The Opening Drive 9/8: The Best Rep from Each Rookie Contributor in Week 1
Despite the outcome, there is plenty here to be excited about.
Yesterday wasn’t fun in the most annoying way—because the outcome stunk. The process, though, was quite enjoyable for long stretches. The Browns’ offense had trouble running the ball, sure, but Joe Flacco put together the kind of performance that reminded us why we enjoyed him so much in 2023. His primary targets, both rookies, thrived with him in those checkdown and extended-play scenarios. Meanwhile, the defense stifled the Bengals for the final 40 minutes of game clock. It all felt right—until it ended up wrong.
Kevin Stefanski summed it up well: “Yeah, it’s tough. I felt like we did a lot of good things, but we also did a lot of things that get you beat. You know, we just kind of felt we kind of played like an inexperienced team a little bit today. Like I said, we did so many good things. We were able to move the ball, and then just ultimately come up short. It definitely hurts to feel like you could start the season 1-0 and not do that.”
Around here, we don’t dwell on it. We take a look at what went right and wrong throughout the week and do our best to tell you the story. Today’s story starts with some notes on the rookie performances that stood out. There’s a lot to be excited about.
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I have to be honest: I thought the rookies would have a key role on this team, but I didn’t think they would have this significant of roles this early — especially on the offense. Harold Fannin Jr. played 51 snaps and had a team-high nine targets. Dylan Sampson had a team-high eight receptions and 12 rushing attempts. They were focal points. The defense duo had a vital role expectation but even Mason Graham played a higher volume of snaps on the interior than I was anticipating.
The contributions were strong from the rookies so I wanted to highlight for you the best rep from each of them during today’s Opening Drive.
Carson Schwesinger
The MIKE linebacker was on the field for every snap defensively and had a productive day. He led the defense with eight tackles and provided a steady presence in run fits and coverage drops. Two plays (I know I am cheating a bit here) stood out.The first is his fit on a center-guard pin/pull where he fits the backside B-gap but sorts through and makes a great play on Chase Browns cutting back inside. Then his work from a “mugged” alignment where he is the “low hole” read defender, processes where Burrow is looking and cuts off the rub route from Brown for the 3rd down stop. He had a stellar debut.
Mason Graham
It was an up-and-down day from the 5th overall pick where he was welcomed to the NFL with consistent double-teams and down blocks from the Bengals right tackle, gigantic Amarious Mims, but once Graham felt out the Bengals gameplan and schemes, he got it rolling. He played 40 of 49 snaps which is a high volume for a rookie in his debut on the interior defensive line. This 4th quarter pass rush rep where he hit a quick club/swipe on Dalton Risner to win inside and create the pressure for the sack stood out. When he engages with quick twitch moves like this consistently, he is going to be a handful.
Harold Fannin Jr.
Just an impressive day overall for the rookie tight end. He looked like a weapon in many different alignments and the Browns were focused on using him. This 3rd quarter route stood out above the rest. Fannin appears to be on a deep settle, meant to be a zone beater. But off the snap he has to absorb a reroute from Demetrius Knight (44), and then feel out the scheme. He notices it is man coverage and Jordan Battle (27) is coming from his high alignment to cover him. Watch as he notices the leverage and then pushes out to the sideline opposite.
It worked well because Flacco ended up moving out of the pocket to avoid the pressure and Fannin was right in the window. For me, it’s the mental process, and then the quick twitch in and out of the break. Those yards after the catch help too.
Dylan Sampson
The rookie Tennessee product was so good yesterday within what he was asked to do. Motioned to empty on this 2nd and 15, watch Sampson run a “return” route from the slot. He is selling a speed out and then putting the outside foot in the ground and pivoting back inside — a route inside a concept designed to beat both man and zone. This is a clean route and the biggest part is the catch he makes here. Watch him go down and dig this ball out from below his knees as Flacco’s hand was hit when throwing it. Sampson scoops it up low and then makes the Bengals’ linebacker, Barrett Carter (49), miss in space to get 14 yards on the play.
These rookies flashed a ton of potential and this one, and despite the tough loss, it was well worth highlighting their best efforts. There will be plenty of film from these four to focus on throughout the week.
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Browns Film Breakdown will return this afternoon with Film Room content.
