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Five things we learned about the Browns this preseason
Just when you thought the Browns' 2014 campaign couldn't get any worse than a five-game losing streak to end the season, Josh Gordon got suspended again, Johnny Manziel checked into rehab, and another offensive coordinator headed for the hills. General manager Ray Farmer is also banned for the first four games of the year because of Textgate, leaving head coach Mike Pettine to steer the ship.
The Browns still haven't found a quarterback of the future, their receiving corps is nothing to write home about, but for once, a first-round pick looks like the real deal.
With the regular season set to kick off on Thursday, here are the five most important things we learned from the Browns' preseason.
1. Danny Shelton is a beast on the inside
Shelton, the 12th overall pick of the 2015 draft, already looks like a monster in the middle. Seen here manhandling Bills center Eric Wood during a joint practice last month, Shelton is already showing that it's going to take at least two blockers to combat his ferocity. The 6-foot-2, 339-pound behemoth should help prevent the Browns run defense from getting gashed as it did last season, when it finished dead last in the league.
2. Isaiah Crowell is going to be the No. 1 running back
The fact that Crowell was given the night off in the team's preseason finale and Terrance West played the entire first half was an early indicator that Crowell would get the first crack at becoming the top dog this season. West's trade to Tennessee on Saturday sealed it. The Browns were also hoping that rookie Duke Johnson would be able to make an instant impact, but he's been unable to stay healthy so far.
3. Dwayne Bowe might not have much left
Rumors emerged before the preseason finale in Chicago that Bowe's roster spot might be in jeopardy. Pettine quickly put that speculation to rest after the game, but Bowe's performance on the field was alarming. The ninth-year veteran, who has been bothered all preseason by a hamstring injury, struggled to get any separation against Chicago's second- and third-stringers. Pettine kept Bowe on the field deep into the third quarter, and he finished with just one catch for eight yards. Not what you want to hear about the man you expected to become your No. 1 receiver after signing him to a two-year, $12.5 million contract.
4. Josh McCown may be better than expected
McCown's signing exasperated many Browns fans who were hoping the Browns would draft their next quarterback of the future. Instead, they got a 36-year-old journeyman coming off a horrendous season in Tampa Bay. McCown, however, moved the offense well in the preseason and has arm strength and athleticism the Browns didn't see last year with Brian Hoyer. McCown got a little careless with the ball in his second preseason game against Buffalo, but new offensive coordinator John DeFilippo will likely call plays that will seek to minimize risk and turnovers for an offense that can ill-afford them.
5. The Browns wasted another draft pick
Ray Farmer finally pulled the trigger on a receiver in the draft, but he may already be experiencing buyer's remorse. Fourth-rounder Vince Mayle was the highest draft pick released Saturday after struggling with mental errors and drops. The Browns apparently didn't even make an effort to sign him to the practice squad after he cleared waivers as Mayle landed on the Cowboys' practice squad Monday.
