Cleveland Browns-Minnesota Vikings joint practices: What to watch for over 2 days in Berea

BEREA — The two biggest days of the preseason are here for the Browns .

What the Browns do on Wednesday and Thursday against the Minnesota Vikings in a pair of joint practices won't assure one outcome or the other for the upcoming regular season. However, these kind of practices have certainly done plenty to expose weaknesses on previous teams that have been later proven to be key reasons for success or failure in the season.

Still, it's also some of the best work the Browns get in the preseason. That includes from any of their three preseason games .

I like that you can have controlled settings," Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said Monday. "I like that both sides can feel confident that their quarterbacks are going to stay upright. And I like that you can script practice and get a bunch of different situations, whether it be third down, two-minute, what have you. For us, sometimes you go through a game, and you don’t get a two minute, per se, or the third and three doesn’t show up for you, those type of things. So, it allows us to really get intentional work, if you will.”

What, specifically, will be front and center for the Browns during the two joint practices with the Vikings? Here's three things to start with:

How does Deshaun Watson look against another team?

Quarterback Deshaun Watson hasn't faced another team in any setting since last Nov. 12, when he led the Browns to a comeback win at the Baltimore Ravens. Days after that game, it was revealed he would need season-ending shoulder surgery, and the rest is history. Watson has been a full participant for essentially the entire duration of training camp to this point. However, he hasn't always been sharp, and has thrown his share of interceptions over the 11 camp days in which he has competed in 7 on 7 or 11 on 11 drills. This week gives Watson a chance to go out and show that he's on the right track to be the kind of quarterback the Browns need to find their way back to the playoffs. Or, it could be two days that merely open the door to even louder questions about if he can ever be that Pro Bowl quarterback again.

Can anyone, at least temporarily, protect Deshaun Watson's blindside at left tackle?

The Browns haven't said when, exactly, left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. will actually begin football activities as he comes back from the knee injury that ended his season last November. That's left them with James Hudson III primarily playing that position, which has been problematic. He only played six snaps against the Green Bay Packers in the preseason opener, but still managed to give up a sack on four pass attempts. In practice, Hudson has also struggled, but he's also going against the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett. The Browns, on Monday, rotated Hakeen Adeniji and Germain Ifedi as well at that spot with the first team, showing they're looking for at least a temporary answer to stick there until Wills comes back. The Vikings don't have Danielle Hunter anymore to be a chaos creator off the edge. They do have former Houston Texans edge rusher Jonathan Grennard and rookie Dallas Turner in to take Hunter's spot. If there's anything that could prevent the Browns from getting a true read on Watson's recovery, it's a lack of protection from the position responsible for his blindside.

Will Browns CB Denzel Ward, and maybe Martin Emerson Jr., against Vikings WR Justin Jefferson live up to the hype?

There is no individual matchup that has more people salivating over these joint practices than the one that will potentially emerge between Browns cornerback Denzel Ward and Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson. That is, unless it's the occasions where Martin Emerson Jr. gets a shot at covering the uber-talented Jefferson. Ward is coming off his third Pro Bowl season, one where he yet again had multiple interceptions while consistently making life miserable for some top-of-the-line wide receiver. Well, they don't get much better than Jefferson, and not just because of the $140 million contract he recently received. He's had nearly 5,900 receiving yards in 60 career games, and that including a 2023 season in which he missed seven games and still added 1,074 to that total. Just watching those two battle in one on one matchups alone will be a treat; not to mention 7 on 7 and 11 on 11 drills.

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: Cleveland Browns-Minnesota Vikings joint practices: What to watch for over 2 days in Berea