BEREA, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Baker Mayfield and “select starters” will start Sunday night’s preseason finale in Atlanta.
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski made the announcement following practice Friday.
“There are a ton of considerations when making our decisions about our team,” Stefanski said. “This is the third preseason game. I see it the exact same as the previous year’s third preseason game where we just do not have a game next where it mostly would be younger guys.”
Prior to the elimination of the fourth preseason game in favor of adding a 17th regular season game, the third preseason game was treated by teams as the dress rehearsal, a tradition it appears Stefanski will continue.
Stefanski did not want to say which other starters will join Mayfield but it stands to reason the starting offensive line likely would.
“You gotta tune in Sunday night, NBC wants me to keep it secret,” Stefanski joked.
Stefanski did not specify how long Mayfield and the starters will play.
“We have a plan,” Stefanski said. “I want to see how it goes.”
Stefanski spoke with Falcons head coach Arthur Smith this week to review his plan.
“It’s not really, we’re not drawing up a treaty of any sort but just let him know what I’m thinking of doing and he does the same,” Stefanski said.
“I think it’s football. I think we’re trying to be smart about everything we do. That’s why I think the joint practices are so important because it’s a controlled environment where our ones got close to 60 reps versus their ones in a controlled environment so it’s all part of it. You have to.. the way you practice and then the way you play is similar and it’s all good work is the way I look at it.”
A select group of starters will be held back along with some reserves.
“There are other guys we’re going to hold out,” Stefanski said. “We’re just making decisions individually based on who need to get some reps. [We’re] Making those decisions based on these practice reps, based on the joint practice reps, based on game reps so we’ll hold some other guys out.”
