3 RBs the Cleveland Browns may move on from in 2022

The Cleveland Browns have a glut of running backs that need to be sorted out.

The Cleveland Browns made it official, D’Ernest Johnson will return to the team in 2022 on a brand one, one-year deal that’s worth up to $2.4 million. Johnson had a breakout year in 2021, filling in for Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt at various points in the season. Johnson racked up over 500 yards on just 100 carries. All told, he had 671 total yards on the year and proved his value to the team.

The Browns have a pool of players at the position, with Chubb, Hunt, Johnson, Demetric Felton, and rookie Jerome Ford. The team also has John Kelly and fullback Johnny Stanton on the roster too. All told, the team has seven players who could play the position, and the team likely won’t carry all of them for the year.

So here are the three names most likely to not be on the Cleveland Browns roster come the start of the 2022 season.

Three backs not likely to be on the Cleveland Browns in 2022

John Kelly – Cut

The Browns aren’t likely to keep John Kelly, the three-year back only has 32 career attempts for his career and is buried on the depth chart. With the Browns not likely to carry more than three pure running backs, Kelly is buried deep behind a lot of talent and he isn’t likely to make it past the first few rounds of cuts.

Demetric Felton – Practice Squad

Like with Kelly, Demetric Felton just isn’t good enough to stick around considering the talent ahead of him. He may transition to receiver but even then he’s going to be behind the eight ball in terms of talent. So regardless of where he ends up, unless he makes gigantic leaps in from year to year, I can see Felton getting cut and being re-signed to the practice squad.

Kareem Hunt – Traded

I don’t see Kareem Hunt being retained after 2022 regardless of what the Cleveland Browns do. Sure Deshaun “24 and counting” Watson and Amari Cooper each have bare bone salaries for the year, both men will see their contracts leap from $1 million and $2 million in 2022 to $46 million and $20 million respectively. That means guys like Hunt, who is already a luxury, to begin with, become expendable. Trading Hunt this offseason not only ensures they get a draft pick back (or a player) but will also take $6+ million off the team’s salary cap.

The Browns apparently are looking to move on from Hunt, but the organization has a history of lying, meaning that they could be keeping quiet until trading Hunt becomes a reality. Not only is trading Hunt now pragmatic, it also frees up Johnson and Ford to get reps and actually have a shot at proving their value long-term. Something the Browns need in spades at the moment. Young, affordable, talent.