Browns preseason is about evaluating young players and final roster spots

The Cleveland Browns head into the first preseason game against the New York Jets on Thursday. Deshaun Watson will not play and should not play.

Neither should any of the expected starters. The preseason used to be about tuning up for the season, with starters playing some of the time and then moving on down the roster as you get deeper into the game. That should no longer be what the preseason is about.  

As with all things, the people running the show learn, research, and realize that veterans don't need multiple games to get ready to play. They have been doing this for years and know how to play the game.

Maybe a little live-action couldn't hurt, but the idea that starters need to have a rehearsal game or play a series or a quarter is a thing of the past. The health of the core of an NFL team is too important to take chances. All it takes is one play, and a season is turned on its head. 

The preseason should be about finding out what you have in Kellen Mond or Dorian Thompson-Robinson as a third quarterback. It should be about seeing what Cedric Tillman has and if Demetric Felton has taken a step in his game.

It's about finding young guys that can contribute on both sides of the ball. It's about filling those last roster spots with guys you think can help you on special teams or possibly shine if you have to get deep into the roster. 

It's about finding the diamonds in the rough that maybe just needed a chance to prove what they could do.

Everybody needs to enjoy the preseason for what it is and let the guys that can make the most difference in a season sit and watch for all of it if possible. No one wants to see Nick Chubb, Amari Cooper, or Watson make one wrong move and end up on a cart before the real fun starts.

Let the kids play. And we can enjoy watching them.