5 Browns who need to return huge after the bye week

The Browns need some big games from these five players.

The Browns have the Ravens in a rematch following Cleveland’s bye week. The last encounter saw the Ravens survive four interceptions from Lamar Jackson and eke out a win to the tune of 16-10. The Browns running game had no shot of making a dent and Baker Mayfield did all he could to advance the team, even getting a touchdown to David Njoku.

Now that Njoku, the team’s leading receiver, is out for the contest, the team has to find a way to make an impact against Baltimore. That means that some key guys, with big fat contracts, need to start earning them.

That’s why these five players are being asked to step up to help keep Cleveland in the playoff chase.

Five Browns who need a big return following the bye week

Baker Mayfield

The bye week didn’t magically heal his shoulder. It’s still going to be an issue. Hopefully, however, his feet are much improved. The man has been dealing with injury after injury this year, partly because the offensive line (namely the tackles) has fallen apart. Mayfield has had two weeks of rest, recovery, and time to prepare against the Ravens. The Browns need him to deliver to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Jadeveon Clowney

Jadveon Clowney has not had a sack in five games. Clowney’s PFF score has fallen to a 67.3 grade. Still respectable, but not for $8 million. Clowney has helped improve the Browns rush defense, but against Baltimore, when he was needed the most, he was nowhere to be seen. Partly because Lamar Jackson went full John Cena and dashed away like he had some sort of super speed-boosting power. Still, the man has to prove he’s worth his contract.

Austin Hooper

For the longest time, I held the signing of Paul Kruger as the biggest waste of money on a free agent in modern Browns’ history. If not in Cleveland’s entire history. That is slowly changing to the signing of Austin Hooper. It’s no doubt that Hooper isn’t benefiting from being part of the Browns system. In Atlanta, he was the slowest regular player that Matt Ryan threw to. That’s fine, as there were speedsters around him, allowing him to capitalize on one-on-ones. That’s no longer the case, and now he’s among the faster options in Cleveland. Only he hasn’t gotten any faster, meaning the defense is now bunched up around him and making him a non-factor. It’s time for him to find a way to be a factor.

Jarvis Landry

Speaking of slow, when Hooper is faster than you, you can’t call yourself fast. Landry, Mr. 4.77 in the 40-yard-dash has seen his speed decrease even more after his first year in Cleveland. Suffering a major hip injury, Landry has spent the last two-and-a-half seasons being anything but a difference-maker. Landry cannot go over the top, he just isn’t fast enough. He may be near a 5.0 in the 40 at this point in his career. The only thing he has going for him still is his hands. Even if his hands aren’t what they used to be. Landry needs to put on a show against Baltimore.

John Johnson III

Arguably the biggest acquisition this offseason was John Johnson III. The former standout with the Los Angeles Rams was expected to come into Cleveland and fortify the secondary. Instead, the safeties are arguably playing worse this year than last year, and Johnson’s partially to blame for that. The Browns defense overall is improved, but not the back end, and it’s telling when Cleveland’s scapegoat, Andrew Sendejo, has been playing as well as Johnson has all year. Johnson needs a huge game against the Ravens, or he may go the way of Austin Hooper.