The Browns’ 2-1 start has been messy, but there’s a real reason to feel better about where this thing is headed: the rookie class keeps showing signs of life.
Sunday’s home opener against the Panthers was ugly in every possible way. Neither quarterback cleared 55 percent completions in a game that featured 78 combined pass attempts.
There were 19 accepted penalties, including 12 on Cleveland, and the Browns still couldn’t crack 300 yards. But Todd Monken’s team found a way anyway, leaning on clutch execution, rugged defense, and a refusal to hand over the kind of killer mistakes that have haunted Browns teams in the past.
That backdrop matters, because the rookie report coming out of the game was a mixed bag with some encouraging peaks. Some first-year players took a step back. Others kept building on what they’d already shown.
Spencer Fano had his toughest afternoon yet. After looking solid against the Buccaneers, the left tackle ran into a much rougher matchup with Carolina’s pass rush.
He gave up five hurries, one sack, and picked up a penalty. Still, he was Cleveland’s best run blocker on the day with a 71.0 grade from Pro Football Focus, and his 63.6 overall mark ranked fourth among the 17 offensive players who logged snaps.
The pass protection was shaky, but there’s no question he belongs out there. The challenge gets even steeper in Week 4, with T.J.
Watt, Alex Highsmith, and Nick Herbig waiting for him and the Steelers.
KC Concepcion had a quieter day than fans have come to expect. He caught only two passes for nine yards despite being targeted nine times, tied with Harold Fannin Jr. for the team lead.
He also handled one punt return for just one yard. His 56.9 offensive grade ranked ninth on the unit.
It’s far too early to read too much into one subdued outing, but this game did reinforce that Concepcion and fellow rookie receiver Denzel Boston may have a harder time putting up splashy numbers as the Browns continue leaning toward a balanced, and at times run-heavy, offense.
Boston, though, still found a way to make an impact. He didn’t rip off another long touchdown-type play, but he did finish with two catches for 41 yards and converted the Browns’ two-point try.
His 73.8 overall grade led the offense, and the early returns continue to suggest Cleveland may have found something with the second-round wideout. The next test could offer more room to operate, since the Steelers have allowed a 102.4 passer rating this season, while the Panthers have allowed an 86.3 rating that ranks sixth.
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren also kept pushing his case for more snaps. After playing 14 snaps in Week 1 and 10 in Week 2, he was on the field for 20 against Carolina.
He responded with three combined tackles on defense, two more on special teams, and a 73.3 grade that ranked fourth among the 17 defenders who played. He wasn’t targeted in coverage, and his usage shows the Browns are treating him like a true utility piece.
He played 12 snaps at free safety, seven in the box, and one at nickel corner. The more he’s out there, the more good things seem to happen.
Not every rookie had a day to remember. Austin Barber struggled after a strong Week 1, allowing three pressures and drawing another penalty.
His 57.1 run-blocking grade showed he had trouble moving bodies, and his 48.2 overall grade was 16th on the offense. Even so, he’s only 23, which keeps the long view intact for a young lineman still finding his way.
Carsen Ryan is in a different kind of grind. The Day 3 pick didn’t get any offensive snaps after appearing for one play in Week 2, though he did log 16 on special teams.
That phase didn’t go smoothly either, as his 38.9 grade ranked 34th out of 35 players who contributed there, and he was penalized as well. For now, he’s in a low-profile job and trying to earn more trust as the season moves along.
The Browns don’t have a polished rookie class. They do, however, have enough encouraging signs to make the early returns worth watching closely.
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Now comes a far more revealing measuring stick. Cleveland is set to host the Steelers in a nationally televised matchup, and those divisional games tend to say plenty about where a team really stands. For the Browns, the timing makes it especially interesting, because this one arrives before the season has even settled in and could start shaping how seriously the rest of the AFC North takes them. [Read more 🡒]