The Cleveland Browns went into NFL free agency with a purpose and came out addressing plenty of major key positions. After landing the likes of defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson, defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo, safety Juan Thornhill, and trading for wide receiver Elijah Moore, the 2023 NFL draft is now on the horizon for general manager Andrew Berry and his team.
After plugging plenty of holes on their roster in free agency, what remains for the Browns to fix in the draft? Here, we break down six positions that still lack depth as the Browns look to get back into the playoffs in 2023.
Running back
After losing D’Ernest Johnson to the Jacksonville Jaguars, and as it looks unlikely Kareem Hunt will return, the Browns will look for a third running back. Even with Jerome Ford on the roster, a player with limited carries to his name, the age and contract of Nick Chubb has to be uncomfortably talked about as well.
Even if Chubb does not lose a step and returns in 2024, there is a lack of depth in that room in Cleveland. Look for the Browns to potentially even add a higher-end back at the end of the third round or in the fourth round as well to upgrade the depth in that room.
Wide Receiver
The Elijah Moore trade has the potential to pay big dividends for such a small price. However, looking behind Moore, Amari Cooper, and Donovan Peoples-Jones, there is reason to wonder about the talent in the wide receiver room.
David Bell certainly has the potential to be a consistent slot receiver who catches everything thrown his way. However, Bell is not going to be an elite separator or twitchy athlete after the catch. The contract of Cooper gets tricky after the 2023 season, so this could be his last year in Cleveland as well. Peoples-Jones enters a contract year too.
Even if all of these players are back in 2024, the unit ranked bottom-ten in explosive plays through the air a year ago and that has to get better. Look for the Browns to target a vertical threat who can create splash plays down the field for their offense. And potentially even with pick No. 74.
EDGE
The signing of Okoronkwo may go down as one of the best of the offseason. A player with through-the-roof pressure rates now gets the chance to shine as a starter, and do so opposite of a perennial All-Pro as well. However, behind Okoronkwo and Myles Garrett, the depth of the defensive end group gets ugly.
The team is still high on 2022 third rounder Alex Wright, but other than Wright, seventh rounder Isaiah Thomas is the only other defensive end on the roster. Look for an edge rusher to be at the top of the Browns’ positional needs.
And this is a good class to need a middle-round pass rusher.
Defensive tackle
The Browns did a great job to throw two more bodies into the mix as competitive pieces in training camp in Maurice Hurst and Trysten Hill. However, the amount of guaranteed money given to each of them would indicate neither is locked in to make the roster.
Adding Tomlinson gives a putrid interior a massive upgrade, but the Browns need more. Jordan Elliott has yet to come alive in three seasons, Tommy Togiai has been one of the worst defensive tackles in all of football, and Perrion Winfrey is back in hot water due to another off-the-field issue.
It will be slim pickings for the Browns as they potentially sort through this defensive tackle class. However, if a Keeanu Benton or Gervon Dexter falls into their laps, it’s hard to envision the Browns saying no. They will not, however, draft a defensive tackle just to say they did so.
Linebacker
Retaining their strongest vocal leader on the defensive side of the football, the Browns re-signed Anthony Walker Jr. They also brought back Sione Takitaki, who is set to miss a part of the season after tearing his ACL late in 2022. Special teamers have also been added to the linebacker room, but the long-term health of the second level of defense remains a mystery.
This could lead to a linebacker landing with the Browns next week. Iowa’s Jack Campbell would be a dream if he slipped down the board to a point the team would feel comfortable trading up. Other linebackers who check off their boxes include Tulane’s Dorian Williams, Oregon’s Noah Sewell on day three, and Auburn’s Owen Pappoe later on.
Safety
Grant Delpit is entering a contract season and the Browns are not bringing back Ronnie Harrison, who came on the field as a third safety in DIME looks. Even after signing a true free safety in Juan Thornhill, the Browns will need a third safety next year and a player that may have to take over for Delpit in 2024 if they let him walk.
The problem: it is a terrible safety class. Jammie Robinson of Florida State is a good football player, and names like Ohio State’s Ronnie Hickman and Boise State’s JL Skinner can string together solid work from the box. However, there are no standouts the Browns must have on day two or day three of the draft.
