Cleveland Browns: 3 Players who helped their standing in preseason Week 1
By Randy Gurzi
2. Devaroe Lawrence, Defensive Tackle
Mack Wilson had some moments to remember and he surely deserves to be mentioned here, but we have discussed him several times. Instead, we take this chance to look at another defensive player who really stepped up, Devaroe Lawrence.
Undrafted out of Auburn in 2017, the Browns traded for Lawrence in September of 2018. They gave up a seventh-round pick for the defensive tackle, so they clearly liked his upside. During his first season with the Browns, he didn’t get a chance to do much as he appeared in just one game and recorded no stats.
More from Browns News
- How the Browns could maximize Nick Chubb in 2023
- Can Deshaun Watson get to Patrick Mahomes level for Cleveland Browns?
- 3 Cleveland Browns who should see an expanded role in 2023 and 1 who should not
- Is Marcus Davenport on the Browns radar in 2023?
- 5 Free agents from Super Bowl LVII Cleveland Browns should target
On Thursday, that wasn’t the case. Lawrence was a force on the defensive line as he was continually showing up in the offensive backfield and finished with three tackles and a sack. That was a great performance, especially considering the Browns have so few options for reserve defensive tackles.
Last season, the line struggled in the middle which led to the signing of Sheldon Richardson in free agency. The former first-round pick will start next to Larry Ogunjobi, but the depth behind those two starters seemed questionable at best. That’s why it was so encouraging to see an unexpected player show up and make his presence felt the way Lawrence did.
If he can continue to play with the kind of intensity he showed on Thursday, this could prove to be the year Lawrence breaks out and shows why John Dorsey gave up the draft pick for him last year.