Despite going 7-10 in 2022, the Cleveland Browns were much closer to a winning record than it would seem. They had six losses by eight or fewer points, five of those were by seven or fewer, and four were by three or fewer.
The "field goal or less" contests included a 31-30 loss to the New York Jets, a 23-20 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, a 30-28 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, and a 23-20 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. The Falcons, Chargers, and especially the Jets game all should have gone in Cleveland's favor.
Even two of those wins means a frustrating and inconsistent season ends in a 9-8 mark.
What this tells us is, the Browns aren't that far off from being a good team. And they are even closer in 2023 due to some impressive offseason additions. However, those additions alone won't be enough to truly push them over the top. If they're going to win these close contests and contend in the AFC North, these three players need to step up their game.
3. Jedrick Wills, Left Tackle
Jedrick Wills was the first player Andrew Berry ever selected as the GM of the Browns. After three seasons with the team, the jury remains out on Wills.
He was solid as a rookie but nagging injuries and a perceived lack of effort on the field have been his downfall. Despite his shortcomings, Cleveland exercised the fifth-year option in his rookie contract, keeping him in town through the 2024 campaign.
This move was wise since they can't afford to go into any season without a starter at left tackle and while Wills isn't elite, he's been serviceable. But to take the next step, this offense needs him to be much better than that.
Wills is going to have a huge spotlight on him in 2023 and if he wants to keep his starting spot beyond this year, he needs to be much better.
2. Denzel Ward, Cornerback
One of two remaining stars from the 2018 NFL Draft, Denzel Ward has been solid overall in his career. He's recorded at least two picks in each of his five seasons and has three defensive touchdowns. For his efforts, he's been named to the Pro Bowl twice and signed a five-year contract extension worth just over $100 million ahead of the 2022 season.
The problem is, he struggled quite a bit after signing the deal. His coverage was called out several times throughout the year and Brandon Little of Browns Digest also pointed out that he's missed a lot of time due to soft tissue injuries in his career.
"Ward has struggled to complete an entire season. He has missed 16 games in total over his five-year career, as he’s struggled with soft tissue injuries. In 2022, Ward struggled a bit in coverage, as did the entire defense as a whole for the most part under then-defensive coordinator Joe Woods."Brandon Little, Browns Digest
Despite this, Ward was named a top-10 cornerback heading into the 2023 campaign by those in the NFL. Clearly, they know more than we do and expect Ward to bounce back with Jim Schwartz calling plays.
If the Browns want to make a run in their division, or even beyond, they're going to need Ward to prove he belongs in the top 10. They've been wise when it comes to adding depth to the position but Ward is the leader of the unit and is the one they need to go toe-to-toe with the best in the game.
1. Deshaun Watson, Quarterback
Looking at the recent Super Bowl winners, one thing stands out — they usually have elite quarterbacks. We can root for a guy such as Jacoby Brissett, but it's hard for a team to win without a star quarterback when going up against Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Aaron Rodgers, and Josh Allen.
What's worse is, all those quarterbacks — and even more such as Justin Herbert and Lamar Jackson — are all in the AFC. That being the case, the Browns knew they had to make a huge move to contend. That's why they rolled the dice on Deshaun Watson, knowing full well he would be suspended and they would face severe backlash for the move.
In 2022, Watson ended up serving an 11-game suspension and then closed out the year by playing the final six games. He ended up leading them to a modest 3-3 record and had some mediocre numbers. Watson completed just 58.2 percent of his attempts for 1,102 yards with seven touchdowns and five picks.
Of course, we all know he was knocking the rust off following a 700-day layoff. But, that rust needs to be completely gone in 2023.
We can forgive the issues from the end of 2022 as he was getting back into form. He was learning a new team as well while running an offense that was built around Brissett all season. But now, the excuses are gone and the offense is built for him. If this team is going to finally turn a corner, it's Watson who needs to lead the way.