Which two Browns need to step up big against Steelers?

We are only in Week 3, but this game is just as important as any will be for the Browns this season.

It has already been a roller coaster of a season for the Cleveland Browns and their fans. There have been some bright spots, but overall there are more issues to fix, especially on defense. Needless to say, It has been frustrating and Thursday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers needs to be a game that helps erase and fix several of these issues.

Numerous players need to step up on both sides of the ball, but two in particular need to make a statement in this game. Strong leadership and accountability are crucial in moments like this. Let’s take a look at one offensive and one defensive player that must step up big tonight against Cleveland’s biggest rival.

Offense – David Njoku, TE

Andrew Berry spent a lot of money this offseason. One of the questionable spots that money went was to fifth-year Tight End David Njoku. There’s no question that Njoku has immense talent and is an athletic freak, but he hasn’t done enough at this point to earn $13.6 million a year.

Regardless, this coaching staff and front office thinks he’s poised to fully break out and be worth every penny. It’s time to prove his worth, and it has been pretty quiet for him in 2022. He has a lackluster four receptions for 39 yards and 0 touchdowns in the first two games. He also had a drop against the Jets last week on a crucial third-down. His 59.2 Pro Football Focus grade overall this season needs to improve as soon as possible.

Njoku has looked great in run-and-pass blocking situations, but he wasn’t paid all of that money to be a good blocker. Against the Steelers would be a good time for him to have a game where he catches five-to-seven passes for nearly 100 yards and a touchdown. He has gotten a few targets in the red zone but wasn’t able to come down with the ball. He needs to step up and show why he got a substantial amount of money.

Defense – Denzel Ward, CB

Much like Njoku, Denzel Ward got paid this offseason. He signed a 5-year extension worth $100.5 million. That’s a lot of money and he’s done everything but play up to the contract so far in 2022. As a matter of fact, this is the worst start to a season he has had in his career. He has given up six receptions on seven targets and has an abysmal 43.8 Pro Football Focus grade. There’s still plenty of time to turn it around, but this rough start is a bit concerning.

Some of Ward’s struggles aren’t his fault. They fall on coaching and the defensive scheme from Joe Woods. Ward plays well in man-to-man coverage and Woods seems to run a lot of soft zone coverage that allows for chunk plays at times.

Even with this, Ward has had his own problems with play recognition and getting turned around on some routes. With all of the money he is making, he must play better. We know he is typically a top 10 corner, and Thursday night is the perfect time to step up and lockdown his assignment and maybe even come away with an interception.

This is a huge game for the Browns and the team needs leadership from their young stars. It has been a rocky start, but this is a game to turn it around and build confidence moving forward.

When guys get these big contracts, they must live up to them.  Kevin Stefanski needs to feed  Njoku tonight and Woods hopefully learned from his mistakes and will put his lockdown cornerback in a position to lock down his receiver.