Cleveland Browns: Stock up , stock down for Week 1

The Cleveland Browns kicked off their 2023 campaign by notching their first season-opening home win since 2004. The 100th Battle of Ohio started off as a dawg fight in the rain and muck in the first half. Then in the second half, it became one-way traffic with the Browns defense behind the wheel.

There were plenty of standout performances in the AFC North slugfest, although some stood above others. Now let’s breakdown which Browns players’ stocks are on the rise and which Browns players’ stocks are heading the opposite way.

Cleveland Browns: Stock up, stock down for week one

Week 1, Stock Up: Nick Chubb

I know, I know. How could someone like Nick Chubb’s stock go any higher? That’s a fair question. But after an entire offseason where all the talk surrounded the evolution of the Browns’ offense and the switch to a pass-first approach, Nick Chubb proved that you still can’t go broke taking a profit.

The rain made it next to impossible for either team to get their aerial attack off the ground. But do you know what did work? That’s right, handing the ball off to No. 24. Chubb carried the ball 18 times for 106 yards and caught all four of his targets for an additional 21 yards.

The bottom line is Nick Chubb is Apple stock. You can be mad at yourself for not getting any shares of it earlier, but now is not too late either, its value is only going one way…all the way up.

Week 1, Stock Down: Jerome Ford

The majority of Browns running back discussion this offseason was centered around who Nick Chubb’s backup was going to be. Many were concerned that a player with as little professional experience as Jerome Ford shouldn't be in that role. Ford’s play on Sunday will do little to quiet that noise.

On Ford’s first carry of the day, he fumbled on a drive where the Browns were pushing into Bengals’ territory. But the coaching staff’s faith in the second year player never wavered, and they kept putting Ford in the game to occasionally spell Chubb. When the Browns had the game in hand, they pulled Chubb and gave Ford all of the grinding the clock carries to end the game.

Ford finished the game with 15 carries for only 36 yards and that crucial fumble. If Ford’s play does not quickly improve Pierre Strong could be in line for those coveted backup carries.

Week 1, Stock Up: Grant Delpit

Grant Delpit’s play in the season opener was nothing short of spectacular. The ultra-physical safety was making plays all over the field against the Bengals. Delpit led the Browns stellar defensive performance with eight total tackles.

Seven of Delpit’s tackles were of the solo variety with one coming behind the line of scrimmage. Delpit also added a quarterback hit and notched a pass defensed when he was in a one-on-one with Ja'Marr Chase (the man who hates elves for some reason). For a player in a contract year, it would be hard to imagine Delpit having a better showing to start the season.

Jim Schwartz’ defense was playing with physical edge and a fiery intensity all afternoon long and Grant Delpit was the player that was leading that charge.

Week 1, Stock Down: Jedrick Wills

This was not the start that the Browns needed from fourth-year left tackle Jedrick Wills. The former top-10 pick has been the subject of scrutiny all offseason long. Some of the noise died down a little when the Browns opted to pick up Wills’ fifth-year option.

But as clips began to flood social media of Wills getting beat routinely by Myles Garrett, the noise kicked back up. It was easy to sell it as ‘it’s Myles Garrett he does that to all offensive tackles’, which is a valid response.

However, after the performance Wills put up against Trey Hendrickson in the season opener, expect the noise surrounding Wills to become deafening. Hendrickson worked Wills like a summer job on Sunday. Deshaun Watson was constantly under pressure at the top of his drop from his blindside and the majority of it was due to Wills’ inability to establish his pass set.

While Hendrickson is a Pro Bowl caliber defensive end, the road does not get easier from here. Next Monday night, Wills will be tasked with stopping ascending edge rusher Alex Highsmith on a national stage. Point blank, Wills needs to be better.

Week 1, Stock Up: Jim Schwartz

The Browns made a litany of massive moves this offseason. However, the addition of Jim Schwartz as the team’s defensive coordinator could prove to be the most impactful move of the offseason.

The Browns are only one game into their season and Schwartz arrival has already paid immediate dividends. Schwartz' defense took it to Cincinnati in the home opener and did not relent for 60 minutes. While the rain may have played a role early in the contest, what the defense was able to do to declaw the Bengals’ offense should put the rest of the league on notice.

The Browns held Joe Burrow to 82 yards and a quarterback rating of 20.6, both are career low numbers for the former number one overall pick. It did not stop at defending the pass either. The Browns only allowed 75 rushing yards on 20 attempts for a meager 3.8 yards per carry.

Schwartz’ defense was at its best on the money downs. The Bengals went a staggering 2 of 15 on third downs and punted the ball 10 times on Sunday. Cincinnati only managed six first downs against Cleveland’s defense. Oh yeah, the Bengals only managed to score three points in the game, the most important stat of the game.

But it was not just the ridiculous statistics that Schwartz’ defense held Cincinnati to, it was the speed and physicality that they played with that was the most glaring change from last season’s unit. It’s obvious that Schwartz is holding his players to a high standard and that the players are meeting that expectation. If what we saw on Sunday was any indication of the direction this defense is trending in, then it won’t be long until Schwartz’ unit is the talk of the league.