Nyheim Hines will not be playing for the Cleveland Browns this season.
Hines signed a one-year deal with the Browns this offseason. Cleveland was hoping that he could add a dynamic element both out of the backfield and as a return man. However, that won’t happen, with Hines not being activated to return from the non-football injury list during the 21-day window.
Hines missed all of last year after suffering a torn ACL during a jetski accident. Browns special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone said Hines was lacking the explosive ability needed to make an impact following his return to practice.
“He put in a lot of time and effort to try to get back. He did everything he could,” Bubba Ventrone said. “The number one thing for him is his speed and his explosive ability, and he just wasn’t at that spot where we felt comfortable to make the move. So disappointed for him. He would have been a great asset for us to have moving forward, but hopefully things work out in the future.”
Hines has four return touchdowns in his career. He’s also been a solid pass-catching back, notching 240 catches in his five seasons for 1,778 yards and 8 touchdowns. He’s never had more than 89 rushing attempts in a season. Hines has rushed for 1202 yards and 10 touchdowns over his career.
Nyheim Hines Wanted to Show Potential With Browns
Hines hoped to show he could be more than a return threat this year with the Browns.
“I mean, I’m not the biggest guy in the world, but I’m not going to be scared,” Hines said on May 22. “I’m going to put my head down there. I’m known for my pass catching abilities, so the return specialist thing was kind of disrespectful, honestly, I don’t know. I don’t know any other return specialist who has over 230 catches in five years.”
Even if Hines did make it back to lineup, he may have a hard time finding the field with the offense. Nick Chubb is back and his workload will only increase as the season goes on. Jerome Ford, Pierre Strong Jr. and D’Onta Foreman will also be prominently in the mix for the Browns.
Browns Making Big Changes on Offense
The Browns offense has been the worst in the NFL this season, averaging 253.9 yards per game. Cleveland has failed to put up 20 points in a game this season, averaging just 15.6 points through seven games.
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski has decided to make a major change to the offense, handing play-calling duties over to offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey. Stefanski has called plays in Cleveland since he arrived in 2020.
“I see Ken as a guy that I have total trust in,” Stefanski said. “He does a good job with the quarterbacks, does a good job with the offense. So just felt like this is the right thing to do.”
Dorsey and the Browns face a tough test out of the gate. Cleveland faces off against the surging Baltimore Ravens squad on Sunday. The Ravens have won five games in a row after an 0-3 start.
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