Breaking Down All the New Faces on the 2015 Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns, like every team in the NFL, have a number of new faces on their roster heading into the 2015 regular season. These new faces include drafted and undrafted rookies, as well as veteran free agents—all of whom need to spend the remainder of the offseason becoming more acclimated to their new town and new team.
Not all of these newly minted Browns will make the final 53-man roster or even the practice squad, though. So, let's take a look at the ones who are likely to make the greatest impact in 2015.
QB Josh McCown
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Arguably the most important new face on the Browns roster for 2015 is veteran quarterback Josh McCown. Cleveland signed him in February to a three-year, $14 million contract that includes $6.25 million in guaranteed money. Initially thought of as competition and a mentor for second-year quarterbacks Johnny Manziel and, to a lesser extent, Connor Shaw, McCown has become the front-runner to start in 2015.
Browns head coach Mike Pettine said in May, prior to the start of OTAs, that McCown would be the No. 1 quarterback for the foreseeable future. That has continued through this week's minicamp and is expected to stay that way well into training camp.
Last year, McCown struggled for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, going 1-10 as a starter and completing only 56.3 percent of his passes, for 2,206 yards and 11 touchdowns to 14 interceptions.
Though those numbers are consistent with his career-average completion percentage of 58.8 percent and he's thrown 61 touchdowns to 59 interceptions in his 12 previous seasons, Pettine is confident that McCown will bounce back in Cleveland:
"There were a lot of circumstances and I'm not going to get into them as to what happened at Tampa, but we're comfortable, and obviously we were comfortable because we brought him here and signed him that we're going to see more of the Josh McCown from Chicago than we did from the Josh McCown in Tampa.
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McCown looked sharp in minicamp practice on Tuesday, according to ESPN.com's Pat McManamon, completing deep passes to receivers Andrew Hawkins, Dwayne Bowe and Taylor Gabriel. But, should McCown retain the starting job come Week 1, don't expect him to be constantly slinging the ball around. In a run-first offense, McCown's job will be more about protecting the football than forcing deep balls all over the field.
WR Brian Hartline
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The Browns made a number of significant additions to their receiving corps this year, including signing veteran Brian Hartline following his release by the Miami Dolphins in February.
Hartline spent six years with the Dolphins and totaled 298 receptions for 4,243 yards and 12 touchdowns. He surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in both 2012 and 2013, but that yardage dipped to just 474 yards in 2014 as the team changed coordinators. With that change came a new scheme, one that didn't rely on the downfield passing that helped define Hartline's career. As a result, his targets were cut in half.
This year, he could work on the outside or in the slot—the latter is an area in which Browns coordinator John DeFilippo has been experimenting heavily during OTAs and minicamp. Browns head coach Mike Pettine praised Hartline earlier in June, saying "all he does is get open and catch the ball."
This will be useful for the Browns' chains-moving attempts. But Hartline, with only 12 career touchdowns, will have to be satisfied with that type of role or find a way to be more effective in the red zone. Otherwise, his good hands may not be enough to make him an on-field constant in 2015.
WR Dwayne Bowe
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Another veteran wideout added to the roster this offseason is Dwayne Bowe, who came aboard after spending eight seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs.
A deep-threat, big-play receiver, Bowe at age 30 no longer fit into the Chiefs' plans, especially considering their offense is not set up for a receiver of his skill set. But that also makes things tricky for him in Cleveland, where the quarterback situation is again not designed in a way that makes him indispensable. He will have a role to play, though.
Bowe said in April, after the Browns signed him, that he wants to return to being the "Bowe of 2010," a year in which he caught 72 passes for 1,162 yards and 15 scores. That may not be realistic, but Bowe did note that Browns general manager Ray Farmer had big plans for Bowe after they signed him.
Bowe said, "[Farmer] was pulling up old plays, saying, 'We are going to use you just like that.' Moving around, going on motion, trying to hit the deep ball, trying to break plays."
But no matter how the Browns choose to use Bowe this year, one thing is for certain—if he scores just one touchdown, it will be an improvement on his 2014 output. And as Kevin James of ClevelandBrowns.com wrote on Tuesday, "Cleveland is running a matchup-style passing attack," which should provide Bowe with opportunities that play to his strengths.
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CB Tramon Williams
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When the Browns lost cornerback Buster Skrine in free agency, they determined that the trio of young, second-year cornerbacks available to take his place—Justin Gilbert, K'Waun Williams and Pierre Desir—may just not cut it when it comes to a starter's workload in 2015. As a result, they brought in a savvy veteran, former Green Bay Packers cornerback Tramon Williams, giving him a three-year, $21 million contract to be a starter for at least one year.
