4 Cleveland Browns Who Could Take a Step Back in 2012

It seems almost unfair to attempt to predict which members of the Cleveland Browns could take a step back this season—there are few players who performed all that well last season that any step back could result in serious harm done to a team that needs the exact opposite.

But no two seasons are ever the same for any player in the NFL, no matter the team. And there are reasons why a player can have a down year that has little to do with his inherent talent—sometimes circumstances change that force such things to happen.

So with that in mind, here are four players with the potential to regress from their 2011 production.

TE Ben Watson

A series of concussions plus the apparent ascendancy of fellow tight end Evan Moore might leave Ben Watson with fewer targets and yards this season, no matter whether Colt McCoy or Brandon Weeden is the one throwing the passes for the Cleveland Browns.

Last season, Watson was active in 13 games and had 37 receptions for 410 yards and two scores. That's a far cry from his 2010 season, in which he caught 68 passes for 783 yards and three touchdowns.

Look for both his reception and yardage totals to dip again this year as the bulk of the tight end passes get thrown Moore's way and because second-year player Jordan Cameron should play a bigger role.

The good thing for Watson is that his yards per reception have stayed steady over the last two years (11.1 in 2011; 11.2 in 2010), so even if his overall numbers decrease, he'll still be as effective as expected when he's called upon to make a play.

LB D'Qwell Jackson

Browns linebacker D'Qwell Jackson was easily one of the biggest success stories of the 2011 season. He missed most of both 2010 and 2009 while dealing with torn pectoral muscles, vowed to return to make a contribution and stunned everyone with his impressive 2011 season.

Last year, Jackson easily led the Browns defense with 158 total tackles—nearly double the next-best Browns tackler, Ahtyba Rubin. He also had 3.5 sacks, one interception, one forced fumble and three fumble recoveries.

His comeback performance earned him a five-year contract this offseason, worth $42.5 million, including $19 million in guaranteed money and bonuses. He earned it, to be sure, and he's likely to be a major contributor on the Browns' ever-strengthening defense; however, it wouldn't be surprising if his production dipped some.

Jackson was a breath of fresh air on a Browns defensive front seven that struggled mightily against the run in 2011. Now that that area of the game has been improved this offseason, less will be needed from Jackson and other players can step up and make an impact.

One-hundred fifty-eight tackles is a hard act to follow, no matter the talent of the player involved. It only seems likely that he'll have less this season—even if he does have better numbers when it comes to sacks and turnovers.

WR Mohamed Massaquoi

Mohamed Massaquoi has been plagued by concussions, just as Ben Watson, and has yet to pan out as the playmaker the Browns had hoped he'd become. This is likely his last year to impress; Rotoworld believes his job could be on the line should he not step it up in camp.

Massaquoi had the second-most targets of any Browns player last year, with 74, but caught just 31 of them for 384 yards and two touchdowns. 

Now that the team has fourth-round pick Travis Benjamin, a better-prepared No. 1 wideout Greg Little and slot receivers Jordan Norwood and Josh Cooper on the roster—not to mention five tight ends—Massaquoi could find himself with far fewer targets than he did last season.

If his catch percentage doesn't increase while his targets decrease, then there's little chance that Massaquoi makes much of an impact in 2012.

QB Seneca Wallace

Last year, Seneca Wallace stepped in for an injured Colt McCoy for six games, going 55-for-107, with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

This year, he'll likely be third on the team's depth chart, behind McCoy and rookie Brandon Weeden. 

Yes, that means a drop-off in production, and a necessary one. Wallace has had just one productive season in his career and never flashed the kind of talent that would make him worthy of a starting quarterback job.

Now, with McCoy and Weeden on the Browns' roster, chances are we won't have to see Wallace take the field next season. It's certainly in the Browns' benefit if Wallace's production in 2012 drops to zero—he'd be better off serving as a mentor to the rookie Weeden—that is, if Wallace even stays on the roster through the summer.

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