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Jake Trotter, ESPN Staff Writer
BEREA, Ohio — The Cleveland Browns are set to have one of the NFL’s highest payrolls. But that doesn’t mean Cleveland will be sitting back this offseason.
Due to a string of contract restructures over the past year, the Browns will enter free agency with ample cap space. And on the heels of a trip to the playoffs in 2023, Cleveland is primed to bolster its talented roster going into next season.
The Browns have been aggressive under general manager Andrew Berry, and this offseason figures to be no different.
Wide receiver and defensive tackle are the positions they need to focus on.
Here’s what to watch from the Browns as the NFL offseason heats up.
Wide receiver targets
To this point, the Browns have yielded little from their massive and controversial bet on $230 million quarterback Deshaun Watson, who has played in only 11 games over two seasons in Cleveland while producing a ghastly 41.6 QBR. In what could be the make-or-break season of the Watson era, the Browns are determined to give him every advantage to succeed in 2024.
Cleveland already shook up its offensive staff, bringing in new coordinator Ken Dorsey to help unlock Watson. Berry now could try to equip Watson with another prolific pass-catcher to flank Pro Bowlers Amari Cooper and David Njoku.
Cincinnati has already tagged Tee Higgins, making him an unlikely option. Even if the Bengals decide to trade Higgins, they probably won’t send him to a divisional rival, and Cleveland lacks the draft assets to get such a deal done anyway. On Monday, another potential target came off the board, as Mike Evans re-signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a two-year deal.
Another pair of premier free agent receivers, however, could be in play: Marquise Brown and Calvin Ridley.
If the Cardinals draft Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. with the fourth overall pick, as expected, they could opt to move on from Brown, 27, who remains explosive. The Jaguars, meanwhile, have a tough decision to make on Ridley, 29, who is coming off an up-and-down first season in Jacksonville. If the Jaguars re-sign Ridley, they’ll owe the Falcons a 2024 second-round pick. If they move on from him, they’ll owe just a third-round selection. Could that make Ridley available?
Ridley ranked eighth last year with 12 catches on passes thrown 20 or more yards downfield. Landing either one of these free agent wideouts would potentially supply Watson with one of the NFL’s top pass-catching trios.
Defensive tackle targets
Wide receiver isn’t the only position where the Browns could go hunting. Last year, the Browns signed defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson, who helped shore up Cleveland’s previously porous run defense. This offseason, the Browns could look to further upgrade the interior of their defensive line, pairing more of a playmaking tackle alongside the run-stuffing Tomlinson.
The Ravens almost assuredly will be bringing back Justin Madubuike, 26, after he posted 13 sacks last year. It’s also hard to see Kansas City moving on from Chris Jones, ESPN’s top-rated overall free agent, given the way he performed for the Super Bowl champs.
But don’t rule out the possibility of Cleveland making a move for, say, free agent defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, 28, who had nine sacks and 35 pressures for the Miami Dolphins last season.
A defensive line comprising Tomlinson, Wilkins and reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett would be formidable, and it would take the Browns a step closer to being a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
As Berry said after the season, the Browns have every intention of bringing back running back Nick Chubb. But that will require Berry and agent Todd France coming to an agreement on a reworked contract.
Chubb, who is coming off two knee surgeries and is not expected to be ready for the start of the regular season, has a $15.8 million cap hit and no guaranteed money left in the final year of his deal. The Browns could offer Chubb the financial guarantee ($4-5 million?) in exchange for the lower salary/cap hit.
Chubb has been the heart and soul of the Browns’ locker room. Sources say that, even now, he has been in the team facility working out and rehabilitating daily. If anyone can overcome such a serious knee injury and eventually return to being a productive runner, it’s Chubb, who is a Cleveland fan favorite.
Still, the Browns will probably need to add another running back alongside Jerome Ford and Pierre Strong Jr. to solidify the position. Cleveland could easily — and cheaply — address this on Day 3 of the draft.
What to do in the second round
The Browns don’t have a first-round pick again this year because of the Watson trade. But they finally have a second-round selection after going the past two drafts without one. Using that pick on yet another wide receiver seems the likeliest scenario.
The Browns have struggled picking receivers on Day 2 in recent years. Cleveland already moved on from 2021 third-round selection Anthony Schwartz. The jury is still out on 2023 third-rounder Cedric Tillman, who had only 224 receiving yards as a rookie. 2022 third-round pick David Bell is coming off a solid season (38 catches, three touchdowns), but probably has the ceiling of a backup slot receiver. Even Elijah Moore, whom Cleveland acquired from the Jets for its second-round pick last year, had just one game with more than 61 receiving yards.
The fact that none of those receivers has developed into a surefire core piece is why Cleveland might have to expend another high pick on the position (especially with Cooper set to turn 30 this summer).
The Browns also could scour the trade market again for another buy-low receiver. Cleveland has long had its eye on former Denver first-rounder Jerry Jeudy, who is just 24. Jeudy averaged a career-low 3.4 receptions per game last season. With the Broncos now in rebuilding mode, they could be more amenable to moving on from Jeudy, who still has plenty of upside.
Playcalling duties
During last week’s scouting combine, coach Kevin Stefanski declined to say whether he would turn over playcalling duties to Dorsey. It would not be surprising for Stefanski to hold off on this decision until August.
Either way, Dorsey will play a big role in the design of the 2024 offense, especially with former offensive line coach Bill Callahan now in Tennessee. Callahan played a key part in Cleveland’s run schemes, and Dorsey figures to fill much of that void, as the Browns continue to transform an attack once built around Chubb to one that now revolves around Watson’s skill set.
As for Stefanski, the expectation continues to be that both he and Berry will receive contract extensions at some point soon — if they haven’t already. (Remember, owner Jimmy Haslam has reportedly given such contract extensions in the past without announcing them.) Stefanski has already earned NFL Coach of the Year honors twice in four seasons with Cleveland.
Investing in 2021 draft picks
The Browns are set to make financial investments in their top two selections from the 2021 draft. Cleveland is expected to pick up the fifth-year option on former first-round pick Greg Newsome II, which would pay him $13.8 million in 2025. Cleveland has until May 2 to exercise the option.
On the heels of safety Grant Delpit’s extension in December, fourth-year linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah could be next in line for a new deal. JOK is coming off a terrific season, ranking fourth among qualifying linebackers in stop percentage (9.3%). He was also one of the few bright spots in Cleveland’s playoff loss in Houston, leading the Browns with eight tackles, including four for loss.
Defensive line
Defensive end Za’Darius Smith, 31, is a free agent after his one season in Cleveland. The Browns are high on their young defensive ends, including Ogbo Okoronkwo, Alex Wright and Isaiah McGuire. But if Smith’s market proves to be tepid, Cleveland could also bring him back on a one-year deal, similar to what the Browns did with Jadeveon Clowney two offseasons ago. Pending his recovery from a season-ending pectoral injury, defensive tackle Maurice Hurst is another rotation lineman who could return on a one-year deal.
Punter
Punter Corey Bojorquez could be an underrated free agent to watch. Bojorquez had an excellent season, ranking in the top 10 in punts downed inside both the 10- and 5-yard lines. That proved to be a huge asset for Cleveland’s top-ranked defense. Bojorquez would not be so easy to replace if he signed for more money elsewhere.
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