Browns: Injuries, kicking trouble, and a shaky passing game

The Cleveland Browns’ final preseason game did not end with a collective feeling of comfort as there are a handful of concerns coming from their 33-32 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Injuries

On what was his first touch in a game (regular or exhibition) for the Cleveland Browns, return man Jakeem Grant appears to have suffered a season-ending injury for the second consecutive year. It has been reported as a severe patella injury and will undergo an MRI to determine its severity. Should Grant miss the year again, as is the expectation at this moment, it would put Cleveland in a spot where they need to find a returner. Their attempts from last season were very underwhelming, and the hope is that their approach will be different this time around.

Denzel Ward has been placed in concussion protocol following the game. This is the fourth known head injury for Ward as he enters his sixth NFL season. The 2023 season is the first of his five-year $100 million contract extension. With the 26-year-old corner already having four known head injuries, this may impact his availability down the line.

Linebacker Jordan Kunaszyk and defensive tackle Jordan Elliott also left with injuries. Kunaszyk is dealing with a knee injury, while Elliott has a hip issue.

Kicking issues continue

There is not a single person on this planet who can confidently say they believe in Cade York. If they do they are either lying or completely delusional and cannot be trusted.

York missed an extra point following a pick-six earlier in the game on one of the ugliest attempts anyone will ever see. At first, it appeared as though the kick was affected by a defender attempting to block it. At second glance, it was clear that it was an absolute shank. A penalty on the play and a possible injury to York resulted in the Browns going for two on their second attempt, unnecessarily burning a two-point play in a meaningless preseason game.

On Cleveland’s final drive of the game, York had an opportunity to redeem himself. The ball was deflected at the line, a recurring issue for York, and sailed wide. Even if the ball was not touched by a defender it was still going to miss by a decent margin.

The Browns have a real issue at the kicking position and being content with York is insulting. Unless a team has an elite kicker, of which there are 1 or 2 at any given time, the kicker is a position to churn over and over again. Sticking with York appears to be another case of the front office being incapable of admitting they whiffed on a draft pick.

Ups and downs of the Browns’ passing attack

Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson finished the game completing five of 10 passes for 92 yards and one touchdown. Watson was able to hit tight end David Njoku heading to the corner of the endzone on a play six years in the making. This is what people envisioned when the Browns drafted Njoku in the first round of the 2017 draft.

Not all is well when it comes to Cleveland’s passing attack. As mentioned above, Watson only completed half of his pass attempts. When watching Watson he does not appear to be all that comfortable in Kevin Stefanski’s offense. Sure, there are plays like the touchdown pass to Njoku which provide hope. But there are also times when it is clear from the snap that the play has zero chance of working.

Some of the issues can be traced back to the amount of time Watson missed. However, the possibility that Watson may not be a good match for Stefanski’s offense cannot be ignored. When looking at previous quarterbacks that Stefanski has coached, they are not at the level of Watson and are significantly less athletic. Stefanski has been known to get the most out of his average at-best signal callers. But that does not describe Watson. Watson needs someone who lays out an offensive scheme that allows him to make the decisions, not one where decisions are predetermined.

The success or failure of the Browns season will be squarely on the shoulders of Watson. Cleveland went all-in on Watson, banking on him being the missing piece that would take them over the top. If he proves them right, everyone involved will see their stays extended with the team. If not, expect a complete house cleaning at season’s end.