There is a lot of hoopla surrounding the 2022 Cleveland Browns.
This team will take the field for the first time this season on Friday night in Jacksonville against the Jaguars.
Preseason does not always elicit a lot of fan interest, but this year it will because of the drastic roster changes.
Here are three things (or position groups) to watch for in this first preseason game.
1. Quarterbacks
There has been so much offseason talk about the Browns quarterbacks that it is a foregone conclusion that fans will tune in to see this new quarterback room.
The Browns have four quarterbacks on the roster: Deshaun Watson, Jacoby Brissett, Joshua Dobbs, and Josh Rosen.
How many quarterbacks will play and for how long, are key questions that currently only Kevin Stefanski knows.
Kevin Stefanski has a plan for how he’ll use his quarterbacks Friday in the preseason opener, but he wants to inform his players before announcing it. #Browns pic.twitter.com/ezvGhS0Kf9
— Jeff Schudel (@jsproinsider) August 9, 2022
Associated with the new quarterbacks is a brand new starting center: Nick Harris.
Though Harris filled in at center at times for J.C. Tretter, the job is now his, and watching him handle the snaps and ball exchange with the quarterbacks will also be interesting.
2. Wide Receivers
The second most talked about position for the Browns this offseason has been wide receiver.
Veteran leadership previously provided by Jarvis Landry, Odell Beckham Jr., and Rashard Higgins has left the building.
It has been replaced by a great player in Amari Cooper, but the question mark is who will step up and play well as the QB2.
The group is young with Donovan Peoples-Jones as the most experienced in his third NFL season.
David Bell is a rookie with great expectations attached to him, so much so that the Browns did not feel the need to get more depth at the position during the offseason.
Anthony Schwartz, entering his second season, is expected to step up also.
Cleveland Browns wide receivers working the lean and brake drill to enforce proper breakdown technique pic.twitter.com/4PqOQOKz3W
— Receiver Drills (@ReceiverDrills) May 12, 2022
3. Kicker
Potentially the biggest upgrade on the 2022 Browns team is at the kicker position.
#Browns Cade York makes the kick to end the day. His teammates, very appreciative, carry him on their shoulders. 😂 pic.twitter.com/C9IuuZkCdp
— Camryn Justice (@camijustice) August 7, 2022
Rookie Cade York has long-time Browns fans thinking of the Phil Dawson era which marked accuracy and precision, qualities that recent Browns kickers have unfortunately lacked.
York has been awesome at training camp, but seeing him in a packed stadium lining up to make big kicks is a very exciting proposition for Browns fans and the organization itself.
Conclusion
Football is back, and preseason football just whets the appetite for the regular season.
It has been an extremely long offseason so watching actual football games (even preseason ones) versus dealing with off-the-field headlines will serve as a much-needed change of pace.
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