Two Cleveland Browns rookies that will contribute the most in 2022

The Cleveland Browns mainly drafted for depth, but there are a few players that could make an impact right away.

We are finally in an era of Cleveland Browns football where the front office drafts mostly for depth instead of trying to find starters in the mid and late rounds.

General manager Andrew Berry is always building towards the future, but even with how good Cleveland’s roster is currently, there were still a few holes going into the 2022 draft.

There are a few players in particular that will most likely contribute right away.

Cade York – K – Drafted in the 4th round

Ever since Browns legend Phil Dawson left the team after the 2012 season, it has been a struggle to find a consistent kicker. Previous front offices have tried everything from drafting a kicker to signing multiple in free agency. Overall, nothing has worked. That might finally change in 2022 with Cade York taking over as the starting kicker.

The coaches and front office think very highly of York. It isn’t super often that we see kickers drafted, let alone in the fourth round. Times have changed, though, and kickers are more important now than ever.

Extra points are longer than they were in the past and countless games come down to a field goal that decides the game. Some examples are Evan Mcpherson who helped the Bengals reach the Super Bowl in 2021 and Daniel Carlson who helped send the Raiders to the playoffs.

York has all the talent in the world to be Cleveland’s kicker for the next decade. He will just have to put in the work and learn how to kick in the unforgiving First Energy Stadium. He has reportedly already reached out to Phil Dawson for advice and insight, so things are already trending in the right direction.

If the Browns had a reliable kicker in 2021, they could have made the playoffs. Hopefully York can help turn some of those losses into wins.

David Bell – WR – Drafted in the 3rd round

Even with the trade for Amari Cooper, it was no secret that the Browns needed help at the wide receiver position. Many thought they would take one at pick 44, but when they traded down it meant they had their eye on someone in the mid rounds. After taking cornerback Martin Emerson at 68 and defensive end Alex Wright at 78, Andrew Berry finally selected wide receiver David Bell with pick 99.

Bell is an intriguing prospect. He didn’t test well at his pro day at Purdue, but several people thought he still had a chance to be a great pass catcher at the next level. What he lacks in speed he makes up in his strong hands and ability to get open.

Head Coach Kevin Stefanski has showed more emotion regarding David Bell than we’ve ever seen him show about any player. Getting that much praise from a coach like Stefanski says a lot about the type of player Bell is. It seems that the front office wants this era of Browns football to be the type that puts their heads down and work. They definitely got that in Bell.

It has been reported that the Browns are happy with the wide receiver room as it stands, so Bell should get a lot of opportunities to contribute immediately. Look for him to play in the slot often and help move the chains.

It wouldn’t be surprising to see Bell catch 40-60 passes in 2022 and have a big role in the offense.