Cleveland Browns: 6 second-year players to watch in 2016
By Joel W. Cade
The Cleveland Browns will be relying on a group of talented second-year players to make their mark in 2016. Which players are poised to break out?
The Cleveland Browns have not drafted well over the years as mistakes like Johnny Manziel and Justin Gilbert define the Ray Farmer front office nightmare. Over the years there have been plenty of other terrible draft picks, particularly in the first round.
However, the 2015 draft may turn out better than expected for the Browns. Players selected in the first, second and third round all contributed last season. Although none stood out or made Pro Bowl appearances as rookies, some did the one thing fans want to see out of rookies toward the end of the season – they made progress.
In Around the NFL’s Making the Leap series, third-round pick Duke Johnson is highlighted as a second-year player who could have a break-out season. Johnson is a logical choice as he progressed well in the offense and came on strong late the in season.
The progress of Johnson and other players has been lost in the shuffle of horrible losses in which the Browns looked awful, fired their head coach and general manager, and restructured the organization to reflect an analytical approach.
Along with all those changes came an emphasis on shedding veterans and rebuilding around younger, cheaper players. However, given the bumper crop of rookies from the 2015 draft, the Browns may already be further along in the rebuilding process than anticipated.
Including Johnson, there are several second-year players poised to become contributors for the 2016 Cleveland Browns. Here is a look at which players fans should keep an eye on.
Next: Duke Johnson: Breakout