With the Cleveland Browns heading to The Greenbrier this week, Browns fans may finally get their first detailed look at the offensive system new coordinator Ken Dorsey implemented this offseason.
Dorsey – who previously worked in Carolina and Buffalo as an offensive coordinator – implemented a three- and four-receiver offense that is similar to one quarterback Deshaun Watson ran while with the Houston Texans.
Although Watson may be comfortable with this scheme, the same may not be true for his teammates, leading to concerns that the offense will struggle early during the preseason while learning the new system.
It’s not just a new system that could hold back the offense in July and August.
Additionally, several question marks exist about key players for the Browns.
Running backs Nick Chubb and Nyheim Hines are both coming off knee injuries, and their injury status has not been updated as of Wednesday morning.
The same is true for offensive linemen Jedrick Wills and Jack Conklin as neither practiced this offseason or during the team’s mandatory minicamp in June.
Those players will certainly be in the mix as starters or key reserve roles for the 2024 season.
Another player who fans have not seen working out is Amari Cooper as the wide receiver finally ended his holdout when he signed a restructured contract for this season.
Cooper is a consummate professional, but the receiver’s timing with Watson – especially in this new offense – will be heavily scrutinized after his offseason holdout this spring.
With all of these factors working against the Browns early on, fans should not be surprised to see the offense get off to a slow start this preseason.
