Browns' Bubba Ventrone not expecting 'variety and scheme' in preseason kickoffs

BEREA — Bubba Ventrone expects the new kickoff rule to provide some surprises when he watches it this season. That wasn't what the Browns special teams coordinator expected to see the first time he saw it utilized in an NFL preseason game.

So when Ventrone sat down and watched the kickoffs from last Thursday's Hall of Fame Game between the Houston Texans and Chicago Bears in Canton, he didn't walk away as if he had seen something revolutionary.

“Yeah, it was pretty much what I expected," Vetrone said earlier this week. "I don’t anticipate a lot of, I would say, variety and scheme showing up in these games. A lot of young guys playing in that game as well. So, yeah, it was pretty much what I expected.”

Whether or not Ventrone's tipping his hand to what he may or may not show when the Browns open their preseason schedule Saturday afternoon against the visiting Green Bay Packers remains to be seen. He's typically not a coach prone to verbosity when discussing game plans anyway.

The reality is that, much like with any Browns' schematic changes on offense or defense, the wrinkles are going to be used to open the regular season, not the preseason. So it's probably not going to be until at least the Sept. 8 opener against the Dallas Cowboys that the grand unveiling actually happens.

There is a balance Ventrone and every other special teams coordinator is doing. While the kickoff drills have been somewhat live in training camp, there is only so much they're going to do full speed, which makes seeing live reps something to consider.

“Yeah, and I think, also, it depends on your personnel who’s playing in the game," Ventrone said. "I think that you can get into maybe using something maybe a little bit more complex in this game, if you have guys that can execute.”

There were eight kickoffs in the Hall of Fame Game, but only one went into the end zone for a touchback. That, of course, was a big reason why the new kickoff rule was implemented at the March owners meetings.

Last season, 73% of all kickoff went into the end zone for touchbacks. That was the highest touchback rate since the 1970 merger.

There were also two illegal illegal formation penalties for players leaving the set up zone early, one for each team. Players aren't allowed to move until the ball is touched by the returner or touches the ground.

All of those are data points Ventrone and others around the league will chew on, just like they will the additional ones coming with this weekend's full slate of preseason games. The games, though, remain only a small part of the evaluation, not just on the impact of the rule, but who can play because of the rule.

“Yeah, I think that we’re trying to gain as much information in our practice settings," Ventrone said. "So, if we’re not playing certain guys or certain guys are being stressed too much on defense that wouldn’t normally play as much, don’t have to play as many reps for me. Just trying to come to that, find that balance and go from there.

"But, yeah, you’ll probably see some different people that haven’t really normally played as much in a preseason, especially as we move along.”

Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns' Bubba Ventrone not expecting 'variety and scheme' in preseason kickoffs