Rookie cornerback Greg Newsome was pleased with his NFL preseason debut. (Cleveland Browns)
Browns rookies answer the call in 23-13 preseason win over Jacksonville
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland.
JACKSONVILLE, FL
This first Browns preseason game wasn’t about readying their loaded roster to meet the lofty expectations of what they hope is a special season.
Instead, 17 projected veteran starters watched safely from the sideline as their youngest teammates were exposed for the first time to a higher level of speed than they’ve seen on the practice field.
It’s part of coach Kevin Stefanski’s meticulous management of his first preseason schedule in the new NFL era of player safety and wellness. And it bodes well for the team in general that mostly first- and second-year players dominated the wayward Jacksonville Jaguars of college coaching legend Urban Meyer, 23-13.
The oldest players to see action for the Browns were quarterback Case Keenum, offensive tackle Chris Hubbard, linebacker Malcolm Smith, and defensive tackles Andrew Billings and Damion Square.
But the players who stood out were rookies – cornerback Greg Newsome, linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, utility offensive specialist Demetric Felton and safety Richard LeCounte.
A quick word here about No. 3 quarterback Kyle Lauletta: He stated his case to be considered the team’s practice squad developmental quarterback with two touchdowns and a 19-of-27, 212-yard night in relief of Keenum.
Now, on to more relevant things.
Newsome was strong, JOK was fast and furious, Felton held up well as a slot receiver and LeCounte had a gift interception on a Hail Mary soap squirt from phenom-turned-has-been Gardner Minshew in relief of franchise quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
Oh, by the way, training camp-MVP Donovan Peoples-Jones looked like the best player on offense. He started things off with a 15-yard reception over the middle and added a one-handed grab of a ball behind him among his three catches.
This update: The kicking competition remains tight. Incumbent Cody Parkey made field goals from 34 yards and 48, the latter grazing off the left upright. Challenger Chase McLaughlin converted from 37 yards and slam-dunked the two PATs.
As for the rookies, Newsome might have edged slightly ahead of third-year vet Greedy Williams for the CB2 starting spot simply by showing the moment was not too big for him.
Newsome displayed some fortitude by filing away a 35-yard reception surrendered to veteran receiver Marvin Jones. Newsome lost containment while Lawrence surveyed the field on one of the few downs he wasn’t pressured. Newsome allowed Jones to slip behind him and then failed to turn back to look at the ball sailing over his shoulder.
“At the end of the day, I have to keep my eyes on my man,” Newsome said. “My job is to not let him catch the football. He caught the football. I have to keep my eyes on my man and finish the play off.”
The good news is that three plays later, Newsome leveled Jones 1-yard shy of a first down after a 7-yard catch.
“I was a little mad already after the ball that was caught on me,” Newsome said. “The next-play mentality. I was ready to make that next play.”
Overall, Newsome said of his preseason debut, “I thought I had a pretty good first game. I thought I played fast. Of course, I made a few mistakes but we’ll fix those in the film room. Ultimately, it was a good start.”
For his part, Williams, playing off, surrendered Lawrence’s first third-down conversion on a 10-yard catch by Jones, but he jolted Jones and caused him to juggle the catch.
“I thought, just from my vantage point, they both competed,” Stefanski said of the team’s marquee position competition. “I know this, it’s never perfect, especially coming out for your first game. It was the first time playing for Greg, first time in a long time for Greedy. I told him, to be out there for the first game coming off an injury, I thought that was a great testament for how [he] worked in rehab.”
Owusu-Koramoah entered in the second quarter and probably logged the most snaps for any defensive player. He played to the bitter end, as Meyer used his three timeouts in the final two minutes while trailing, 23-6.JOK wound up leading the Browns with seven tackles, including a sack of five yards set up by end Joe Jackson, and two other tackles for loss. His tackle of running back Nathan Cottrell in the waning seconds should have ended the proceedings. But No. 4 Jacksonville QB Jake Luton was able to tack on a touchdown to tight end Tyler Davis with 26 seconds to go.
JOK and everyone else was pleased with his NFL preseason debut.
“He did a nice job and I know already there’s things he can improve on,” Stefanski said.
“He’s a stud,” said Newsome. “He’s a beast. Glad we got him on our team. Obviously, he came off the Covid list so he’s really fresh. He’s not even close to where he’s going to be. He played a great first game.”
JOK’s promising debut was all the more important because starting WILL linebacker Mack Wilson was knocked out of the game with a shoulder injury. Stefanski had no update after the game. If Wilson is sidelined for any length of time, it means the WILL starting position could come down to second-year Jacob Phillips and Owusu-Koramoah.
The other rookies who shone were Felton, who had four receptions for 44 yards as a slot receiver, and LeCounte, who had the INT and another pass breakup.
Tackle Sheldon Day sacked Lawrence on the No. 1 overall pick’s first play of the game, and Porter Gustin added another.
The Browns’ second-team offensive line held up well, affording Keenum good protection to put up two field goals in his three series on the field in place of rested starter Baker Mayfield.
“[Protection] was probably better than fairly decent,” Keenum (12 of 17 for 115 yards) said.
It was Keenum’s most extended play time since the final game of the 2019 season with the Washington Football Team.
“It definitely was fun, exciting, good to get some of the rust off,” he said
