Browns OTAs: 4 Things to watch during practices
By Randy Gurzi
The Cleveland Browns OTAs will take place late in May and into the second week of June. We might not hear much, but we should pay attention to these 4 storylines
They might not be the most intense practices, but the Cleveland Browns OTAs are still going to help the coaching staff learn a lot about their 2022 roster.
While many of the key starters are figured out, the Browns will still have plenty of competition going on. There are several new faces on both sides of the ball, not to mention an entire rookie class that will be out to prove they belong.
The Browns OTAs are going on now as they’re meeting May 24-26 and will get back together May 31-June 2 and then again June 6 through the 9th. And with all that being said, here are four storylines to follow during those practices.
Browns OTAs storyline No. 4: Backup IOL battle
It might not seem like the most intense battle, but there will be some competition behind the interior linemen this season.
Cleveland enters the OTAs with a new starting center in Nick Harris — that is, as long as Harris can hold off veteran Ethan Pocic. While the expectation is that he will win the starting job, the intrigue is going to be with how the depth chart falls for the reserve linemen.
Pocic seems safe considering his experience as a starter but guys such as Michael Dunn, Blake Hance, and Drew Forbes could be in trouble. The Browns added Dawson Deaton in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft and then picked up free-agent rookie Ben Petrula — who can play all over the line.
OTAs don’t always tell us a ton about the big men, but it’s still worth keeping an eye on how this battle starts to take form during these initial practices.