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Cleveland Browns offseason lookahead: 5 positions that require attention
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- Cleveland Browns offseason lookahead: 5 positions that require attention
BEREA — The Browns coaching staff remains a work in progress as exact responsibilities continue to get finalized. Meanwhile, the personnel department has entered into its favorite time of the year.
The two premier college all-star games/NFL draft scouting events took place this week. The East-West Shrine Bowl teams have been practicing in Frisco, Texas, while the Senior Bowl practices have begun in Mobile, Alabama.
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A month from now, in late February, the Scouting Combine will take over downtown Indianapolis. A month-and-a-half from now, in mid-March, the new league year will get underway, meaning the start of free agency and trades.
The draft itself will be held April 25-27, just under three months away, in Detroit .
Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry speaks during a news conference at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis on March 1, 2022.
This is a critical offseason for the Browns if they want to prove last season's 11-6 record and playoff berth weren't random one-offs. Much of their success, naturally, is tied to the return of quarterback Deshaun Watson from injury, the way he meshes with offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey and the defense's ability to sustain success from one year to the next.
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However, a big part of it is also going to be how the roster is supplemented. There are more than two dozen imminent free agents from the 2023 roster, and a large percentage won't be back.
That means there are positions requiring new additions, either to restock or to upgrade. What follows is a look at five specific positions where that will be necessary.
Backup quarterback
Watson's the starter. The Browns insist Watson will be healthy, although they won't come out and say specifically when he'll be able to fully participate. The only other quarterback on the roster, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, is coming off his own season-ending hip injury. So, yeah, this is a position of importance this offseason. The Browns would love to believe Watson will play a full season, and maybe he will in 2024. But coming off the shoulder injuries he dealt with last season that limited him to another six-start season, it would be wise for them to maintain their stance, as general manager Andrew Berry said, at the "top of the league in backup quarterback expenditures or resources." Does that mean Joe Flacco comes back? Probably not. There are, however, some intriguing potential names on the free agent list, including Gardner Minshew , Tyler Huntley and old friend Joshua Dobbs .
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Wide receiver
Browns wide receiver Cedric Tillman runs after a second-quarter catch against the Broncos on Nov. 26, 2023, in Denver.
This seems like it's perpetually a position of need going into every offseason. The Browns appeared to attack the position hard in all ways of acquisition last offseason by trading for Elijah Moore , signing Marquise Goodwin and drafting Cedric Tillman . Moore made some big plays, especially when Flacco became quarterback. A scare with blood clots and then, later, a midseason concussion never allowed Goodwin a chance to build off a big spring. Tillman, meanwhile, was a rookie who was serviceable but still has room to grow. That leaves Amari Cooper , who'll be 30 and in his 10th season, as still the team's most reliable threat. This feels like a position that will, yet again, be taken care of through multiple means. The only question is if this time will be when it all actually comes together.
Defensive line
Cleveland Browns defensive end Za'Darius Smith sacks Texans quarterback Case Keenum during the second half Dec. 24, 2023, in Houston.
Time to make a foray onto the other side of the ball so this list doesn't just become every position on offense. This didn't get into the nuance of end vs. tackle because, to be honest, the Browns probably need to invest in both. Defensive tackle is an obvious need, with basically the entire group other than Dalvin Tomlinson and Siaki Ika being free agents. Defensive end Za'Darius Smith is a likely candidate to walk as a free agent. While the team did sign Ogbo Okoronkwo last March, and second-year pro Alex Wright took a step forward over the second half of last season, having another veteran edge rusher opposite Myles Garrett is a necessity, not a luxury. That's especially true in defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz's scheme, which the Browns saw first-hand this season.
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Offensive tackle
Browns offensive tackle James Hudson III celebrates a second-half first down against the Ravens, Nov. 12, 2023, in Baltimore
Here's all you need to know about this position: James Hudson III, who's going into the final season of his rookie deal, and Leroy Watson IV, who started the season on the San Francisco 49ers practice squad, are the only tackles under contract for 2024 who didn't finish the season on injured reserve. Yes, the Browns should get left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. and right tackles Jack Conklin and Dawand Jones back from their various season-ending knee injuries. Last season, though, showed just how valuable tackle depth is for an offensive line. Considering the fact Wills will be playing on his fifth-year option only makes the position all the more important.
Linebacker
Browns linebacker Sione Takitaki (44) celebrates with Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah after intercepting a second-half pass against the Arizona Cardinals, Nov. 5, 2023, in Cleveland.
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah may be on the verge of a massive season as the Browns' off-ball linebacker. Tony Fields II , Mohamoud Diabate and Charlie Thomas III are the only other linebackers who are signed for 2024. Linebacker isn't a premium position in Schwartz's scheme. It isn't a position the Browns can completely forget about, either. The guess is they re-sign Sione Takitaki , while the season-ending injuries the last two years makes bringing back locker room leader Anthony Walker Jr . a more complicated decision. Regardless, there are players available who won't break the bank, either through a free-agent deal or because they're on a rookie deal.
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Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns offseason: 5 positions on the depth chart in need of attention