In eight seasons in Green Bay, Williams totaled 28 interceptions, 114 passes defensed and 471 combined tackles. He worked his way up to become a full-time starter by 2010. At 32 years old, he's not going to be a long-term answer at cornerback for the Browns, but while their younger players continue to develop, he can provide veteran experience on the field and veteran leadership off it.
DT Danny Shelton
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The Browns had, at least on paper, a successful 2015 draft class, and it all began with defensive tackle Danny Shelton, who was selected 12th overall. Cleveland drafted the run-stuffing nose tackle to boost a defense that had ranked last against the run in 2014 and has struggled to stop the run for the past decade.
In four years at Washington, Shelton totaled 208 combined tackles, 24 tackles for a loss and 11.5 sacks. As a rookie, he will compete to start at the nose tackle position with veterans Phil Taylor and Ishmaa'ily Kitchen. Even if Shelton doesn't beat the two veterans out, he will have a role to play in his rookie year.
Shelton was unable to participate in the OTA practices, as he was still enrolled in college and planning to graduate. He received his degree on June 14, just in time for the start of mandatory minicamp on June 16.
Head coach Mike Pettine acknowledged on Tuesday, via the Plain Dealer's Tom Reed, that this has put Shelton behind: "There's really no way to simulate what our guys have been doing out there for all this period of time, which is unfortunate; just the way the rules are."
But he also said, "From a playbook standpoint, I think we feel good about where he is. ... But to be in it, immersed in it every day and to hear the other guys in your position getting corrections and you just kind of learn naturally that way. He's a bright kid. We don't think there's going to be any issues with him from a mental standpoint picking up the playbook."
With ample time between now and Week 1, Shelton should have no trouble transitioning to the NFL. And if he's as good as advertised, the era of the Browns defense failing to stop the run may finally come to an end.
OL Cameron Erving
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Cameron Erving played center and left tackle in college at Florida State, and that versatility along the offensive line is what convinced the Browns to draft him with the 19th-overall pick in Round 1 this year.
The season-ending—and run-game-killing—injury suffered by veteran center Alex Mack was but one motivation for signing Erving. The other is his ability to play seemingly every position on the line, a clear asset to have should any of the Browns' 2014 starters again suffer an injury.
But all signs are pointing to Erving starting somewhere on the line this year, most likely on the right at guard or tackle. The Browns have moved him around on the line through OTAs and minicamp, and thus far he's played right guard, center, right tackle and left tackle.
Offensive line coach Andy Moeller, who spoke to the Akron Beacon Journal's Nate Ulrich last week, said that Erving will continue to experiment with multiple positions well into this summer's training camp. But ultimately, it appears he will unseat right guard John Greco or right tackle Mitchell Schwartz come Week 1.
LB Nate Orchard
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In an effort to increase their pass-rushing output, the Browns selected Utah linebacker Nate Orchard in Round 2 of this year's draft. Orchard, who totaled 21 sacks in two years in college, had 18.5 sacks in 2014. That's good news for a pass rush that had only 30 total sacks last season.
Orchard, though, has not yet spent much time with the first-team defense. Those jobs have thus far belonged to Paul Kruger and Scott Solomon, with the latter filling in for Barkevious Mingo, who is still recovering from offseason shoulder surgery.
This is likely by design—Orchard has to learn the defensive playbook before he can get snaps with the first-team defense. As his progress continues over the summer, so should his opportunities to work with the top tier of Cleveland's defensive veterans. Though not likely to be a Week 1 starter, Orchard's ability to rush the passer could still be a significant asset on a situational basis.
RB Duke Johnson
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For the second year in a row, the Browns have drafted a running back in Round 3. Last year, it was Terrance West. This year, it was Miami's Duke Johnson, who could easily push West and fellow second-year back Isaiah Crowell for touches this season.
Johnson, who was Miami's all-time leading rusher with 381 carries for 2,599 yards and 20 scores, was also a talented receiver, with 65 catches for 642 yards and four touchdowns. That versatility is what drew the Browns in and what makes Johnson such an intriguing player for the offense this season.
He is already impressing during OTAs and minicamp. Running backs coach Wilbert Montgomery, via the Akron Beacon Journal's Nate Ulrich, has already given him some lofty praise, comparing him to Buffalo Bills legend Thurman Thomas:
"It's going to be all over the field. It's a 'Where's Waldo?' He gives you another dimension. He creates one-on-one problems. We hope he can be a little bit like the kid, [Giovani] Bernard, in Cincinnati. If he can do that for us, that gives us a different perspective on how we approach the field and gives us a chance to move people around and taking advantage of a mismatch.
