Passing offense continues to sputter in Browns training camp
There’s no sugarcoating the struggles in Kevin Stefanski’s offense through the first part of Cleveland Browns training camp. The learning curve in adapting to the rhythm-based passing and wide zone blocking scheme has been steep for Baker Mayfield, Case Keenum and the Browns offense.
The first line from The Athletic’s Zac Jackson in his practice report from Tuesday’s session says it all,
The Browns practiced without four of their five top cornerbacks. That the passing game still couldn’t gain any traction either says the offense is struggling or the Browns have the deepest secondary in modern football history.
Watching the live stream from camp has been largely discouraging as well. The timing component of the precision passing game just isn’t there yet. The quarterbacks and wide receivers have not looked comfortable on the designed routes. It’s been much better with the tight ends and on plays where the initial read breaks down, notably with Mayfield and the first-team offense.
Defense tends to be ahead of offense in the first few practices, that’s fairly common. But with Greedy Williams, Kevin Johnson, Terrance Mitchell and M.J. Stewart — effectively the only CBs outside of Denzel Ward who project to ever see the field in the regular season — all out, the pass defense remains ahead. That’s discouraging, especially considering the Browns offense is generally regarded as the stronger of the team’s units.
A couple of positives have emerged. First, right tackle Jack Conklin has continued to play well in pass protection in practices. Second, the tight ends are making plays all over the field. Rookie Harrison Bryant made an excellent snag in tight coverage on Tuesday’s stream, and it wasn’t his first either.
Harrison Bryant sightingpic.twitter.com/DycgBeeVbN
— Derek Brown (@DBro_FFB) August 25, 2020
There is still time for the offense to come around, but the lack of a preseason appears to be slowing the progress of the new Stefanski system.
