The Cleveland Browns are days away from the official start of their summer training camp, with rookies already reporting this past week to get a jump start.
Now that the official dates are set for Browns training camp, the players can get themselves in game mode for the long season ahead, especially their class of rookies. What makes this year’s draft class so interesting is that realistically, almost all of the rookies could compete for a starting role on this team.
After another successful draft on paper, that gives Cleveland’s front office hope that their team will perform better overall once the regular season rolls around. First, they’ll be tasked with assessing this group of rookies for who stands out amongst the rest.
Four Browns rookies jump off the page as ones who may face more pressure than others to perform well. Here’s why these rookies may face the most pressure to prove that they deserve a spot on Cleveland’s 53-man roster.
KC Concepcion
The biggest thing regarding Concepcion is proving that his size and speed can be used within this new Browns offense. Head coach Todd Monken has already spoken highly of him and seems to have a plan for him in both the receiving game and return game.
First round wide receivers historically haven’t worked out for the Browns, and Concepcion needs to rewrite that narrative by becoming a focal point of this offense.
The Browns drafted another receiver in the NFL Draft, that being Denzel Boston, who possesses a much different skill set than Concepcion. Both are expected to see regular time on the field this season, but Concepcion also needs to show that he can be as lethal as Boston is.
Parker Brailsford
After the Browns decided to let free agent center Ethan Pocic walk after his season ending injury, the starting center job became wide open in Cleveland. Then, the Browns decided to add some competition for Luke Wypler by adding Brailsford in the draft.
Brailsford has a lot of potential and could easily make this Browns roster and start week one. All he has to do is beat out Wypler, while also ensuring that Cleveland won’t have to make any decisions by moving center/guard Elgton Jenkins to the middle of the line.
He’s known for his fierce pass blocking and tendencies to knock guys on their backs, which would be perfect for the Browns. He will need a strong training camp to take that starting job outright and needs to give Cleveland clarity that they made the right choice drafting him.
Joe Royer
It will be very difficult for any tight end on this Browns roster to beat out the first-year star in Harold Fannin Jr. What’s going to be interesting is who ultimately ends up taking that second string job, which should still see significant time on the field.
Royer was one of two tight ends taken in the draft this year but shows the most potential of any of their other options on the team. The Browns have two veteran tight ends with them through training camp, both don’t pose much of a threat, but still will make this competition tough.
If Royer can show some sort of chemistry with any of the quarterbacks and showcase his dynamic pass catching abilities and show he can be valuable as a blocker, he should find his way into that backup tight end role.
Taylen Green
Yes, the Browns drafted another quarterback this year after selecting two in last year’s draft. Green happened to be their sixth-round pick, which oftentimes doesn’t give much confidence in their chances of starting.
The clear-cut starting quarterback battle is between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders, but what Green will compete for is the third string job. He’ll have to beat out their third-round pick from last year Dillon Gabriel, who started multiple games last season.
Green is a raw prospect but has the size and speed to be a dual threat quarterback in the NFL. With differing skills from Gabriel, Green needs to show he has more upside than Gabriel does. That should make for a fun battle between two young quarterbacks.
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