The Cleveland Browns have had an exciting offseason after a very exciting 2020 season that ended with a trip to the playoffs. All of the new additions to the defense, both in free agency and the NFL draft, has fans bursting at the seams with joy after the offense had to carry a heavy load last year.
It isn’t just the new additions that has Browns fans, and the national media, excited about the team. The Browns also are expecting a number of players back from injury and after opting out of 2020 due to COVID-19.
Drew Forbes and Andrew Billings are the biggest names coming back from an opt-out season. Forbes is expected to compete for a backup role on the offensive line which has surprising depth. Billings, on the other hand, is expected to help fill the holes left by the departures of Larry Ogunjobi (free agent, signed with the Bengals) and Sheldon Richardson (cut, still unsigned) in the middle of the defensive line.
The big-name coming back from injury is Odell Beckham Jr. While Grant Delpit and Greedy Williams should be helpful parts of the defense, the return of Beckham is expected to take a good offense to new heights. The Browns offense was struggling early in the season due to a new system and limited offseason and practices in season. It took off despite Beckham going down with an ACL tear in Week 7 against Cincinnati.
Beckham is among those listed as candidates for the Comeback Player of the Year award by Draft Kings. While the Browns wide receiver isn’t high on the list, if the Browns have the kind of season most are expecting he could take home the award.
Currently, Dak Prescott is the odds-on favorite for the award followed by Saquon Barkley, Joe Burrow, Christian McCaffrey, and Nick Bosa. Beckham’s odds currently sit +2500 far below Prescott’s +175.
Given a couple of big-name quarterbacks also coming back from injury and the number of storylines that would surround a successful Browns season, it will take a Herculean effort by Beckham to take home the award. For now, it is just exciting to know Baker Mayfield and company will have a big weapon back to work with.
