3 Standouts from Cleveland Browns practice on Wednesday
By Randy Gurzi
2. The red zone is a focus
In football, nothing matters more than getting the job done when it counts. The Browns understand this as they have been able to move the chains on offense but without much to show for it. Last season, for example, Nick Chubb was second in the NFL with 1,494 yards but was tied for 9th in the league with just eight touchdowns.
The offense as a whole struggled to score in the red zone as they finished 15th in the NFL in that department — which is surprising considering they had not only Chubb but Kareem Hunt for eight games as well. Most of their issues came inside the 20 as they struggled to punch the ball in. Even with the two star running backs, the Browns were 14th in the league, converting touchdowns on just 58 percent of their red zone drives.
Defensively, they were even worse, finishing as the eight-worst red zone defense in 2019. For that reason, the coaching staff had them working hard on the red zone Wednesday and both sides of the ball had their share of good moments.
Veteran cornerback Terrance Mitchell made some plays in the red zone to stop a couple of touchdowns and both Donovan Peoples-Jones and Rashard Higgins pulled in scores. Those two are fighting for the third receiver position, which could remain tight if they both continue to make plays.