Cleveland Browns: 3 Players needing to bounce back in 2019
By Randy Gurzi
Some members of the Cleveland Browns are in need of bounce-back seasons in 2019. These three players could benefit the most from such a campaign.
Earlier this week, the Cleveland Browns kicked off their OTAs which allowed us to see some of the new faces in action. Not only were the rookies — such as Greedy Williams — on the field, but others like edge rusher Olivier Vernon were there sporting the orange and brown for the first time as well.
Even Odell Beckham, Jr. made an appearance, although more news was centered around the fact that he didn’t come back after the first day. Of course, the current workouts are voluntary, but that won’t stop anyone from questioning someone like OBJ.
Most players on the team shook off questions about this and focused on themselves and what they needed to do. For some, that means continuing to improve upon a successful 2018 season. For others, it means putting a rough year in the rear-view and having a bounce-back campaign.
Here are three such players who may not have done as well as they hoped this past season ‚— whether with Cleveland or not — and now are looking to improve.
Honorable Mention: Jaelen Stron, Wide Receiver
An interesting addition this offseason was wideout Jaelen Strong, who missed all of 2018 with a torn ACL. A star at Arizona State, Strong had enough talent to go in the second round but slid to the third due to a wrist injury.
He had 28 receptions in two seasons with the Houston Texans before being waived and claimed by the Jacksonville Jaguars. There, he had just three receptions and a touchdown in 2017 before his injury the following year.
At 6-foot-2 and 220-pounds, Strong has great size outside but is a long shot to make the roster. Still, this is a season in which he will be looking to prove he still belongs in the NFL.