3 Cleveland Browns who can lock up a spot in final preseason game
By Greg Newland
With the fourth Cleveland Browns preseason game coming up this Saturday evening, it’s becoming more and more real that we are only three Sundays away from the NFL season starting.
We have been through free agency, the draft, rookie camp, training camp, and now the preseason. We likely won’t see a lot of starters in the final game this week, but we will still see some good football as young players are fighting for their lives.
Every single offseason fans fall in love with one or two guys who ball out vs. second and third-string players but never make the roster. There is no doubt that some talented guys will get cut next Tuesday before the final rosters have to be set, but these three guys can lock up their spots in the final preseason game.
3. Cleveland Browns DT Maurice Hurst
After watching Andrew Berry miss on draft pick after draft pick, he finally spent money at defensive tackle this offseason, completely overhauled the group, and brought in some talented veterans.
Maurice Hurst was one of those guys brought in on a one-year prove-it deal, and so far, he has lived up to the expectations.
Remember, the question has never been if Hurst can be productive on an NFL roster, it’s been if he can stay healthy for a full NFL season and be available.
Through three weeks he has done plenty to lock up a roster spot, but he will be in a dawg fight once again to earn what is likely the final spot between three guys (Hurst, Jordan Elliott, and Tommy Togiai).
Hurst has a higher ceiling than either of those two guys, and as long as he shows up on the stat sheet and stays healthy, the final defensive tackle slot is his to lose.