4 Browns players who need to stand out during preseason Week 2

Week 2 of the NFL preseason is here as the Cleveland Browns prepare to face the Minnesota Vikings. The two teams have had joint practices ahead of the game and have been thrilled with what they've seen, especially from Deshaun Watson.

Watson, and several other starters, will sit out the preseason game but there are still several players to keep an eye on. That includes these four who need to have a good showing on Saturday.

Pierre Strong, Jr., RB

With Nick Chubb, D'Onta Foreman, and Nyheim Hines all dealing with different injuries, Pierre Strong, Jr. had a chance to assert himself in the Browns' backfield. That's not what happened against Green Bay, however, as he had 15 yards on six rushing attempts and 10 yards on two receptions. Making matters worse, he had a nine yard run as his long and a seven-yard reception. Taking those two plays out would give him nine yards on six touches.

He was never going to win a starting spot but Strong has explosive speed and could be a solid chance-of-pace option. For that to happen, he needs a much better outing this weekend. If not, he could be in danger of losing his job the way John Kelly did.

James Hudson III, OT

Jedrick Wills isn't back yet which has left James Hudson III in the starting role at left tackle. On Saturday, he struggled to hold things down and was outplayed by Germain Ifedi, who has moved past him in practice.

"Hudson’s struggles have been widely reported as he has attempted to fill the shoes of Jedrick Wills at left tackle. Veteran offensive lineman Germain Ifedi was getting reps in practice on Monday over Hudson and could provide more position flexibility." - Damon Wolfe, Dawgs by Nature

Cleveland's coaching staff has shown far too much patience with their young tackles, both Wills and Hudson haven't been consistent. They're still relying on Wills but Hudson could finally be running out of chances, meaning he needs to turn it around in a hurry.

Brady Breeze, S

A sixth-round pick for the Tennessee Titans in 2021, Brady Breeze is on his fifth NFL team. He has six tackles in his career, all as a rookie with the Detroit Lions, and is a long shot to make the roster in Cleveland. Having said that, it was hard to watch their game on Saturday and not be impressed with his performance.

Breeze had 11 tackles (7 solo) and a sack as he was flying all over the field. With D'Anthony Bell on the PUP and Ronnie Hickman struggling in his brief appearance this past weekend, Breeze could find a way to sneak onto the roster, if he continues to stack impressive games on top of one another.

Cedric Tillman, WR

Starting in OTAs and carrying through training camp, Cedric Tillman was making huge strides as a pass-catcher. He arrived in Berea in excellent shape, was working on his routes, and took advantage of the absence of both Amari Cooper and Jerry Jeudy.

Then when the Browns played against the Green Bay Packers, he wound up with one catch for three yards. He added an offensive pass interference penalty as well, which negated a first down for David Bell.

As Tillman struggled, Cleveland saw several other wideouts step up their play. Bell would have had a couple of catches if not for the penalty. Jamari Thrash had 43 yards on three receptions, Michael Woods II went for 22 on two grabs, and Ahmarean Brown had 26 on two catches. He would have had a third for a touchdown if not for a penalty that wiped his play out.

Tillman isn't in danger of being released but he has to prove he's a superior option to the other young players or risk falling down the depth chart.

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