To say that the season opener was a disappointment to the Cleveland Browns would be a huge understatement.
The team failed to get anything going on either side of the field against the Dallas Cowboys, and it will take a much better effort to get back on track.
The team will hit the road for a tilt with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and they will have another player returning their punts.
The team swapped out Jaelon Darden for James Proche II, and Browns insider Tony Grossi had a tough time understanding why.
As much as he knows he’s more than likely to be back at some point, Grossi called the team out for parting ways with Darden after being perhaps the only offensive player with a good performance in the season opener.
I can make the case that Jaelon Darden was the only offensive player who showed up v Dallas (72y on punt returns, 97y on kick returns). And he was waived today. I know, he'll be back. But, still …
— Tony Grossi (@TonyGrossi) September 14, 2024
As pointed out by Grossi, Darden logged 97 yards on kick returns and 72 yards on punt returns against the Cowboys.
The Browns have had a tough time with injuries later.
The season just got started, but they’ve already placed five defenders on Injured Reserve (IR), including safety Juan Thornhill, one of their starters.
Needless to say, that has left head coach Kevin Stefanski and GM Andrew Berry scrambling to make up for those losses, making moves to fill the roster and get the team ready for their second test of the season.
It’ll be easier said than done, but even despite those issues, the Browns still have more than enough depth to get a much-needed win in Florida on Sunday.
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