Cleveland Browns Week 8 Stock Report

Week 7 wasn't a good one for the Cleveland Browns. They lost 24-6 to the St. Louis Rams, and quarterback Josh McCown injured his shoulder in the process. The Browns are now 2-5 ahead of Sunday's meeting with the Arizona Cardinals and their high-powered offense.

Some Browns helped the team in Week 7, while others hurt it. Let's take a look at the Browns players whose stocks are rising or falling headed into Week 8.

Stock Up: WR Dwayne Bowe

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Browns receiver Dwayne Bowe hasn't appeared in a game since October 4. For the last three weeks, he's been a healthy scratch, unable to crack the 46-man game-day roster. And when he has played, he's been a non-factor, with zero catches on two targets.

So why is his stock on the rise? Because he may finally dress for a game this week. Head coach Mike Pettine said that he'll determine Bowe's game status later in the week, depending upon whether fellow receiver Andrew Hawkins remains in the NFL's concussion protocol, per the Canton Repository's Scott Petrak.

Browns offensive coordinator John DeFilippo has long maintained that Bowe has a role to play in the offense, going as far as to say, "We are going to need Dwayne at some point this season," per May Cay Cabot of Cleveland.com. And that point may come Sunday. 

If Bowe can make an impact in the game, maybe he can force his way onto the game-day roster moving forward and finally justify the $12.5 million contract he signed with the Browns in the spring.

Stock Down: The Offensive Line

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There have been no major changes to the offensive line this year. John Greco and Joel Bitonio remain the starting guards, Mitchell Schwartz and Joe Thomas the tackles, and Alex Mack the center. But the line has struggled in pass protection this year, something that was clear against the Rams and their tough defensive front.

Quarterback Josh McCown didn't have a completely bad day against the Rams, completing 26 of his 32 pass attempts for 270 yards. But he threw no touchdowns and was sacked four times—twice resulting in fumbles. He was also hit seven more times by the Rams defense and injured his shoulder late in the game, which led Johnny Manziel to finish out the contest.

So far this year, Cleveland's line has allowed 26 sacks, tied for the second-most allowed in the league. Five of those were on Manziel and 21 on McCown. And while the quarterbacks can often put themselves in the line of fire, it's the offensive line that is the first defense against that. And the Browns' once-vaunted line is clearly failing McCown in this one crucial way—to the point of injury.

Stock Up: RB Duke Johnson

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The Browns' run game has evolved into a committee of three, with Isaiah Crowell, Robert Turbin and Duke Johnson splitting touches. But where Johnson stands out the most is in the passing game. And it's that versatility that led the Browns to draft him in the third round earlier this year.

Johnson was the Browns' second-leading receiver against the Rams, with seven catches on seven targets for 73 yards. In addition, he also rushed six times for 17 yards.

While Johnson is averaging just three yards per carry on the season, he's also added 263 yards and a touchdown through the air. He's also proving a reliable receiver, with 31 catches on 36 targets. As the season wears on, Johnson may not be the Browns' rushing leader, but he should be an integral part of the passing offense.

Stock Down: Team Discipline

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The Browns had numerous failures in Sunday's game, and many of them can be boiled down to a lack of discipline. 

One example: The Browns' 11 penalties for 98 total yards, four of which came against the offensive line on a single drive.

Another: Cleveland's inability to convert third downs, doing so just three times on 12 attempts. The four fumbles—one returned by the Rams for a touchdown—is another glaring example. Another still: The 11 missed tackles on defense, as counted by Pro Football Focus, which helped Rams running back Todd Gurley to rack up 128 rushing yards (and two scores).

Winning games comes down to a number of factors, but running a tight ship is among them. Heading on the road to face a team like the Rams, with a strong defense and great run game, required the Browns to limit their mistakes in order to come away victorious. 

Instead, they stumbled over themselves on numerous occasions, and that lack of discipline doomed them almost immediately.

Stock Up: DE Randy Starks

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The Browns brought veteran free-agent defensive end Randy Starks on board in the spring to help them out when it comes to stopping the run. And while stopping the run has remained a problem, Starks is at least starting to make a name for himself individually.

Against the Rams, he totaled two combined tackles (including one for a loss), one sack (his first of the year) and two quarterback hits. Pro Football Focus graded Starks as the Browns' top defender in the game, not only giving him high marks as a pass-rusher but also as a run defender—the latter an ever-increasing rarity for the team.

Starks playing well cannot improve the entire defense's lot. But it was good to see such a highly regarded offseason signing stand out in Week 7.