Cleveland Browns: 3 players who could have disappointing years

CLEVELAND, OH - NOVEMBER 24: Rashard Higgins #81 of the Cleveland Browns is unable to make a reception in the end zone during the game against the Miami Dolphins at FirstEnergy Stadium on November 24, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland defeated Miami 41-24. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH - NOVEMBER 24: Rashard Higgins #81 of the Cleveland Browns is unable to make a reception in the end zone during the game against the Miami Dolphins at FirstEnergy Stadium on November 24, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland defeated Miami 41-24. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images) /
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The Cleveland Browns will more than likely see some guys regress or fall off during the 2020 season and these are the three we’re worried about.

There’s every possibility that someone, anyone sees their play fall off for the Cleveland Browns in 2020. That’s the beast that is the NFL. It’s unforgiving. It takes whatever it wants from players. Prime playing years, with endless talent and athleticism? That’s when a torn ligament in a knee is most likely to pop up. The best tackler in the NFL? Not for long if you have issues with concussions. A first-round talent that falls to the second? There’s something wrong there.  Injuries, age, and overvalued prospects are usually the reason why guys fall off. So when looking at the aging veterans like Joel Bitonio, Sheldon Richardson, J.C. Tretter, Olivier Vernon, or others, it’s not hard to assume that someone may fall off overnight. It happens all the time.

Then you have guys who are injury-plagued, your Odell Beckham Jr’s and such. Guys who can’t seem to avoid leaving with one or two major injuries every year. It would be easy enough to see Beckham and Jarvis Landry make this list, after all both men are coming off of pretty severe injuries. Landry more so than Beckham but Beckham has had more injuries in total.

Then of course there are the rookie and second-year players. Guys like Jedrick Wills, Sione Takitaki, or Greedy Williams. Hyped up young players that may or may not have what it takes to play in the NFL.

That’s why it’s important to continually develop talent. You never know what injury is going to take away what player, or what player has reached the end of his career, no matter his age. You need to be able to replace failed prospects at a drop of a hat in the modern NFL. People don’t get three or four years anymore to get good.

So the pressures on, and these are three of the players who could be finding themselves having a down 2020 for whatever reason.