Cleveland Browns: Final roster prediction comes with a few surprises

2. Running backs (3)

Name a tool that Nick Chubb doesn’t have. I’ll wait.

The Browns also believe Chubb is loaded with versatile talent and now they want to showcase him in the passing game. The bottom line is Chubb is going to get used, and get used A LOT, until Kareem Hunt comes back and shares that load with him.

I expect the Browns to operate a lot out of 11 personnel and run plenty of draws and screens to Chubb. Doing this will spread out the defense and allow Baker to find the one-on-one match-up that will best suit Chubb in the box. This means explosives plays. Want to stack the box? Baker will introduce the defense to those wide receivers.

If you have Chubb on your fantasy team — congratulations.

Kareem Hunt will be suspended for the first 8 games — just in-case you haven’t heard. So long as he does not get in any trouble, Hunt will make this roster when he returns.

The mid-season addition of Hunt will provide the Browns with the huge boost. This is the equivalent of landing a big-time trade at the deadline. Nobody, and I mean nobody, will make a bigger mid-season addition to their team than the Browns when Hunt returns.

Dontrell Hilliard will have to make up for Hunt’s absence the best he can. This is a huge opportunity for him. The Browns believed in him enough to trade Duke Johnson. The Browns would not have accepted that trade if they did not believe in Hilliard — don’t believe any take that states otherwise.

Look for Hilliard to get most of his work early in the season in 3rd and long situations. If he can succeed there and make plays, his role will expand. If he cannot, another running back may get a chance.

D’Ernest Johnson will challenge Dontrell Hilliard for playing time. Not because Hilliard does not seem capable of taking advantage of the opportunity but because Johnson appears to be a igniting factor for an NFL offense. Johnson has speed and he can catch the ball out of the backfield or in routes. Johnson has return ability in the punt and kick return game with speed to burn. Players like him always find a way onto the roster.

Both Hilliard and Johnson will need to prove that they can stand in the pocket and protect Baker in pass blocking situations. Being a play-maker only gets you so far in the NFL.

Hilliard and Johnson will be competing to see who stays on the roster when Hunt returns. This is a battle that will be fun to watch and hopefully very fruitful for the offense.

PREDICTION: Nick Chubb, Dontrell Hilliard, D’Ernest Johnson, (Kareem Hunt)