NFL.com's Gregg Rosenthal Projects AFC North Starters

Tour2ma

AFC North projected starters
By Gregg Rosenthal

Cleveland Browns
QB: Cody Kessler RB: Isaiah Crowell
WR: Corey Coleman WR: Kenny Britt WR: Ricardo Louis TE: David Njoku
LT: Joe Thomas LG: Joel Bitonio C: JC Tretter RG: Kevin Zeitler RT: Shon Coleman

DE: Myles Garrett DT: Danny Shelton DT: Larry Ogunjobi DE: Emmanuel Ogbah
OLB: Jamie Collins MLB: Christian Kirksey
CB: Joe Haden CB: Jamar Taylor CB: Briean Boddy-Calhoun
S: Jabrill Peppers S: Ibraheim Campbell

(Notes:)

» Cody Kessler, Brock Osweiler and rookie DeShone Kizer should all get a spin at the starting quarterback job before the 2017 season is up. Kessler is the best bet to succeed Robert Griffin III as the team's Week 1 starter because of Kessler's sneaky-effective rookie year in Hue Jackson's system.

» The Browns drafted four receivers in 2016, and they combined to gain 21 more yards than former Browns receiver Travis Benjamin did with the Chargers. Corey Coleman will be counted on to step up as a star, and veteran newcomer Kenny Britt will be the team's WR2, but the wide-open battle for the No. 3 job between second-year players Ricardo Louis, Jordan Payton and Rashard Higgins could be just as crucial.

» There is a notable lack of depth of proven receiving talent if injuries strike, which is why it was so surprising that the team cut veteran tight end Gary Barnidge.

» Kessler and the running game will benefit greatly from Cleveland's fortifications on the offensive line. Perhaps underrated third-down back Duke Johnson should be listed as the third wideout, because he's a safer bet for production.

» The transition to Gregg Williams' 4-3 defense will force a lot of Browns defenders to change roles. I'm particularly curious to see how he deploys Jamie Collins and rookie safety/linebacker hybrid Jabrill Peppers.

» This still looks like a roster at the beginning of a rebuild, with two rookies competing to start at defensive tackle and at least four starting jobs available on defense overall.

Nothing earth-shattering excepting possibly in the 2ndary...

Other AFCN (and AFCE) here: http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000807353/article/afc-north-projected-starters-good-luck-stopping-steelers

hoorta

You and me both noted a CB to go opposite Joe was a high priority. Calhoon had better step up, and if there's any injuries in the secondary- we're up shit creek. Zero depth.

tiamat63

Safety just scares the shit out of me. Neither of those two are suited to play deep center field and putting them back there might yield some disastrous results.

medicineman

IMO not so much the safety but just the miss tackles in general. That has been a problem forever but really was way too much to watch last season. If we learn to tackle we will win more than 7 games this season.

tiamat63

Not if we can't cover on the back end.

Going to need Haden healthy and in pro bowl form this year.

TopDawg31

So a 4 2 5 alignment?

Tour2ma

FS looks like a weak link, but we do have Powell and UDFA Nacua as understudies.

Plus it was not as if we were going to fix everything this off-season.

Tour2ma

@topdawg31 said:
So a 4 2 5 alignment?

Semi-base nickel with Peppers as the hybrid... I presume...

Campbell doesn't look like an intimidating single-high, but Boddy-C did spend time at Safety last season... reviews weren't great, but I don't think he had any experience before being pressed into Safety service.

gumby73

lot will depend on how long are we in actual coverage before the GW QB heat comes. If Brantley clears hes another beast. We got no better than Haden covering the #1 Wr's at CB game day. His concussion issues ended a possible safety move imo. If Harvard did not draft them? Than talent better shine in Campbell & some others. Those numbers will be interesting getting to 53

Tour2ma

@gumby73 said:
If Brantley clears hes another beast.

He wasn't in the half dozen or so snaps where he met our new OT, Roderick. Caleb supplied our new, OL apprentice with some of his best moments on the tape I saw.

tiamat63

4-2-5 and the nickel will be the 3rd safety/backer. Be it Peppers or Kindred/Campbell.

Tyvis has shown more in the deep 1/3 than the others and I'm sure working under the best (Earl) has given him some pointers... but even with that I'm still very concerned about his ability to consistently hold up back there.

LBC mike

Expectation for the secondary are average with low expecations. Looking forward to the front seven though

Orion

My lineup's got some spots that are up for grabs.(and I'm none too sure about the TE spot going to the rookie for game 1).

LT – Joe Thomas

LG – Joel Bitonio

C - JC Tretter

RG – Kevin Zeitler

RT - ?

QB – Cody Kessler

WR – Kenny Britt

WR – Corey Coleman

WR - ?

TE - David Njoku

RB – Isaiah Crowell

DL – Myles Garrett

DL – Desmond Bryant

DL – Danny Shelton

DL – Emmanuel Ogbah

LB – Jamie Collins

LB – Christian Kirksey

LB - ?

CB – Joe Haden

CB – Jamar Taylor

SS – Jabrill Peppers

FS - ?

Obviously other players will get in the game....FB, blocking TE, RB, 4 WR's, nickle & dime defenses....

Tour2ma

RT ain't "up for grabs"... BOOK IT!

tiamat63

@tour2ma said:
RT ain't "up for grabs"... BOOK IT!

Who you got? Coleman taking the spot?

By the by that's only a 10 man defense you have listed, Orion.

Orion

@tiamat63 said:

By the by that's only a 10 man defense you have listed, Orion.

....umm...I don't think that you do the 'guzintas' too well. (1 guzinta 2, 2 guzinta 4)

Now, if you wanna 'ding' me for screwing up Jabrill's name, I'm fair game for that.

Tour2ma

@tiamat63 said:
Who you got? Coleman taking the spot?

Where you bean, man? Hell to the yes on Shon...

The Gipper

@orion said:

My lineup's got some spots that are up for grabs.(and I'm none too sure about the TE spot going to the rookie for game 1).

LT – Joe Thomas

LG – Joel Bitonio

C - JC Tretter

RG – Kevin Zeitler

RT - ? Hopefully Shon Coleman or possibly Drango. Cam Erving a candidate....but who expects him to come through? Not I.

QB – Cody Kessler

WR – Kenny Britt

WR – Corey Coleman

WR - ? More often than not: Duke Johnson..out of the backfield or in the slot.

TE - David Njoku

RB – Isaiah Crowell

DL – Myles Garrett

DL – Desmond Bryant...The way things are going, this FO could dump Bryant...Then you would have Meder or Ogunjobi

DL – Danny Shelton

DL – Emmanuel Ogbah

LB – Jamie Collins

LB – Christian Kirksey

LB - ? Joe Schobert slated here. But I have said we need upgrade...which the Browns did not address.

CB – Joe Haden

CB – Jamar Taylor

SS – Gerbil Peppers

FS - ? Kindred top candidate...otherwise we have Ed Reynolds

Obviously other players will get in the game....FB, blocking TE, RB, 4 WR's, nickle & dime defenses....

Orion

@the-gipper said:

@orion said:

The way things are going, this FO could dump Bryant...

I have that feeling too...

More often than not: Duke Johnson..out of the backfield or in the slot.

Says a lot for our receiver bunch. Hopefully someone makes an improvement in year two and shows in camp. Maybe even that Hall kid from last preseason. The league pretty much squashed any pipe dream of having Josh Gordon return to us.

Tour2ma

Bryant's future is pretty firmly in the hands of Gregg Williams now... and the Brantley investigation. But assuming a full recovery from his pec tear, I expect to see him on our squad... and starting.