3 Big storylines heading into Cleveland Browns first preseason game

With the Cleveland Browns first preseason game hours away, we take a look at three massive storylines that you need to keep an eye on.

Preseason football is finally here, and the Cleveland Browns have legitimate questions that need to be addressed.

Here are three massive storylines to keep an eye on when the Browns head to Jacksonville to take on the Jaguars on Friday.

3 Big storylines heading into Cleveland Browns first preseason game

Browns Storyline No. 3: Who is going to win the returner job?

Just as of three days ago, this was not a story at all. The Browns secured one of the NFL’s top kick and punt returners when they signed free agent Jakeem Grant to a three-year deal. This was a huge addition for special teams coordinator Mike Priefer. With Grant in the fold, the Browns search for an explosive return man that could flip the field and hit the occasional homerun had come to an end.

Unfortunately for Grant, as well for the Browns, the special teams extraordinaire tore his Achilles tendon during Tuesday’s practice. So now, it is back to the drawing board for coach Priefer. The Browns have a handful of players with some experience in the return game, but no one jumps off the page at first glance.

Of the two return positions that need to be filled, it would appear that kickoff return would be the easier hole to plug. The player that should get the first opportunity to return kicks should be D’Ernest Johnson. While Johnson isn’t a home run threat, he is a solid option that will put you in plus territory on a regular basis.

Johnson has returned 25 kickoffs in his three seasons with the Browns and has a career average of 24.8 yards per return. The move to make Johnson the primary kickoff returner would also get Johnson a few extra touches that could, in turn, keep the running back primed for his limited opportunities as a ball carrier as well.

Option number two in the kick return game is a homerun threat. Second-year speedster Anthony Schwartz has the physical capabilities to be an explosive kick returner. The team gave him the opportunity last season, and he was beginning to come on in that facet when the rookie suffered a devastating concussion against the Patriots that sidelined him for three games.

Schwartz had 15 kick returns in 2021 and averaged 21.5 yards per return. Now while those numbers will not blow anyone away, his explosive potential is enough to earn him the reps. Schwartz has sub-4.3 speed, which makes him one of the fastest football players on the planet. More importantly, his elite speed is of the straight-line variety, which lends itself extremely helpful in kick returns because of the buildup of momentum it allows for.

The punt return duties might be harder to decide for Priefer and the Browns. Both Donovan Peoples-Jones and Demetric Felton have experience in that arena. However, neither DPJ nor Felton have demonstrated the ability to threaten opposing coverage units. Out of the two, Felton has the better short-area shiftiness that is required to be a punt returner.

Felton started off his rookie season as the primary punt returner and was fairing decently until he got the fielding yips. After Felton started muffing punts, the rookie was unable to get the train back on the tracks. If the second-year, multi-positional player is able to regain Priefer’s confidence he should receive a shot to earn punt return duties.

It will be interesting to see if any dark horse punt return candidates emerge during the first preseason game in Jacksonville. Possible candidates include Mike Harley Jr., Jamarcus Bradley, and Jerome Ford.