For the average NFL fan, training camp and preseason games mean nothing, but it's everything to those whose jobs are on the line to make the final 53-man roster. Competition among the fluid spots available is always tight, meaning if you miss a few practices or don't have your best day, you could be one of the names called into the office to turn in your playbook.
The preseason games — while meaningless in the win/loss column — are the determining factor to those trying to make a name for themselves in the NFL. Below are four Cleveland Browns players who need to capitalize on their opportunity on Saturday vs. the Green Bay Packers.
WR David Bell
This has to be one of the most competitive wide receiver rooms the Browns have seen in years. Third-year WR David Bell is not only fighting an uphill battle for targets but there's no guarantee he will make this roster.
Five-time Pro Bowler Amari Cooper is back for another season, Jerry Jeudy was traded to the Browns and had his contract extended, and then there's Elijah Moore who has a make-or-break season himself. Behind Bell on the depth chart are hungry young guys rookie wide receiver Jamari Thrash, third-year draft pick Michael Woods, and even Matt Landers is making plays in camp
The biggest problem with Bell is that he doesn't possess any traits that differentiate him from the rest of the group. His frame is average and he doesn't have the speed to get true separation or pick up chunks of yards after the catch.
While his hands are consistently good, he's had less than 400 receiving yards in two years. It's hard to consider him a lock with this production. A dominant performance vs the Packers could show everyone that while he doesn't pass the eye test, he belongs in a very crowded WR room
LB Devin Bush
During Andrew Berry's tenure as general manager in Cleveland, we've seen a lot of free-agent players get signed to one-year deals. The belief is to get a motivated player for cheap, and if things don't work out the team can move on without worry about money against their cap spending. Linebacker Devin Bush was inked to a one-year deal back in March with the thought he could resurrect his career in Cleveland
Bush was a first-round pick for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2020 NFL Draft. He had a strong start in his rookie campaign, but ultimately suffered a season-ending ACL injury. This ended up affecting the way he played the game, as he was never able to undercut blocks and beat players to the ball the way he was once able to.
What never changed though was Bush's ability to tackle.
Per Pro Football Focus, since 2021 Bush has had a missed tackle rate of 5.6% and below. For perspective one of the best linebackers in the entire NFL, Bobby Wagner had a missed tackle rate of 4.8% last year. Going into camp, it seemed like Bush would have a battle for a starting role, as Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and Jordan Hicks already have two of the three starting linebackers spots locked in.
Originally to start camp 2021 draft pick Tony Fields was getting the first-team reps but suffered a leg injury a week ago and hasn't been back to practice since. If Bush has a great preseason game, that third linebacker spot could be his for the taking.
OT James Hudson
A rookie's career path after being drafted to the NFL starts one of two ways: either they are eased in, have a backup role learning from the starters for a year or they are thrown out to the field their first year and told to swim. Fourth-year Offensive tackle James Hudson is the latter.
Across his first three seasons, Hudson has started 14 games and while he hasn't been disastrous in his swing tackle role, he hasn't exactly shown he is starter material either.
Surrending 57 pressures in 14 starts for an offensive tackle in the AFC North simply can't happen. Of course, he's only 24 but Hudson has to show this camp he's worthy of a roster spot or he won't make the final 53.
It's common sense he is below guys like All-Pro Jack Conklin, 2nd-year stud Dawand Jones, and 2020 first-round draft pick Jed Wills on the depth chart, but Hudson now has legitimate competition at the fourth offensive tackle spot. Free agent acquisition Hakeem Adeniji has started one more career game than Hudson but has given up 14 fewer QB pressures. The good news is both Jack Conklin and Jed Wills have yet to be cleared on a physical so Hudson has plenty of opportunity to show this weekend vs Green Bay he deserves to have a spot on the team this season.
RB Pierre Strong
For some the easiest way to make a final 53-man roster is to start on a position at special teams, for others, the only way to make a spot on the roster is special teams. In all fairness to Pierre Strong, Jr., he is absolutely buried on the running back depth chart.
Nick Chubb is a top-five back in the league when he's healthy, D'onta Foreman provides immense value on short distance/goalline carries, Jerome Ford was top 10 statistically in receiving for running backs, and Nyheim Hines was signed specifically to be a return specialist. So where does this lead for Pierre Strong?
Well, Strong has two great things going for him: one is he's healthy and two he has return experience in the NFL. Like most of the others on this list, the player ahead of him, in this case, Nyheim Hines, has yet to be cleared from injury.
Not that there's any chance Strong can't make himself a case in the running back room, but 338 total scrimmage yards last season doesn't give him a leg to stand on. He needs to make waves this weekend because the second Nyheim Hines shows he is healthy, the Browns will give Hines the chance to show them he's the returner they are paying him to be.