The Cleveland Browns are just starting to get some players on the field with the start of rookie minicamp last week. Not only were the Browns drafted and undrafted players in Berea but a few others with NFL experience as well.
Andrew Berry and Kevin Stefanski have done a very good job of balancing bringing in new guys while incorporating players leftover from the previous regimes. Berry and company revamped the offensive line with the additions of Jedrick Wills and Jack Conklin last offseason and went about remaking the defense this year.
While the big-time veteran additions will have to wait for their chance on the field, the Browns new draft picks are already turning heads according to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated:
But it was what I heard about the next two picks that got my attention. On defense, second-round linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah’s speed, overall athleticism and range to cover a lot of ground, in addition to his length and a big frame that could carry more weight, was enough to have coaches excited. And on offense, third-round receiver Anthony Schwartz showed smarts, better polish at the top of the route than expected, and played to his Olympic-level speed. “You can feel his speed out there,” said one staffer. And add those two to Newsome, who ran in the 4.3s, and you can see the sort of effort Berry and Stefanski are putting in to make an already-athletic roster even faster across the board. It should be fun to watch where all of that goes.
Speed, speed, and more speed.
With the Browns eyeing the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, and Baltimore Ravens, among others, in the AFC, athleticism is going to be key. The Chiefs have a dynamic offense with the mobile Pat Mahomes, speedy Tyreek Hill and one of the most dynamic tight ends, Travis Kelce. The Bills have the mobile Josh Allen running things with Stefon Diggs leading a versatile group of weapons.
Speed is the name of Lamar Jackson’s game as the Browns saw last year and the Ravens continued to add to that with Rashod Bateman in the NFL draft.
There are a lot of variables in trying to build a quality NFL roster but betting on athleticism, especially speed, is a good foundation. The Browns, according to Breer, did a great job of that in the 2021 NFL draft.
