Hall of Fame Game: 3 Big storylines for Browns vs. Jets

For the first time since they reentered the league in 1999, the Cleveland Browns are kicking off the NFL preseason in the Hall of Fame Game against the New York Jets. Being in the preseason kickoff afforded both teams a jumpstart on the rest of the league by being the first to open their training camps.

Cleveland utilized their extra practice sessions by holding their camp at the Greenbriar Resort in West Virginia.

Typically, the Hall of Fame Game is a showcase for the younger players of the two franchises competing. This year’s preseason kickoff will be no different. Head Coach Kevin Stefanski intends to rest his starters and get an extra look at the bottom two-thirds of the roster. Here are three big storylines for Browns fans to follow this Thursday.

Storyline No. 1: How are the Browns second day picks coming along?

With no first-round pick for the second consecutive year, the Browns didn't select any players in the 2023 NFL Draft until Day 2. Cleveland selected two players on Day 2, taking wide receiver Cedric Tillman with the 74th overall pick, and then defensive tackle Siaki Ika 24 slots later with 98th overall selection.

Thursday’s Hall of Fame Game will be these rookies' first opportunity to show Browns fans what they can bring to the table. Tillman has made some noise in training camp displaying his skills at the catch point and by making himself available to Deshaun Watson on scrambles.

On Thursday, the rookie wide receiver should see plenty of opportunities to show what he can do, albeit with backup quarterbacks.

For Ika, Thursday’s game will be his first opportunity to show what he is capable of. While the team has been wearing pads for the last few practices, going to the thud is much different than taking tackles to the ground. Ika was selected for his size and his physicality at the point of attack, and he should get the chance to display both against the Jets.

This team is in desperate need of a defensive tackle stepping up and claiming a spot in this defense. Thursday could be the first step for Ika demonstrating that he can be a valuable part of this defensive line.

It should also be noted that due to the size of these two particular rookies, there should not be a need to see their jersey numbers to know if they are on the field or not.

Storyline No. 2: Can anyone separate in a crowded interior offensive line room?

The Browns offensive line is set at the top with all five starters returning this season. Even the backup tackle spots looked to be locked up with three-year veteran James Hudson and mammoth rookie Dawand Jones manning those positions.

However, the interior offensive line depth is anything but clear at this point. With two pure backup centers on the roster and four guards battling for opportunities, Thursday’s game will provide a platform for separation on the depth chart.

The backup center spot is a definite pivot point on the 53-man roster. On one side you have Nick Harris, who was the starter this time one year ago before a devastating knee injury ended his campaign in the opening drive of the first preseason game.

Harris is battling a sixth-round pick in Luke Wypler, who many believe has the upside of an eventual starting caliber center. If either can demonstrate the ability to moonlight as a backup guard, it could go a long way in cementing their spot on the roster.

The backup guards are in a log jam coming out of training camp. Michael Dunn, Drew Forbes, Colby Gossett, and Wes Martin are all competing for the same spot, swing guard. Dunn has previous experience as an emergency center, and the team has been high on Forbes for years. It is possible that they keep two backup guards on the roster, but it is not a certainty.

The Browns have traditionally kept 10 offensive linemen on their initial 53-man roster under Andrew Berry, but if they plan on rostering seven wide receivers the squeeze could come in the O-line room. All six of these players are NFL caliber linemen, but with only two to three spots available these preseason game opportunities could be the separating factor.

Storyline No. 3: Are the Browns confident in their backup running back situation?

The Browns position room that will get the most spotlight, outside of quarterback, will undoubtedly be the running back room. With Nick Chubb as the team’s unquestioned bell cow back, there is not much experience backing him up.

In a perfect world, Chubb plays over 80% of the running back snaps and it will not matter who his backup is. But as we all know, the world is far from perfect, and any second stringer is one snap away from being the starter. For the Browns, that means that they need to be 100 percent comfortable with Jerome Ford as Chubb’s backup.

From all accounts, they're really high on Ford’s upper-bound limits and believe him to be an eventual starter in the league. Ford will get the opportunity to prove the Browns correct in their faith in him this preseason. Ford flashed quite a bit in the 2022 preseason, showcasing his burst and vision with the opportunities that he received.

But then in the regular season, Ford only carried the ball eight times for a grand total of 12 yards. While those numbers may not at all be indicative of Ford’s future success, it's fair to question whether or not he is ready to be the primary backup at running back.

If Ford proves that he can carry a starter’s share of the workload, even against second-team defenses, it should quiet the doubters and provide the Browns management will enough solid data to reinforce their decision.

Then you have Demetric Felton. While Felton is entering his third NFL season, this is his first season getting a real shot at being a third-down back. From a pass-catching perspective, Felton has the prerequisite skills to excel as a legitimate receiving back.

However, Felton will need to demonstrate that he can be solid in blitz pickup and pass protection when called upon. One benefitting factor for Felton is that he should see some playing time with his college quarterback, Dorian Thompson Robinson. DTR relied heavily on Felton’s receiving prowess when the two played together at UCLA.

This is Felton’s Eight Mile moment, and he may not get this kind of opportunity again.