The Cleveland Browns had high hopes for versatile full-back Demetric Felton when they picked him in the sixth round of the 2021 draft. However, it’s time for the former UCLA player to prove he can create. the difference for the Browns if he wants to stay.
The Browns have shuffled their executive suite this season, with veterans Kareem Hunt and D’Ernest Johnson leaving through free agency. Johnson is currently in Jacksonville, while Hunt remains a free agent and is unlikely to return to Cleveland.
Felton has floated between backrooms and wide studios during his time in Cleveland, though it looks like he’ll be brought into the backcourt more next season. Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com thinks Felton will be on the list for next year.
“I think Felton, the Browns’ 2021 sixth-round pick, is in pre-season.
He splits his time between reruns and recipients—mostly the recipients of the first two seasons—and he never really found a home,” Cabot writes in the New Mailbag column. his best. “This year he has the opportunity to be on the team as a defender, but the Browns really need a strong runner who can spell Chubb and Jerome Ford in case they get injured and create 80-100 yards out.”
Undoubtedly, Felton brings in the added element of a wide receiver, but that may not be what the Browns family are looking for.
“Felton’s versatility can help him, but it’s really been detrimental so far,” Cabot said. “While he fights for a spot on the roster, the Browns will continue to look for that third person to replace D`Ernest Johnson, who struggled when they were needed but became too expensive for the role. This.”
Browns will rely heavily on Nick Chubb despite the changes
The Browns’ offense will be a little different next season, with Cleveland expected to rely more on passing play and Deshaun Watson. But Cabot assures that Chubb will always have a key role to play in the attack.
Cabot said: “The Browns recognize that Chubb is an important part of the offense and that’s not going to change anytime soon. “It’s still the NFL AFC North, and there’s still time to play in November and December.”
Cabot also notes that Chubb will play a larger role as a broad audience, something that hasn’t been widely introduced in the past. But as long as the Browns have the ball in hand, he will make the difference. He just finished a season in which he dashed for 1,525 yards and 12 touchdowns, winning the All-Pro title for the second team and his fourth Pro Bowl nomination.
The browns still looking for another RB option
Behind Chubb is Ford, which is unproven but is expected to have a larger workload this season as the main replacement. Ford had only eight 12-yard runs as a rookie.
The Browns are still looking for another option which is insurance, although it won’t be one of the big names in the market like Dalvin Cook, Ezekiel Elliott or Hunt.
“The Browns will continue to have their eye on another back, not just for training camp, but a back that can carry in a difficult situation,” Cabot said. “They don’t want to add a big name like Dalvin Cook or Ezekiel Elliott, and they don’t plan on re-signing Hunt. But they will be looking to strengthen the room between now and the start of camp.
Groups the Browns could consider include former Chargers RB Justin Jackson, Kenyan Drake or a familiar face like Dontrell Hilliard, who started his career in Cleveland.
