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Cleveland Browns: 5 Players who increased their stock in Preseason Week 2 Victory

By Sam Penix

Aug 22, 2021; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns running back John Kelly (49) scores a touchdown in front of the defense of New York Giants cornerback Rodarius Williams (25) during the second half at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 22, 2021; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns running back John Kelly (49) scores a touchdown in front of the defense of New York Giants cornerback Rodarius Williams (25) during the second half at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /
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Cleveland Browns
Aug 20, 2021; Berea, OH, USA; New York Giants quarterback Mike Glennon (2) throws a pass as Cleveland Browns safety Jovante Moffatt (35) and cornerback Emmanuel Rugamba (37) and defensive tackle Malik McDowell (58) defend during a joint practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /

1. DL Malik McDowell

Defensive line depth might be Cleveland’s biggest weakness right now, and the line’s performance through two preseason games has not been encouraging. The group struggles to create pressure and doesn’t provide a ton of resistance against the run.

However, Malik McDowell is different. He made his NFL debut against New York, and played really well, showing off his power and explosiveness against the run and collecting a sack. To be fair, McDowell was an elite prospect entering the league, and he was playing against a bunch of second, third, and fourth-string linemen, but he also hadn’t played a football game since early November of 2016.

Given his off-field history and lack of experience, it’s difficult to call McDowell anything but a longshot to make the roster, but he was clearly the team’s best defender against New York. That means something, and if he can have a similar impact against Atlanta, the Browns may not have a choice but to keep him, even though the defensive tackle room is extremely crowded as is.

Next. Browns have running backs to spare. dark

Andrew Berry’s specialty is finding talent in unlikely places. That would certainly be an apt description for McDowell if he can make the team.

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