The Browns have been responsible for some of the more dazzling plays of the preseason, though that has not translated into any wins just yet. And while preseason wins are absolutely, completely, 100 percent meaningless -- remember the 2008 Detroit Lions? -- Jackson seems eager to end the tuneup season on a higher note.
"If this was going on my tombstone, I'd be concerned about it. It's not," he said, via the Akron Beacon-Journal.
But Jackson is playing his starters in the preseason finale. While it's uncommon throughout the league, it's not unprecedented. Former Giants coach Tom Coughlin was among the coaches who would play his starters at least a series in the fourth game.
"I think we need to play them," Jackson said, via ESPN.com. "I think we need to get better as a football team."
Jackson's theory isn't logic-defying, especially for the team he has at his disposal. The Browns have made no secret about what they're doing to this roster -- a complete turnover that focuses on productive, young affordable talent and lots of it. That means starting rookies and playing them right on through the final preseason game.
With the release of Paul Kruger and the trade of Andy Lee earlier this week, Cleveland continued their push for a youth movement, even if reports around Kruger's release said that it was specifically about talent. The Browns want to see their youngest stars play the most snaps and could arguably use -- and advocate for -- the fourth preseason game more than any team in the league.
