The Cleveland Browns are a defensive-oriented team, and as such, they will only go as far as their potentially elite defense can take them.
However, as big a question mark as they have on offense, they also have some intriguing young players.
And given the way they used them in the preseason opener, it’s safe to assume that they will have a big role right out of the gate.
As pointed out by Zac Jackson of The Athletic, the fact that they barely used RB Dylan Sampson and TE Harold Fannin Jr. is telling of their plans:
“On the offensive side, tight end Harold Fannin Jr. played just six snaps, and Samson played eight. That’s further proof that Fannin and Sampson are in the mix for real roles, even if the team’s early, unofficial depth chart doesn’t reflect it,” Jackson wrote.
The Browns didn’t take a wide receiver in the NFL Draft, but they added perhaps the best pass-catching tight end in his class.
Fannin is coming off breaking multiple records in college, and he’s drawn positive reviews in training camp.
He should be featured in the passing game right off the bat.
As for Sampson, he was projected to be the RB2 behind Quinshon Judkins and operate as a change-of-pace, third-down back.
He’s a potential big play waiting to happen on every carry, and he’s shifty and explosive.
Now, with Judkins out of the picture for the foreseeable future, he might even step into a bigger role and potentially operate as the team’s primary ball-carrier.
The Browns added a promising rookie class to the mix, and while it’s never wise to count on rookies to make a big impact, this could be the beginning of something very special.
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