Saturday Dawg Chow (6/29): Chubb’s rehab, exclusive TE talk, NFL lawsuits and more!

The latest Cleveland Browns news and notes from around the NFL in the Saturday Dawg Chow.

It is the last weekend in June and that means we are just 71 days away from the start of the 2024 season for the Cleveland Browns. It also means that Dawgs By Nature is still out in the quad, grinding away to bring you the latest news about Cleveland’s No. 1 team and some other nuggets from around the NFL.

Dawgs By Nature:

• Browns UDFA TE Treyton Welch excited for opportunities in Cleveland, learning from David Njoku (Barry Shuck) – Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry decided not to select a tight end in the 2024 NFL Draft, opting instead to sign Treyton Welch as an undrafted free agent.
• Nick Chubb’s workout videos are promising (Thomas Moore) – The Cleveland Browns have several questions heading into the upcoming season, and one of the biggest ones is when running back Nick Chubb will be able to return to the field as he continues to recover from two surgeries to repair his knee.
• Proposed 3 team trade is pointless for the Browns (Jared Mueller) – Trading Amari Cooper and getting back another OT while Davante Adams heads elsewhere is silly for Cleveland.
• NFL ‘Sunday Ticket’ lawsuit could derail Browns plans (Jared Mueller) – Since Andrew Berry took over as general manager of the Cleveland Browns in 2020, the salary cap has jumped from $198.2 million to $255.4 million despite a small downturn due to the COVID pandemic. But a class action lawsuit against the NFL’s “Sunday Ticket” threatens that revenue.
• Browns 2023 Season Rewind: Pierre Strong’s 41-yard screen play against Seattle (Matt Wilson) – In this installment of the Cleveland Browns 2023 Season Rewind, we’re going to break down Pierre Strongs’s long gain on a screen pass against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 8.

Cleveland Browns/NFL:

• ‘It’s always urgency’: As Browns CB Denzel Ward enters Year 7, winning takes larger role (Beacon Journal) – Denzel Ward’s was two days away from his 21st birthday when the Browns made him the No. 4 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft. The three-time Pro Bowl cornerback celebrated his 27th birthday on April 28 of this year. For Ward, those two statements are both hard to fathom and completely understandable all at once.
• 2024 Position Preview: Breaking down the Browns wide receivers (clevelandbrowns.com) – The Cleveland Browns are just under a month away from the start of training camp, which will kick off with their visit to the Greenbrier. To prepare for training camp, we’re putting together a thorough preview of each position on the roster. To continue the series, let’s next take a look at wide receivers.
• Can Jordan Hicks and Devin Bush match the play of Anthony Walker Jr. and Sione Takitaki? (cleveland.com) – When linebackers Anthony Walker Jr. and Sione Takitaki left for the Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots, respectively, as free agents this offseason, Cleveland Browns management filled that void with free agents Jordan Hicks and Devin Bush. Out with the old, in with the new.
• Will Steelers’ DB tweaks equal big Minkah Fitzpatrick plays? (ESPN) – or the first time in his career, four-time Pro Bowl safety Minkah Fitzpatrick finished a season of football without recording a single interception. With a restocked secondary and new season on the horizon, Fitzpatrick has one goal for 2024.
• After frustrating 2023, Giants HC Brian Daboll preparing to right the ship in pivotal 2024 campaign (NFL.com) – Brian Daboll’s second season as head coach of the Giants fell drastically short of the dreamlike debut campaign he enjoyed in 2022.