As unexciting as the preseason might seem at times, it offers a lot of insight into what a team will look like for the upcoming season.
Preseason games offer the chance to see how rookies are settling in for their first year, if concurrent players are able to take another step in their careers and which players are coming up short this year.
For the Cleveland Browns, the preseason gives the team the chance to try out a number of new tacklers, pass-catchers and signal callers.
While some players’ performances have come up a bit flat, others have made a splash and are making a strong case to stay on or even move up the team’s depth chart.
Here are three Browns players who are performing well this preseason:
1. QB Joshua Dobbs
Joshua Dobbs is wowing Browns fans over the past two weeks.
#Browns QB Joshua Dobbs avoids the pressure, loses part of his jersey, scrambles away, tightropes the sideline, and someway somehow almost scores a touchdown. This is crazy.pic.twitter.com/7tv1g2e7N8
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) August 21, 2022
The former Steeler has played well in his two preseason games.
In his first outing against the Jaguars, he completed 10 out of 13 passes for 108 yards and one passing touchdown.
In his second outing against the Eagles, he completed 14 out of 20 passes for 141 yards and had a rushing touchdown.
With his strong play over the past two weeks, Dobbs has made a fair argument he should be the Browns’ third-string QB.
Especially when comparing him to the other candidate playing for the position, Josh Rosen.
Rosen went completed a meager 7 out of 20 passes for 88 yards against the Eagles.
If Dobbs keeps his play up, he could find himself backing up Brisset this year and possibly Watson in the future should Brisset decide to eventually move on.
2. LB Dakota Allen
While Dakota Allen has been making a name for himself as a Cleveland Brown, many will recognize him from another setting.
I like what I’ve seen from Dakota Allen tonight. Last Chance U forever. #Browns
— Brandon Little (@BrandonLittleBL) August 13, 2022
Allen was a key subject on the second season of the Netflix docuseries Last Chance U.
In his three-year career, he has spent most of his time with the Jaguars.
Now he has been testing his luck with the Browns and has been finding some success.
In the Browns’ debut preseason game against his former team, Allen led the Browns in tackles, earning 4 solo tackles with another 4 tackle assists.
In the following game against the Eagles, he had another 2 tackles with 3 tackle assists.
His numbers aren’t eye-popping, but they prove he can play and that he could serve as a great depth piece to a Browns’ LB room that seems to be improving each year.
3.TE Nakia Griffin-Stewart
Nakia Griffin-Stewart has had a quiet NFL career so far.
After going undrafted in last year’s draft, he bounced around a few different practice squads before finding a small role on the Chiefs last year where he played just two games.
With a bit more experience under his belt, he is now trying to earn a bigger role on the Browns.
And so far, he might be doing it.
Though his stats haven’t come with a bang, he has had a consistent 3 catches in each preseason game for a total of 70 yards.
He has also done well blocking for his teammates.
Nakia Griffin-Stewart staked his claim for the tight end 3 role on Friday. PFF gave him a 92.9 overall grade including a 68.8 run blocking grade. He also had a really impressive shoestring catch. Having a solid training camp Griffin-Stewart is the TE3 front runner #Browns pic.twitter.com/vdftohGxMG
— Jacob Roach (@roachizm13) August 14, 2022
His consistency is helping to make the case he should be TE3 behind Harrison Bryant and David Njoku this year.
He might not be the game-changing, playmaking ‘diamond in the rough’ every team hopes to find in the preseason.
But he could be a great piece to add in terms of a reliable and consistent player.
NEXT: Would It Make Sense For the Browns To Trade Kareem Hunt?
