4 Burning Browns Questions As Calendar Turns To July

With training camp just over three weeks away now, here are the biggest questions facing the Browns

Browns running back Nick Chubb is all smiles on the sideline during minicamp, Tuesday, June 11, 2024, in Berea. / Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK

July is here, which means Browns training camp is just around the corner. In 23 days Cleveland will be packing up shop in Berea and heading back to the Greenbrier to begin preparations for the 2024 season.

There will be plenty of questions to answer in the lead up to the season. Here are four to open up the final month without football.

In lieu of the video of Nick Chubb going through some intense workouts with his offseason coach, is there a chance he's actually back sooner than expected?

The videos of Chubb working out were certainly encouraging and it sounds like his coach, Brad Lester has been blown away by his progress. That said, I wouldn't anticipate Chubb being ready in time for the start of the season.

The Browns have been very conservative with Deshaun Watson's rehab from shoulder surgery and they're likely to do the same with Chubb. They want him to be as close to fully healthy as possible before putting him on the field. There will certainly be plenty of eyes on Chubb throughout training camp to see what he can and can't do. His involvement during camp will tell us a lot about where he's at, but I wouldn't plan on seeing him until a few weeks into the season.

Jerry Jeudy arrived in Cleveland with a lot of expectations this season, but what type of expectations should Elijah Moore have next year?

It goes without saying that both Jeudy's and Moore's production will be impacted by Amari Cooper's presence – or lack there of, depending on how contract negotiations go. Their production also depends on Watson staying healthy. I'm anticipating a strong year for Jeudy. Something in the realm of 900-plus yards and five or more touchdowns seems fair in a supporting role to Cooper.

So where does that leave Moore? Last year he caught 59 passes for 640 yards and two touchdowns, with a lot of that coming late in the season once Joe Flacco had taken over the starting QB job. In the end there's only one ball to go around and there's also David Njoku to think about and even Cedric Tillman, who could make a leap. The presence of Jeudy is sure to eat into Moore's production, even with an offense that should be pass-heavy. I'd expect a moderate drop-off for him.

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All four AFC North teams finished above .500 last year and three made the playoffs. Which team is most likely to improve upon their 2023 season and which team is most likely to regress?

I think the obvious choice for improvement is Cincinnati. I mean, reinserting a top five quarterback in football in Joe Burrow will be a major boost for that team. Conversely, Pittsburgh may seem like an obvious answer for the team likely to regress, but last time I checked Mike Tomlin is still there and he always seems to squeeze every last drop of juice out of his teams.

Unfortunately, I think the answer is Cleveland simply because so much of their success is tied to Watson and he's a question mark all on his own at the moment. As training camp unfolds hopefully we'll have a better read on Watson and he'll ease those concerns. Keep in mind the Browns also play one of the toughest schedules in football next year. That said, Baltimore's is even tougher so I'm inclined to say the Ravens if Watson impresses throughout August.

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With the Browns going back to the Greenbrier for a second consecutive year, could this become a regular thing if they continue to have success?

I've been thinking about this over the last week. I do think there's something to the idea that if Cleveland continues piecing together winning seasons that Kevin Stefanski and company will explore options for keeping the early days of training camp remote in the future.

That doesn't necessarily mean it will be at the Greenbrier forever, but the organization finds a lot of value in getting everyone under one roof as they begin preparations for a new season. It's not exactly some phenomenon either. There are a number of teams that still go away for training camp.