The Cleveland Browns enter the 2022 NFL season with uncertainty due to changes made across the board.
Expecting a lot from the Cleveland Browns this upcoming season seems to be a big ask as they are primed for a middle of the road and perhaps disappointing finish for those with lofty expectations. The offense has seen wholesale changes with multiple starters no longer on the team from this time last year. Defensively the team has continued their puzzling practice of flat out ignoring certain positions. The only group that seems to be a lock for certain improvement is the special teams unit. Let’s examine all three phases of the game and what should be expected from them.
Offense
Referring the state of the Cleveland Browns offense as transitional seems to be incredibly fitting. Thinking big picture it is all about Deshaun Watson starting every game beginning next season, but for now it is Jacoby Brissett holding down the fort for the first 11 games. With that comes lowered expectations offensively, specifically the passing game.
Brissett is not the caliber of quarterback that Watson is and with that will come difficulties when manufacturing a passing attack. This can be attributed to the underwhelming group of pass catchers. Amari Cooper is by far the best pass catcher on the roster, but is not a true/traditional number one receiver. After Cooper it is an average (at best) group featuring David Njoku, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Harrison Bryant, David Bell, and Anthony Schwartz. These options really do not move the needle with most being third/fourth options on teams with complete receiving corps.
Due to the state of the passing game it will again be the Browns rushing which leads their offense. Luckily for Cleveland they have the best two-headed attack in the game with Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt. Even with their ability to be game-changing type players, a familiar issue will resurface. Teams will again stack the box and dare the Browns to beat them through the air. The good news is that this time Brissett is more than capable of playing in a non-turnover prone manner and should be able to at least give the team a legitimate chance to win. But again, any sort of high-scoring/shootout type of game will be difficult with Brissett at the helm.
Defense
Last season the Browns defense was an overall impressive unit as they were near the top in multiple statistical categories. This comes with not being able to generate turnovers at the same rate as 2020 (19 in 17 games compared to 21 in 16 games). Combined with the uptick in giveaways (16 to 22), Cleveland was fighting an uphill battle they were not going to win quite often.
Most of the defense looks the same from 2021 with the defensive tackle position continuing to be ignored. Moving on from the Malik’s last season was a wise decision. Unfortunately banking on Taven Bryan and Jordan Elliott to anchor the center of their defense seems like an unwise decision. There has not been anything in either player’s career that says they are capable of being more than rotational players.
The good news is that the Browns still have the combo of Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney on their line. Garrett is going to continue providing elite level production and disrupt offenses on a regular basis. An area of concern is the repeatability of what Clowney was able to accomplish last season (nine sacks, 11 tackles for loss, and 19 quarterback hits in 14 games). The previous two seasons saw the former first overall pick total just three sacks with the same number of TFL and QB hits in 21 games. Will Clowney be able to avoid the injury bug and be a productive player again or was 2021 an outlier? The answer to that question will dictate quite a lot in regards to Cleveland’s defensive success or failure this season.
Special Teams
Chase McLaughlin and Dustin Colquitt out, Cade York and Corey Bojorquez in. As of now York appears to be the long awaited rightful heir to the legendary Phil Dawson. While York is yet to appear in a regular season game, the uneasiness that came with the likes of McLaughlin, Cody Parkey, and the endless list of others is not present.
It was believed that the Browns solved their returner problem by signing Jakeem Grant this offseason, but a season-ending injury has thrust Demetric Felton into this role. Felton will more than likely be one of several players to return kicks this season.
Verdict
A world where the Browns are able to have a winning record without Watson and be primed for a playoff run upon his return. There is also a world in which the team wins just six games. Expectation wise, the best foot forward is the safe route. The quarterback situation paired with the roster turnover could be too difficult to overcome. Hoping for middle of the road/around .500 type season is a more than fair ask for this team. This season is not about contending, it is about continuing to establish building blocks for the future. As long as that continues Cleveland should be in position to contend in 2023 and beyond.
