Takeaways from the preseason game between the Browns and Vikings on Aug. 17 at Cleveland Browns Stadium. The Vikings won, 27-12:
• Every year, the media covering the Browns names a rookie the winner of the Maurice Bassett Award. The award is named in honor of a fullback who played for the Browns from 1954-56 known more for his effort than his career stats — 223 carries for 810 yards and 10 touchdowns. Bassett played on the Browns’ 1954 and 1955 NFL championship teams.
Wide receiver Jamari Thrash, a fifth-round draft pick from Louisville, has shown in training camp that he is worthy of the Maurice Bassett Award. His performance against the Vikings might have increased his chances of being honored.
Kevin Stefanski talks about the #Browns 27-12 preseason loss to the Vikings, losing three offensive tackles to injuries, his quarterbacks and the play of Jamari Thrash. pic.twitter.com/rGrjvqbcUP
— Jeff Schudel (@jsproinsider) August 18, 2024
Amari Cooper, Jerry Jeudy and Elijah Moore were among the many veterans who had the day off. Thrash started and played a key role in the Browns scoring a game-tying touchdown on their first possession.
On fourth-and-two from the Vikings’ 44, Dorian Thompson-Robinson zipped a short pass to Thrash near the 40-yard line. Thrash turned and raced for a 15-yard gain before running out of bounds across the left sideline.
Thrash finished with three catches for 25 yards — not overwhelming numbers, but it worth remembering 12 players caught at least one pass for the Browns.
“He’s done a nice job,” head coach Kevin Stefanski said. “He takes his job very seriously. He works extra any time he’s out there. I see a young man who’s progressing. He’s still a rookie. He’s going to make mistakes, but he continues to get better with more exposure.”
The Browns were driving for a touchdown at the end of the second quarter. DTR tried to connect with Thrash on a pass over the middle, but the throw was behind him, glanced off Thrash’s hands and was intercepted.
“Obviously we didn’t get the “W,’ so I feel I could have done better on my part getting down the field,” Thrash said. “I could have been more explosive with the ball in my hand.”
Thrash took blame for the pass that was intercepted.
“I have to do a better job of getting my head around quicker,” he said. “If I got my head around quicker, that (interception) could have been prevented, then we could have continued moving the ball down the field and possibly scored.”
Thrash caught three passes for 43 yards last week in the 23-10 loss to the Packers.
• Swing tackle James Hudson suffered an ankle injury trying to protect Thompson-Robinson in the end zone in the second quarter. He did not return. Hudson remained on the ground for about a minute and then limped off on his own power. He left the locker room after the game wearing a walking boot on his left ankle.
Two Browns offensive tackles were injured in the second half.
Tyler Huntley, as planned, took over at quarterback in the third quarter. He threw an interception near the goal line on his first drive. Dwight McGlothern made the pick and returned the ball 90 yards. Hakeem Adeniji suffered a knee injury chasing him down. Adeniji did not return. He left the locker room leaning on crutches with his right knee in a brace.
Germain Afedi suffered a hand injury. He did not return. Roy Mbaeteka on the left side and Lorenzo Thompson on the right took over at the tackle spots.
Stefanski said all three tackles will undergo further testing. Meanwhile, Stefanski still has no timetable for the return of tackles Jedrick Wills or Jack Conklin. Both are recovering from 2023 knee surgeries.
Tight end/fullback Giovanni Ricci suffered a knee injury and did not return.
• The Browns got their only touchdown on a one-yard run by D’Onta Foreman in the first quarter. He was stopped with no gain from the 1 on the previous play.
“I feel like in those situations I have to be in there,” Foreman, 6-foot, 235 pounds, said. “Just me with my stature and my frame, me being a bigger back, it’s like I take those personally. I was actually mad I didn’t get in on the first one.”
The Browns did not re-sign Kareem Hunt. Foreman is expected to take over as the short-yardage specialist.
• Huntley and Thompson-Robinson are competing to be the third quarterback. The Browns might be in trouble if either of them has to play extended time in the regular season.
DTR completed 13 of 17 passes for 126 yards. His pass intercepted by Lewis Cine at the Vikings 18 on the pass intended for Thrash with 20 seconds left in the second quarter took at least three potential points off the board.
Huntley completed 14 of 20 passes for 135 yards and also rushed for a team-high 19 yards on four carries. The first interception he threw sailed over the head of tight end Treyton Welch. He threw another interception on a pass that was behind intended receiver Aiden Robbins and deflected.
“Some good and some bad,” Stefanski said when asked how his quarterbacks played. “That constant desire for our quarterbacks is to operate consistently. I thought there were really some good moments and some things you can definitely learn from from those two players.”
• Rookie defensive tackle Mike Hall on Aug. 13 was arrested and charged with domestic violence by Avon police. He spent a brief time in jail and was released on a $10,000 personal bond. He pleaded “not guilty” at his arraignment.
Hall suffered a neck stinger in practice Aug. 14. He did not practice Aug. 15. Stefanski said the injury might keep the rookie out a while, but Hall played against the Vikings. He entered the game on the third play of Minnesota’s opening drive. He played five plays and on one pressured Vikings quarterback Nick Mullens into throwing an incompletion. He was credited with one assisted tackle and a quarterback hit.
• The second preseason game is made for players like Browns defensive tackle Chris Williams.
Williams made the Colts’ roster as an undrafted rookie in 2020. He did not play as a rookie but played a total of 13 games in 2021 and 2022 for the Colts.
The Browns signed Williams to their practice squad Dec. 19 of last year and then signed him to a futures contract Jan. 15. He led all Browns defenders with six tackles against the Vikings. He also broke up a pass.
“He’s a very hard worker,” Stefanski said. “Does a great job in the building. One of the first guys in, last guys to leave and then plays with great effort. I think that’s the thing you see most on tape — both on the practice field and on the game field.”
Williams capped off his night by tackling Vikings quarterback Matt Corral in the end zone for a safety with less than two minutes left in the first quarter.
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