The Cleveland Browns were one of the more talked-about teams of the 2022 NFL offseason. The Browns' decision to trade for Deshaun Watson and give him $230 million guaranteed amid his investigation for sexual misconduct was and continues to be heavily criticized. Ultimately, it was decided that Watson will be suspended for the first 11 games to start the season and return for a matchup against his former team, the Houston Texans. The Browns are set to begin the season without Watson and must put out a strong performance without their new QB if they hope to have any chance of making it to the postseason. Here are four bold predictions for the Browns' 2022 NFL season with Jacoby Brissett under center to start things out in Watson's absence.
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4. Kareem Hunt Gets Traded Midseason
The Browns have two of the best running backs in the NFL in Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt. While the two-headed monster has shown success in Cleveland, Hunt could be on his way out. Hunt has been with the team since 2019 and played a key part in the offense. He is entering the final year of his contract and is in search of an extension. With no traction on a new deal, Hunt requested a trade from the Browns leading up to the 2022 NFL season.
While there has been no traction on a deal to date, the writing is on the wall for his exit. Chubb is more than capable of serving as a lead back by himself. Especially if the season does not get off to a strong start, it would make sense for the Browns to move on from Hunt. This process could further be sped up if Hunt further indicates his unhappiness or if a key running back is injured on another team.
3. David Njoku Tallies 8+ Touchdowns
There were high expectations for David Njoku when he was drafted in the first round of the 2017 draft. The Miami product has had a solid start to his career through his first five seasons, but has not grown into the star tight end he was hoped to be just yet. He had his best season in 2018 when he had 56 catches for 639 yards and four touchdowns. He has been unable to reach these numbers since this time.
While his 15 career touchdowns are already the third-most from a tight end in Browns history, Njoku is capable of taking his game to another gear that he has not yet taken. Look for the 26-year-old to have a breakout season and set a career high in touchdowns with eight or more. Expect Jacoby Brissett to lean on him heavily while he holds down the starting role.
2. Amari Cooper has 900+ yards receiving
The addition of Amari Cooper was one of the best under-the-radar moves this offseason. The Browns sent just a fifth-round pick and swapped sixth-rounders with the Dallas Cowboys in order to add the four-time Pro Bowler. Cooper is one of the more underrated wide receivers in the NFL and has had under 850 yards receiving just once in his career. Adding the 28-year-old was a great move by the Browns, and they now must find the best ways to utilize him in the offense.
Look for Cooper to be targeted as the No. 1 receiver this season. Donovan Peoples-Jones and David Bell will also play a role, but expect Cooper to dominate the team's targets. He has produced for both the Las Vegas Raiders and Cowboys thus far in his career, and the same should be expected in Cleveland. Expect him to open some eyes this year and eclipse 900 yards as he has in five of his seven seasons in the NFL already.
1. Browns win 7 or fewer games
The predictions with the Browns seem to be all over the map for this 2022 NFL season. The 11-game suspension for Deshaun Watson has certainly tempered expectations because the team will need to put together some solid performances without him in order to stay afloat. It seems more likely things will go the other direction, and the team could be out of the postseason race by the time he returns.
This Browns roster is not quite complete enough to be prepared to contend this season, so this will be a year of transition as Watson serves his suspension and the team gets prepared for a new era. Expect Cleveland to win seven or fewer games this season and miss out on the playoffs for the second consecutive campaign. The combination of off-field distractions, holes in the team, and an overall lack of connectivity will doom the Browns in 2022.
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