Recapping and reflecting on the 2022 NFL season continues as PFF has released their top 101 players from this past season. The Cleveland Browns were able to get four players on the list with three of them coming on offense and only one on defense. For the first 11 games with Jacoby Brissett as the quarterback the team was one of the most efficient offenses in football under Kevin Stefanski. The running game was elite and the offensive line play was good overall.
It isn’t a surprise that the team only had one player on defense after the defense as a whole was not something to write home about. Let’s take a look at the four players that did make the list for Cleveland.
PFF's number 6 ranked player: Myles Garrett
“Parsons and Nick Bosa‘s statistics are obvious, but Cleveland’s defense forces onlookers to dig a little deeper to see Garrett’s dominance. He actually led the NFL in pass-rush win rate as well as wins that didn’t get a chance to become pressure because the ball came out before he could affect the quarterback.”
There isn’t much else you can say about Myles Garrett that hasn’t already been said. But it is clear from last year that one of the most important tasks for the Browns this offseason is to get more help opposite him. He can’t continue to do it all himself although he excels at it when he is the only real threat.
PFF's number 22 ranked player: Nick Chubb
“With Jacoby Brissett at quarterback for the first eleven weeks of the season, Chubb was the focal point of the Browns’ offense. He gained over 1,000 rushing yards after contact, breaking 83 tackles on 302 carries.”
83 broken tackles is just a ridiculous number for one running back to have in a season. Nick Chubb has the best vision of any running back in the league right now and maybe the best I have seen in my lifetime. The perfect compliment to a dynamic passing attack next season if the Browns can get more dynamic through the air.
PFF's number 33 ranked player: Joel Bitonio
“Bitonio started the season with a curiously average performance against Carolina, but from that moment on, he was dominant. He finished the year with an 87.5 overall PFF grade and was above 80.0 in each facet of play. He allowed 20 pressures in 17 games.”
The great career of Bitonio continues after he lets up barely one quarterback pressure a game in 2022. You have little to worry about from the left guard position knowing that the reliable Bitonio isn’t showing any signs of slowing down. If this keeps up 75 will find himself next to 73 in the hall of fame when it’s all said and done.
PFF's number 81 ranked player: Amari Cooper
“Cooper is an instant success anywhere he goes in the NFL. Despite the Browns lacking an elite quarterback all year (between Jacoby Brissett’s play and the level Deshaun Watson was at when he returned), he racked up more than 1,100 yards and scored nine touchdowns, averaging 2.06 yards per route run.”
There was some debating rather Amari Cooper is a true number one after the team traded for him. Cooper showed he is still a legit playmaker and number one for a team in the NFL even without elite quarterback play. The Browns stole Cooper from the Cowboys and should be smiling about it.
