St. Ignatius in 2013 on Sill’s touchdown pass in the dying seconds.
Now he’s trying to survive in the NFL as a catcher. On Sunday, he caught three assists, including a touchdown in the fourth quarter that brought the Giants down to 14-13.
And finally, you had KhaDarel Hodge. Yes, Hodge was a quarterback in high school. He threw for 3,808 yards and 43 touchdowns and rushed for 2,642 yards in three seasons at Mendenhall High School (Miss.).
But you know him best as a special team that found an offensive spot with the Browns last season, opening the year as a third receiver. On Sunday, he caught his first touchdown pass since a pre-season game in his 2018 rookie year.
It was a big moment for Hodge, who is trying to claim a seat in a talented reception hall.
Big plays weren’t as common for Stanton, Sills and Hodge in the NFL as they were in high school.
On Sunday, however, they were.
LOSER: Health
Sunday’s pre-game injury list was pretty long. Twelve players were among those expected to miss the game due to injury. Nine of the players reportedly got significant snaps in the game.
The list didn’t even include Porter Gustin, who injured his knee in Friday practice and didn’t play.
Then Greedy Williams (groin) and Cody Parkey (quad) both had to leave the game early. And Montrel Meander, signed earlier in the week because the Browns needed more body at linebacker, was swept away by an Achilles tendon injury.
Not what the Browns needed.
WINNER: Browns defensive tackles
After Malik Jackson, anyone can guess which players will get the most playing time in defensive tackle this season. Andrew Billings is in the main rotation. But so do Sheldon Day, who suffered a third tackle for the loss on Sunday, giving him a nice two-game bookend for his sack last week against the Jaguars.
Day shared first-team reps with Billings at camp. And on Sunday, he was just one of multiple defensive tackles to make plays. Malik McDowell had five tackles, one sack and two quarterback hits. Jordan Elliott also had a sack and two quarterback hits.
The defensive tackle could provide some of the more interesting roster decisions as the Browns narrowed down to 80 players on Tuesday and then to 53 on Aug.31.
LOSER: The competition for the punt return
For my part, I was delighted to see the possibilities the Browns had this year on the return from the punt. JoJo Natson was back. Demetric Felton was a new addition. There was talk of quickly bringing Anthony Schwartz in depth. Maybe Donovan Peoples-Jones would show improvement.
But the team that averaged just 4.8 yards per return last year isn’t doing much better this year, averaging just 6.0 yards per return.
Natson had the longest preseason on Sunday, totaling 11 yards. He’s averaging 5.75 yards per return on four attempts. Felton is averaging 6.25 yards. Ja’Marcus Bradley returned one for six yards.
We’re a long way from Travis Benjamin and Josh Cribbs, guys.
WINNER: Make them guess
Stefanski isn’t surprising anyone by using extra running backs and tight ends in his lineups this preseason. He really looked into 12 staff (1 RB, 2 TE, 2 WR) and 21 staff (2 RB, 1 TE, 2 WR) for whom his attack became known.
But what’s surprising is how well the Browns are pitching this preseason. The Browns have 79 attempted passes versus 51 rushes. This is not typical for a Stefanski offense. The Browns had the fourth most rushing attempts in the league last year and had just six more passing attempts than rushing attempts.
But then, atypical, that’s probably what Stefanski is aiming for this preseason.
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