As disappointing as the 2022 Cleveland Browns have been, these four players have continued to have little production all season.
Coming into the 2022 season, it was always going to be an uphill battle for the Cleveland Browns. Andrew Berry gave up so much to land Deshaun Watson, and then missing him for the first 11 weeks was an extreme challenge. Jacoby Brissett did everything that he could with his abilities, but the fact that folks are still surprised the Browns have struggled this year is amazing to me.
Having star players in the NFL is almost a must but having a team of 11 competent players on the field all at the same time is even more important. There’s no doubt that the Browns have accumulated some talent over the last three to four years, but unfortunately, there are still quite a few folks who appear to be overrated.
Here is a list of four guys who have offered almost nothing for the entirety of this season.
4 Browns players who have offered almost nothing in 2022
No. 4 – Defensive Tackle
First on the list is all-encompassing. Not only has one player been bad, but the entire position of defensive tackle has struggled for the Cleveland Browns this season. At times they have proven their ability to collapse the pocket in a passing situation but stopping the run has been atrocious.
Jordan Elliott, Taven Bryan, and Tommy Togiai have all gotten their shot to step up, and none have taken advantage of the situation. All continued to get bullied along the line of scrimmage opening gaps and not allowing the linebackers to roam free.
If this team ever wants to be a serious contender, they must find a big man up front that can clog up the run game. The NFL has moved to a passing league, but the Browns continue to lose games because they are giving up almost 10 yards per carry.
No. 3 – John Johnson III, Safety
While the defensive line on the interior for the Cleveland Browns is a mess, it hasn’t been much better in the secondary. At least the major miscommunications have stopped, but there are still no forced turnovers or incomplete passes that are being forced.
John Johnson III continues to be one of the most puzzling players on this roster. He had a borderline elite spell while playing with the L.A. Rams which got him his big contract in Cleveland, but we have not seen any signs of that player since.
Johnson has recently been the green dot (communicator and play caller) on defense, but I think it’s only because they are so depleted at linebacker. Johnson is a better in-the-box safety, but with Ronnie Harrison and Grant Delpit filling that role, he’s asked to be the deep ball hawker.
Not only does it feel like he’s constantly torched in coverage, but he is also struggling to tackle, and we are seeing more and more lackluster effort. I’m not sure if Johnson is not bought into the Joe Woods defense, but he certainly isn’t giving us enough production for what he’s being paid.
Johnson has an unfriendly contract with multiple void years, but he could very find himself as a post-June, 1 cut if he doesn’t get it figured out shortly.
Player No. 2 – Jedrick Wills, Jr., Offensive Tackle
I hate to say that the Cleveland Browns have gotten nothing out of Jedrick Wills this season, but he continues to be a huge disappointment given he was a top-10 pick just three years ago. What’s more concerning about Wills, is that Bill Callahan hasn’t even been able to coach him up this season.
Remember, the Browns lost Nick Harris on one of the first snaps of the season. Ethan Pocic who had no business starting on this team has filled in at center and played at an elite level. Part of that is extremely hard work by Pocic, but another huge factor is just how elite Callahan is as an offensive line coach.
Another prime example is James Hudson who looked miserable at times last season. In just one full offseason with Callahan, I’m now convinced that Hudson will be ready to replace Jack Conklin next season who will likely be too expensive to resign.
Wills is as good as they come in the run-blocking game. He moves well and is extremely athletic when asked to pull. He also has the ability to hit moving targets when in the open field. The big issue is the pass blocking. He never seems quick enough for the speed rushers, and constantly gets bull rushed and collapses the pocket.
I’m not ready to give up on Wills just quite yet, but I wonder if this team will consider moving him to right tackle (where he played in college) and give Hudson a shot on the blind side.
Player No. 1 – Denzel Ward
After receiving a massive five-year, $100.5 million extension last offseason, Denzel Ward continues to be missing on this defense in 2023. Not only has he struggled to stay on the field (not shocking), but his play has not been top-tier when he has played.
There is no doubt the back half of the 2022 season earned Ward the massive extension, but I was one who was slightly doubting the decision to go all in. I know he played well last year, but injuries and inconsistencies have always been in question.
Perhaps the most disappointing thing in 2022 is the finger-pointing we have seen from Ward.
When miscommunication was so bad in the early season and constant big plays were given up by this secondary you never saw Ward own anything. In fact, he doubled down a few times and listed his stats to reporters, and claimed he was in his correct zone.
When you are the highest-paid player at a position, you must take some accountability. I think Ward has the potential to be a fantastic player but lacks leadership skills which this team desperately needs.
With Berry fully committed to Ward with his contract, we need to see an increase in production, or this defense will struggle. With all the money he has tied up, it will be tough to improve the secondary if he continues to struggle.
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