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Still, while Johnson could take playing time away from West and Crowell, he won't be the team's bell-cow back. Montgomery said, "It's hard to have an every-down back in this league. There's too much punishment going on out there on the field. We've got to carve out a role for Duke. It wouldn't be fair [when] we have never put the pads on yet to say, 'He's our starter.'"
But, with Johnson's unique ability to make plays in the air and on the ground, he'll likely have a major role this year.
DL Xavier Cooper
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Defensive tackle Xavier Cooper, whom the Browns drafted in Round 3 this year, has a similar run-stopping skill set as Round 1 pick Danny Shelton. In three years at Washington State, he totaled 122 combined tackles, 32.5 tackles for a loss and 13 sacks. But he's a rawer player, and though he boasts a high level of athleticism, he may only be a bit player in Cleveland's defensive rotation this year.
General manager Ray Farmer said of Cooper, per the team's official website, that "I really felt like Cooper was a difference-maker. The guy played with an unbelievable motor. He ran and hustled to the ball, showed that first-step quick explosion to beat block and get up the field. I think the guy has got potential to be really, really good NFL player."
But to get there, Cooper may have to beat out the likes of Shelton, Phil Taylor, Ishmaa'ily Kitchen and others in order to play significant snaps. A bigger role should come for him in the future, but this year the Browns' depth may be too much for him to overcome. A strong summer in training camp, though, could change things.
TE Rob Housler
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The Cleveland Browns were, for a time, in bad shape at the tight end position following the departure of Jordan Cameron in free agency. But they managed to find a veteran free agent who can more than fill the shoes of the pass-catching tight end: Rob Housler, who had spent the last four seasons with the Arizona Cardinals.
Housler never put up big numbers in Arizona, but that had more to do with the offensive scheme than any limitations in his game. He has a career total of 105 catches for 1,133 yards and just one touchdown and had only nine catches for 129 yards last year.
Housler, though, expects to play a bigger role in Cleveland. He said to the Browns' official website after being signed in April that:
"I like to be able to stretch the defense. It will help the guys on the outside. If you can have a tight end that can threaten the safeties down the middle, then it opens up guys on the outside. And if you've got guys on the outside, like Cleveland does, that can really stretch the field, then it opens up the middle. I'll bring balance to the passing game and an element to the run game. That's what I can bring to this team.
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He added, "If you have the targets, then you can have the stats. Without trying to spitball any numbers or anything, there is that opportunity here." Housler has lined up wide and in the slot during OTAs this year, and if that's any indication of how the Browns will use him in the regular season, it looks like Housler will get the targets he's been angling for.
WR Vince Mayle
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The Browns drafted wide receiver Vince Mayle in Round 4 this year; it's the first time they have taken a receiver in the draft since Travis Benjamin in 2012. But it may be some time before Mayle will make a significant on-field impact—he's still recovering from a thumb injury he suffered in January and has been taking mental reps in OTAs and minicamp while he still has a cast on the hand.
Mayle spoke with Kevin Jones of ClevelandBrowns.com last week and said, "Right now it's about mental reps, as many as I can. I'm taking them at multiple spots. The guys that are running are taking one rep during the play. I'm taking them at three different spots in my head."
He's also been working closely with veteran Dwayne Bowe, who is a similarly sized receiver. Bowe is teaching him about the nuances of route running, such as, "using your body, coming back to the ball," as Mayle said to the Akron Beacon Journal's Nate Ulrich. He's also helping Mayle's conditioning, including, "stretching, taking ice baths, taking care of my body, doing the extra stuff to make sure that I'm healthy."
Mayle expects to be ready to go by training camp. If he's cleared, that would make for one more receiver battling for playing time this year. Expect camp to be heated among the receiving corps, which includes not just Mayle and Bowe but also Brian Hartline, Benjamin, Andrew Hawkins and Taylor Gabriel.
P Andy Lee
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The Browns chose to make a switch at punter this month, trading a 2017 seventh-round pick for three-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro Andy Lee, who had been with the San Francisco 49ers since 2004. The move necessitated the release of Spencer Lanning and marks the final move in what has been an overhauled special teams unit this year.
The move was a smart one, though. Lee averaged 46.8 yards per punt on his 72 punts last year and has a career average of 46.2 yards. Since 2006, he's been in the top five in yards per punt, making him an asset in a game that starts and often hinges on field position.
The reviews on Lee have been good so far. Daryl Ruiter of 92.3 The Fan tweeted last week that "Lee can boom it," noting that he has punted multiple balls from within the 10-yard line and have them land inside the opposite 15-yard line.
Hopefully, possessing one of the NFL's top punters will allow the Browns to pin opponents deep inside their own territory this year and give them the drive-killing advantage their defense has desperately needed.
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