3 most surprising players through Browns first 4 games

Which players have stood out more than expected for the Cleveland Browns during the first four weeks of the 2022 NFL season?

After four weeks, the Cleveland Browns are sitting at 2-2 but could just as easily be 4-0. Or 1-3. They’ve had some bounces go their way while also having a few disappointing moments, especially on defense.

That doesn’t mean everything is bad news. Here we look at three players who have been a pleasant surprise so far in 2022.

The 3 most surprising players through Browns first 4 games

3. Ethan Pocic, C

It felt like a huge blow when Nick Harris went down during the first drive of the preseason. Harris was taking over for veteran J.C. Tretter — who was released in a salary-cap move — and had performed well when given a shot before the year. Thankfully, the Browns had a plan in-house since they signed Ethan Pocic in free agency.

A former starter with the Seattle Seahawks, Pocic had 40 career starts and due to that experience, he stepped in and replaced Harris seamlessly. With him in the middle of the line, the offense hasn’t missed a beat. And it’s not as if he’s just getting by, but he’s actually thriving. According to PFF, Pocic is top-five in the NFL in his position in the first four games. He’s also allowed just one sack on the season.

Pocic is a sixth-year veteran that could potentially hold the spot down for the foreseeable future, especially if his play remains this strong throughout the entire campaign.

2. Martin Emerson, Jr., CB

It might have been a little bit surprising to see the Browns trade back in the 2022 NFL Draft, especially since they were already without a pick in Round 1. Once they were finally on the clock at Pick No. 68, they made another unexpected move by selecting Mississippi State cornerback Martin Emerson, Jr.

With two first-round picks in Denzel Ward and Greg Newsome as well as Greedy Williams, who was taken in the second round back in 2019, this didn’t seem to be an area of need for Cleveland. However, that changed quickly as Williams was injured and has yet to make an appearance this season.

That opened the door for Emerson, who might have a stranglehold on the job now. According to PFF, he’s the 27th ranked corner in the league which is a huge plus for the Browns considering he’s the nickel-back at the moment.

In four games, Emerson has just one pass defended and nearly had a pick against the Steelers but what’s stood out is his physicality. The 6-foot-2, 195-pounder looks — and plays — much bigger than that. It’s gotten him in trouble with flags but it’s also helped him hold his own in the passing game, while also being a force when coming up to defend the run.

Overall, the defensive backfield has struggled but Emerson has been a find.

1. Jedrick Wills, Jr., LT

In 2021, there were some high-profile injuries that slowed Cleveland down. None was given more publicity than Baker Mayfield’s shoulder, which was blamed for his dip in production.

However, there were other players struggling to stay on the field, including left tackle Jedrick Wills. Early in the season, Wills suffered an ankle injury and he continued to fight through the pain. Hindsight is always 20/20 but it might have been better for him to sit and heal up as much as he could, but Wills is a competitor and had no interest in sitting back and watching when he could play.

While that’s admirable, it did create some questions about his viability going forward. The 10th overall pick in 2020, Wills transitioned from a right tackle at Alabama to the left side in Cleveland. He did a solid job but there was an expectation that he would make a leap in year two. When that didn’t happen, the concern was that it was more than a bum ankle slowing him down.

Fast forward to Week 4 and it’s clear that when healthy, Wills is an exceptional blocker. Heading into Week 4, he was the second-rated pass blocker in the league and put together another strong performance against the Falcons.

Cleveland believes they have the most important position on offense figured out with Deshaun Watson. The second most important position is arguably left tackle and Wills is proving that they’re solid there as well.

Defensive players that stood out despite Browns loss in Week 4

The Cleveland Browns defense had some moments to forget in Week 4 but a couple of players still stood out with some good plays