NFL teams do everything possible to avoid suffering injuries, especially major ones, in training camp and the preseason.

That includes the preseason finale, just like the Browns will be playing Saturday in Seattle when they face the Seahawks.

They absolutely do not want to go into the regular season with key players out of the lineup. The results can be devastating.

The 1984 Browns are a perfect example of that. For whatever reason, head coach Sam Rutigliano had Cody Risien, one of the best right tackles in league, playing in the fourth quarter in Philadelphia against the Eagles in the final preseason game. Risien ended up blowing out his knee and missing the entire season, and the Browns suffered greatly for it.

Without Risien on the edge, the Browns were really limited on their pass protection, especially considering that Paul McDonald was getting his first sustained start at quarterback after sitting for most of the previous four seasons behind Brian Sipe.

As a result, McDonald was sacked a whopping 55 times and the offense struggled mightily, really making difficult for an outstanding defense, filled with a lot of good, young players, to carry the team like the Browns wanted it to do.

MWins were scarce. A team that was picked before the season to win the AFC Central championship, was mired in a hole at 1-7 at the halfway point of the season, causing Rutigliano to be fired and defensive coordinator Marty Schottenheimer to be promoted to head coach. It all stems from the fact that Cody Risien wasn’t there. If he had been, then the season, and Rutigliano‘s job security, might’ve been totally different. But he wasn’t, so it wasn’t. And that’s what coaches fear.

Steve King