Whether the Browns win, lose or draw in Saturday's preseason game against the Packers, it will have no effect on their regular season.
But make no mistake, head coach Kevin Stefanski and the Browns are looking to win.
"Well, they're keeping score, so you want to win. That's important," Stefanski said. "It's an opportunity for our guys to compete, and that's a core tenet of who we are."
The Packers announced that they would start QB Jordan Love, who had a breakout season in 2023 in his first year as a starter. However, Love's time on the field could be limited in order to avoid injuring their starting quarterback.
The Browns will not play QB Deshaun Watson, with backup Jameis Winston set to start and both Tyler Huntley and Dorian Thompson-Robinson slated to see plenty of action.
Here are three keys to the game for the Browns as they look to start the 2024 preseason with a win.
Pressure Jordan Love and the Packers' quarterbacks
With Stefanski not specifying exactly which starters would see playing time on Saturday, it is unclear what the state of the Browns defensive line will be when they line up against Love and the Green Bay offense.
Although they have experienced some injuries over the course of camp, the Browns have several options at defensive end for Saturday to also give younger players crucial game reps.
Alex Wright has had a strong camp so far and could make an impact Saturday depending on how long Stefanski and his coaching staff decide to keep the third-year player – who had five sacks last season – out on the field.
"Alex played well for us going back to last season," Stefanski said. "He was a young person when we got him. I see him maturing in his body and his mentality and those types of things getting better."
Love, who threw for over 4,000 yards and 32 touchdowns last season, is effective at evading pressure, taking just 30 sacks (T-18 in NFL) in 2023. He was a strong passer when facing pressure, finishing ninth in passing yards (1,016) and fourth in touchdown passes (9) when under pressure. Combining pressure from the front seven with strong secondary play will be key if the Browns are to win Saturday.
Stability in the secondary
Facing a talented group of Packers' pass catchers, the Browns' secondary will be put to the test as they work behind the front seven to eliminate allowing explosive plays.
The Browns kept 11 defensive backs in 2023 and currently have 16 on their roster – including CB Greg Newsome II and S D'Anthony Bell, who reside on the active/non-football injury and active physically unable to perform lists, respectively.
Cleveland featured one of the most athletic secondaries in the league last season but were hit hard by injuries, with S Grant Delpit and S Rodney McLeod suffering season ending injuries and S Juan Thornhill fighting through a calf injury for much of the season.
Coaches and player personnel staff will use Saturday's game as a litmus test to gauge the progress of their young defensive backs.
One player who could see action Saturday is CB Kahlef Hailassie, who spent his rookie season with the Browns last year. He appeared in nine games and started against Cincinnati in the final game of the regular season.
"I thought he put some good snaps, particularly late in the year when we played a lot of guys in the Cincy game at the end," defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz said Monday. "He's made a lot of strides missing all of training camp (last season) and coming to a completely different style takes a little while to catch up. But I like his mindset. I like his physical tools, and I think he's an exciting young player."
Protecting the quarterback
When healthy, the Browns boast one of the highest-graded offensive lines in the league, according to Pro Football Focus. Similar to their secondary, the Browns offensive line sustained injuries – particularly at both tackles as Jack Conklin and Jedrick Wills Jr. both suffered season-ending injuries. Dawand Jones, who filled in for Conklin, also sustained a season-ending knee injury late in the season.
Depth will be important for the Browns offensive line, and the preseason will be a key tool in evaluating who can effectively step in if their number is called.
The Packers finished with 45 sacks last season, just 16th in the league, but have promising second-year plates in Lukas Van Ness and Brenton Cox who could elevate the Packers pass rush in 2024.
T James Hudson III, who has had a strong performance at camp so far, could see action Saturday and will be worth watching to see how he works with the line to protect the quarterback.
As starting tackles Conklin and Wills work back from injury, Hudson's versatility could serve the Browns well should he play early in the regular season.
"James has done a nice job with right and left throughout his career," Stefanski said. "I think he's excited for any opportunity because those are great reps for him. He's not the type of player who gets pigeonholed to one side."
The Browns spent a third-round pick on G Zak Zinter out of Michigan. The unanimous first-team All-American in 2023 could serve as a valuable depth piece for starting guards Wyatt Teller and Joel Bitonio.
Offensive line coach Andy Dickerson said that Zinter has been "working hard" during training camp as he learns the Browns offensive schemes and makes the leap from college to the pros.
