Heading into the 2019 season, the hope was the Cleveland Browns would finally make it back to the playoffs, but that didn't happen.
Now the 2020 season is only a few months away, and the hope is again that the Browns can finally get back to the playoffs. To reach those goals they are going to need to get better play from Baker Mayfield and the defense, but they also need some guys to have breakout seasons.
Let's look at three players who could have potential breakout years for the Browns.
3. David Njoku
The 2019 season was supposed to be the breakout season for David Njoku, but it never happened. Njoku broke his wrist during Week 2 and wasn't activated again until December. He finished his 2019 season with five catches for 41 yards and a touchdown.
New Browns coach Kevin Stefanski also loves to use tight ends which should help Njoku, who showed his flashes of success during the 2018 season, and there is no doubt about the talent he has.
There is also the fifth-year option for the 2021 season that is going to need to be decided, which makes it even more important that Njoku has a big year. Look for Njoku to have a big season in quickly becoming a favorite target again for Baker Mayfield.
2. Karl Joseph
Karl Joseph was the 14th pick out of West Virginia in 2016 but never lived up to the expectations with the Oakland Raiders. The hope is a new team will be enough for him to live up to the expectations that come with being a first-round draft pick.
Damarious Randall and Morgan Burnett are both gone, which should leave plenty of playing time for Joseph in the secondary. Joseph isn't afraid to lay out a big hit, something that will probably stand out quickly with the Browns.
As long as Joseph holds his own in coverage, he has the chance to be a standout and earn a new big contract.
1. KhaDarel Hodge
KhaDarel Hodge might not be a household name, but after this season, he very well could be. Hodge was an undrafted free agent out of Prairie View A&M in 2018. During the 2019 season he only caught four passes, but he did average 19 yards per reception.
If Hodge can be a deep threat for the Browns, he should have a big role in the offense. If he has a couple of long touchdown catches early in the season, it's not going to take long before everyone knows his name.
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