4 Key Cleveland Browns Questions Heading Into Final Week Of Preseason

The Browns are dealing with a handful of injuries as roster cutdown day draws near

Jan 8, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Injured Cleveland Browns tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. (71) is helped off the field in a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports / Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports

The Browns will look to navigate the final week of the preseason as carefully as possible as injuries continue to pile up ahead of the regular season. That is at the root of the key questions surrounding the franchise this week:

What's it like going from one side of the #Browns, #Steelers rivalry to the other? Linebacker Devin Bush talked about his journey from Pittsburgh to Cleveland, a place he's actually more familiar with than people may realize: https://t.co/QSF7Zcitam

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The Browns saw a number of their backup offensive tackles go down with injuries this weekend and concern is mounting about Jedrick Wills Jr. Will he be ready in time for Week 1?

At this point we're three weeks into training camp. Two weeks into the preseason and just eight days out from roster cutcut down day and we have yet to see Wills even put on pads and go through individual drills. Kevin Stefanski said on Sunday that Wills won't practice this week either, which means he'll have two weeks to be ready for the start of the season. I suppose the situation could change quickly but I have my doubts about his readiness for Week 1.

What Cleveland does with WIlls when the team has to reduce the roster to 53 players will be telling. Wills wasn't placed on the PUP list to start training camp. It would be very concerning if he had to start the regular season on it. If he doesn't though we'll know the team must think he's close.

Going into the final week of the preseason, which QB is winning the battle for QB No. 3?

I must say I was a little disappointed on Saturday because I thought Dorian Thompson-Robinson was going to take the job. I don't know if he did that per se, but I think he did still show that he's the leader in the clubhouse. He led a really nice touchdown drive to open the game. His two-minute drive before the half was also very promising, until he threw that pick on a pass intended for Jamari Thrash. DTR took the blame for the pass afterward, noting that the ball was a little bit behind him.

We know Tyler Huntley had a few promising drives as well, but threw two interception. Ultimately, for me it's about how the offense seems to operate under Thompson-Robinson versus Huntley. It's still a competition going into the final week of the preseason, but DTR has the inside track for an assortment of reasons.

Kevin Stefanski shared his plan to start Deshaun Watson in the preseason finale. With the injuries at tackle should he play and how long do you expect him to play if he does?

This is honestly a lose-lose situation for Stefanski at this point. Given the injuries at left tackle it's a major risk to play Watson in a meaningless exhibition game and expose him unnecessarily to injury. On the other hand, you lose out on getting him some final meaningful reps before the season starts. Watson is notorious for getting off to slower starts so there is certainly value in getting him as many snaps as possible before Week 1.

That said, we know from Stefanski's Sunday update that Wills isn't ready to return. James Hudson is going to be down for a bit with an ankle injury. Hakeem Adeniji is, similarly, expected to miss some time with a knee injury. That leaves Germain Ifedi, who suffered a hand injury against the Vikings but is fine according to Stefanski, to play left tackle. As much as Watson needs reps his health is priority No. 1. I'd consider not playing him.

#Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski on injured tackles from yesterday: James Hudson has an ankle injury, won't play this week but will be back soon. Germain Ifedi is good to go following a hand injury. Hakeem Adeniji will be out for a bit with a knee injury.

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Kevin Stefanski and the Browns have shown us this preseason that they just really don't care about these games. Is it time to totally revamp the NFL preseason?

Wrote about his late in the week, but I think the preseason does need an overhaul. You have coaches and players telling us that they get more out of joint practices than preseason games. Plus, these games have just turned into an epidemic of injuries for the Browns. With an 18th game coming in the very near future there is no time like the present to rethink what this time of year looks like.

I think the joint practices should become more prominent, maybe you add a second week of them and televise one of the days to make up the ad revenue you lose from axing a preseason game. Perhaps you keep just one actual game as a "final dress rehearsal" for teams, refs, stadium staff to get reacclimated to the game day experience and that's that. Problem solved.