Saturday Dawg Chow: Browns news (8/13/22)

Cleveland Browns:

• 3 Big Takeaways: Rookies carry Browns to first preseason win (clevelandbrowns.com) - The Browns began their preseason with a 24-13 win over the Jaguars on Friday at TIAA Bank Stadium. Here are three things that stood out most from the win.

• Browns quick hits: Rookie class shines as early injury dampens preseason opener (Beacon Journal) - The Browns finally got to play a game. A preseason game, at least. Deshaun Watson’s starting his first game since January 2021 stole all of the headlines from Friday’s 24-13 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars at TIAA Bank Field. It was some other newcomers, though, who eventually stole the show.
• Deshaun Watson and Anthony Walker Jr. forge a bond over the No. 4 jersey donation — a gift that keeps on giving (cleveland.com) - Anthony Walker Jr. texted Deshaun Watson about 10 seconds after the Browns traded for him in March and said “Welcome to Cleveland, No. 4.” It was Walker’s way of announcing to the Browns’ new franchise quarterback that he was donating his No. 4 jersey to him — the number Watson had worn in high school, at Clemson, and with the Houston Texans.
• Josh Rosen would love to change his rep as just a backup QB, but needs more reps to do that (Browns Zone) - Josh Rosen has logged a ton of miles and experienced a wealth of hardship in his brief career.
• Deshaun Watson: ‘I’m truly sorry to all of the women that I’ve impacted in this situation’ (cleveland.com) - Deshaun Watson finally showed some remorse for the decisions that led him to the point of possibly being banished from the NFL for at least a year.

NFL:

• Sources: Jets hopeful QB Zach Wilson avoided serious injury ahead of MRI (ESPN) - New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson will have an MRI exam on his right knee Saturday, but the team is hopeful he avoided a season-ending injury, sources said Friday night after the team’s preseason opener against the Philadelphia Eagles.
• Vikings QB Kirk Cousins tests positive for COVID-19, will miss preseason opener vs. Raiders (NFL.com) - Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins will miss Sunday’s preseason opener against the Las Vegas Raiders after testing positive for COVID-19, Minnesota head coach Kevin O’Connell told reporters on Friday.
• More Black NFL retirees approved for dementia claims in rescored tests (ESPN) - Two years after a pair of former players sued the NFL over the treatment of Black retirees in the league’s $1 billion concussion settlement, hundreds of men whose medical tests were rescored to eliminate race bias now qualify for awards.
• Allen Robinson II and the great escape from his quarterback hell (The Ringer) - The Pro Bowl receiver spent nearly a decade catching passes from quarterbacks like Blake Bortles, Mitchell Trubisky, and Justin Fields. Now that he’s in offensive paradise with the Los Angeles Rams, Matthew Stafford, and Sean McVay, it’s finally Robinson’s time to shine.
• Panthers fans revel in return to Bank of America Stadium as quarterback duel plods on (The Charlotte Observer) - Matt Rhule smiled as he heard a fan in the audience repeatedly calling for his firing, a critical voice that rose above the ambient cheers from the Bank of America crowd. “It’s been tremendous to see the atmosphere,” the Panthers’ coach said over the chant. “Even the guy saying fire Matt Rhule, I’m happy that everyone’s out here.”