The Cleveland Browns had high hopes for these three players but they all saw things fall apart during a frustrating 2022 campaign
It’s hard to point the finger at one problem when an NFL team has a tough season and that was the case for the Cleveland Browns.
They entered the year with a talented roster and high hopes of contending in the AFC North. That’s not how things went down as they limped to a 7-10 finish. Here, we look at three players who really saw their stock take a nosedive during the frustrating season.
3 Cleveland Browns players whose careers fell off the rails in 2022
3. Jedrick Wills, Left Tackle
When Andrew Berry took over as general manager of the Cleveland Browns, he knew he needed to improve the performance of the offensive line. He did all he could as he used the No. 10 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft on Jedrick Wills. He also went after Jack Conklin in free agency, giving them their starting tackles.
Heading into 2023 both are still in their respective roles but they’ve gone in opposite directions. While Conklin earned another big contract, Wills is in limbo as a decision on his fifth-year option looms.
Originally a right tackle at Alabama, Wills moved to the left side as a rookie and played well. He had his share of gaffes but that’s expected from a rookie. The problem is, he never took a huge step forward and 2022 was the worst of his career.
Wills was under fire for missed blocks, poor effort, and terrible body language throughout the year. His once bright star has surely faded and it couldn’t have come at a worse time for him — financially speaking.
2. John Johnson III, Safety
When the Browns were able to sign John Johnson III to a three-year, $33.75 million deal, it felt like a great move. He had just spent four seasons with the Los Angeles Rams and topped 100 tackles in two of the past three seasons. He also recorded at least an 81.5 grade according to Pro Football Focus in three of his four seasons — his injury-shortened 2019 campaign was the lone exception.
In his first year with Cleveland, he registered 61 tackles and had three interceptions. However, he saw his grade drop to 68.7. Of course, that’s just a tool and doesn’t always mean a player is good or bad, and in 2021, Johnson was pretty good.
That wasn’t the case in 2022. His grade again fell, this time to 62.8, but it was the effort on the field that really caused criticism to find him. Johnson, who had asked for more commitment from teammates, avoided tackles at times and was often out of place in the back end of the secondary. Even worse, he was quick to push the blame away from himself, which is something a leader isn’t expected to do.
Now heading into the 2023 offseason, there’s a growing belief that Johnson could be on the chopping block. Even if he remains in Cleveland to finish out his contract, his stock has never been lower than it is right now.
1. Kareem Hunt, Running Back
In 2019, the Browns gave Kareem Hunt a second chance in the NFL.
Following the emergence of a video showing him in an altercation with a female, Hunt was released by the Kansas City Chiefs. The former NFL rushing champ then made his way to Cleveland, where he was able to suit up for his hometown team.
Hunt was suspended for the first eight games of that season and had just 464 total yards from scrimmage in the eight games he did play. However, in 2020, he was a huge weapon for the Browns.
With Nick Chubb missing time due to a knee injury, Hunt wound up with the most rushing attempts he had since 2017, running it 198 times for 841 yards. He added another 304 as a receiver and had 11 total touchdowns.
Since then, Hunt’s trending in the wrong direction. He missed nine games in 2021 due to injury but was still effective with an average of 4.9 yards per attempt. Once back in 2022, he looked like a different player.
Hunt scored two touchdowns in the season opener but had just two more the rest of the season. He also finished with the lowest average per rushing attempt (3.8) and yards per reception (7.2) of his career.
Now heading into free agency, the former star running back might have a hard time finding a guaranteed starting job.
3 Cleveland Browns players who don’t deserve another season in 2023
These three players have shown enough and it's time for the Cleveland Browns to move on and allow someone else to take their spot on the roster