Cleveland Browns: 5 big questions for preseason Week 3

The Cleveland Browns have many questions to consider as we approach Week 3 of the preseason. Will the team be able to answer all of them?

As we approach the last preseason game for the Cleveland Browns this Saturday when they face off against the Chicago Bears, many questions are swirling around the team that has many of us interested in knowing the answers.

Let’s dig into some hot questions that we want answers to.

5 big questions for Cleveland Browns

No. 5: What will the Browns do at running back?

The big questions regarding the running back room have been mostly centered around Kareem Hunt and D’Ernest Johnson. The Browns and Philadelphia Eagles got together this past week for some practices in Berea and there have been rumors since that the two teams would be interested in a trade.

It would make more financial sense to trade Hunt to the Eagles and while both will be free agents at the end of this season, Hunt’s likely to expect a big payday with his next contract.

It’s hard to see the Browns moving forward with both Hunt and Johnson. The team’s primary back is Nick Chubb and then you have new rookie running back Jerome Ford in the mix and likely getting a spot on the roster because he was a draft pick and Cleveland doesn’t usually drop picks before the season.

The benefits the Browns backs bring to this team can’t be underscored, especially now that they’re likely moving forward with Jacoby Brissett at quarterback.

Keeping four backs isn’t out of the question but we’ll just have to see how the 53-man roster shakes out in the end.

Don’t forget Cleveland has a flexible player like Demetric Felton who can step into multiple roles too from running back to wide receiver. It’s hard to see Felton not making the final roster either so one of these running backs will likely be on the move after this Week 3 contest Saturday night.

No. 4: Why wait until Week 3 to test out Jacoby Brissett?

I just don’t get it. I understand there are many different ways to approach and prepare for the regular season, but for this coaching staff to wait until now to give Brissett some reps in a preseason game seems to be odd.

No one knew for sure in the first preseason game how many games Deshaun Watson would be suspended, but to keep Brissett out of that one, knowing that Watson would be suspended just didn’t add up. The Browns have taken a gamble on Watson long-term but not giving Brissett valuable time to get used to the team he’s going to run for the foreseeable future just doesn’t add up.

Then where there was no Brissett sighting in Week 2 against the Eagles, it seemed even more head-scratching.

Maybe the coaches know best, but they don’t have a lot to show for their previous expertise in these quarterback controversies. Josh Dobbs, the team’s third-string quarterback played a very nice game on Sunday against the Eagles but continuing to not play Brissett doesn’t feel like the right move.

I know the two teams practiced together but I still can’t understand why the Browns don’t want to take the time to let Brissett take a few reps behind center in these games.

No. 3: Is there still an issue at defensive tackle?

Yes, there is still a big problem at the defensive tackle position. Cleveland has struggled in recent seasons at stopping the run. They’ve tried shoring up this part of the line but without much luck.

Third-year player Jordan Elliott has been projected by some as being able to step in and take a bigger role this year. But again, he hasn’t shown anything in his first two seasons to change my mind about his potential. Newly drafted Perrion Winfrey from Oklahoma came in with a lot of fanfare but has looked to be a ways off at this point.

The Browns do have the money to go out and make a trade or pick up an older more veteran defensive tackle. Livel Joseph, formally of the Los Angeles Chargers is still available as are Ndamukong Suh, who will potentially be in the Hall of Fame one day, and Malik Jackson who played with the Browns last season.

The interior of Cleveland’s front line was again exposed in this latest preseason game when they couldn’t stuff the run, especially in the early stages of the game.

I certainly hope they bring in a more capable veteran or two before kickoff on September 11th in Carolina. With the Browns having the cap space it will help the team out if they want to seriously compete for a spot in the playoffs.

No. 2: Is Anthony Schwartz on the chopping block?

Some have said, there’s no way the Browns release Anthony Schwartz. Browns general manager Andrew Berry just wouldn’t do that but if Schwartz continues to be targeted and drop passes or runs the wrong routes he would have to be cut, eventually.

Some have said that he had some better moments in last weekend’s game against the Eagles, but that was two catches for 20 yards. That’s not exactly stellar numbers.

I don’t think at this point at least, that Schwartz is picking up the NFL game very well for whatever reason. It could be he’s not very confident when he hits the actual game field and that’s hindering his growth in the mental side of the game.

I hope he can catch on still. I’d love to see Brissett target Schwartz a few times early in the upcoming game against the Bears on Saturday.

There’s been a lot expected of the young receiver because of his speed. But speed doesn’t matter much if you don’t have the other skills at this level to be the best.

Also, there are other players breathing down his neck like Mike Harley, a rookie from Miami. He started receiving kickoffs last weekend and caught three passes for 30 yards.  That pressure could be Schwartz’s breaking point. Let’s see what he does this weekend.

No. 1: Do the Browns need to look at other quarterbacks?

I believe the front office has to look at other options at quarterback moving forward this season. Josh Rosen will likely be cut after the game this weekend unless he shows great improvement in Week 3. That leaves Brissett and Dobbs — who’s been great in his performances these first two weeks of the preseason, but again it’s only preseason.

There’s that Jimmy Garoppolo guy in San Francisco who remains with the 49ers but it’s only a matter of time before he is traded or released.

If he were released, then maybe the Browns would be more interested in bringing him to town. Cleveland shouldn’t go into the season with only two quarterbacks. Dobbs seems like he’s really made some major progress and I’d be happy to see him behind center if need be, but they have to look around the league at other possible backup quarterback options.

There are your free agent names like A.J. McCarron and Cam Newton who are still wondering aimlessly without a team. There’s also that player or two that could be available in trade. The fact that the Carolina Panthers just announced that Baker Mayfield will be their starting quarterback in Week 1 against our Browns makes a player like backup quarterback Sam Darnold more plausible to be traded to some other team.

We will keep asking questions as we approach the start of the Browns season.