There is plenty of hype surrounding the Cleveland Browns heading into the 2022 season.
They’ve acquired two Pro Bowl players in Deshaun Watson and Amari Cooper.
The front office also managed to keep most of the defensive unit together while adding more talent as well.
That being said, the addition of new talent means some players lose playing time.
There are a few players on the Browns roster who could fall on the depth chart given their current situation.
Anthony Schwartz
Last offseason, the Browns used a third-round selection on wide receiver Anthony Schwartz.
The rookie wideout was viewed as one of the fastest prospects in the entire draft class.
Sadly, he wasn’t able to find much momentum at all during his rookie campaign.
He finished the season with 10 receptions, 135 receiving yards, and one touchdown in 14 games.
Obviously, that was not the rookie season the Browns were hoping for from the Auburn product.
Since then, the Browns have added both Amari Cooper and David Bell to their wide receiver group.
The Browns have high hopes for Bell and believe he could be an immediate impact player.
https://twitter.com/SandraS21993819/status/1527300131220905984
That being said, Schwartz could fall on the depth chart heading into next season.
Possibly, Schwartz gets more action on special teams due to his tremendous speed.
Although, it’s unlikely that he sees an increase in targets with the Browns making upgrades on offense.
The Browns should be able to find ways to get Schwartz involved because of his incredible speed.
Although, it’s unlikely he progresses as a receiver with Cooper, Bell, and Donovan Peoples-Jones above him on the depth chart.
D’Ernest Johnson
The emergence of running back D’Ernest Johnson was a nice surprise for the Browns last season.
The 26-year-old saw 100 rushing attempts after getting only 33 carries in 2020.
Johnson saw two starts while the Browns were without Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt.
The young running back made the most of his chances with an epic performance against the Denver Broncos.
He rushed for nearly 150 yards in the close victory over the Denver Broncos.
D'Ernest Johnson had a career-high 146 rush yds in the Browns' 17-14 win over the Broncos Thursday.
Johnson had just 11 rush yds this season and 198 career rush yds overall prior to this game. pic.twitter.com/OjT3peCpru
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 22, 2021
Sadly, Johnson wasn’t able to put much together after Chubb and Hunt returned to action.
Both players remain on the roster heading into next season, so Johnson could be limited again.
Johnson has the potential to be at least a part-time running back in the NFL.
It’s unlikely the Browns will be able to give Johnson around 100 attempts again in 2022.
The Browns have a crowded running back room heading into camp.
It consists of Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt, D’Ernest Johnson, Demetric Felton, rookie Jerome Ford, John Kelly, and Tre Harbison
That being said, Johnson could see a down year with Chubb and Hunt healthy.
Greedy Williams
Finally, the Browns were able to get some production out of defensive back Greedy Williams.
He was selected in the second round by the Browns in the 2019 NFL Draft.
Sadly, Williams struggled during his rookie campaign and missed the entire 2020 campaign.
Although, he came back and played well for the Browns last season.
Williams finished with 41 tackles, 10 passes defended, and two interceptions in 16 games.
However, he could see his playing time decrease heading into next season.
The addition of Mississippi State defensive back Martin Emerson could mean less of a role for Williams.
With the 68th pick the #Browns select CB Martin Emerson Jr of Mississippi State
Welcome to Cleveland @MartyMargg1 pic.twitter.com/G72RrSJdLP
— MoreForYouCleveland (@MoreForYou_CLE) April 30, 2022
He is projected to be a starting defensive back alongside Denzel Ward.
Also, Greg Newsome is on the roster as well, so Williams could be fighting for snaps.
It’s always great to have depth, but Williams has the potential to be a full-time starter.
There is a good chance that Williams takes a backseat next season.
Possibly, the Browns look to use Williams as trade bait down the road, assuming they don’t bring him back to the starting unit.
NEXT: 3 Things You Likely Never Knew About Amari Cooper