Cleveland Browns 2024 NFL offseason primer: Deshaun Watson is the huge question
Cleveland Browns' 2023 season: 11-6, lost in wild card
Overview: Despite a revolving door of quarterbacks, Cleveland and NFL Coach of the Year Kevin Stefanski kept the offense on track enough to take advantage of the No. 2-ranked defense by DVOA. The result was an impressive season and a playoff berth, thanks largely to a late-season surge led by quarterback Joe Flacco, who was a midseason signing due to the team's string of injuries at the position. The offense mostly struggled under starter Deshaun Watson and fill-ins Dorian Thompson-Robinson and P.J. Walker before finding footing under Flacco. But the team didn't have enough firepower to stay with the Houston Texans in a lopsided wild-card playoff loss.
Cleveland is in a fascinating spot right now because if Watson can start living up to his contract, the team has real Super Bowl potential. Even though it lost in the first round of the playoffs, the Browns return a defense with a ton of talent and will have a chance to retool the offense.
Key free agents
EDGE Za'Darius Smith (re-signed)
QB Joe Flacco
RB Kareem Hunt
DL Maurice Hurst
Who's in/out: The Browns found a way to bring back Smith on a reported two-year deal. Hurst becomes the next question for Cleveland. The Browns don’t have too many key guys ready to hit the open market, but seeing what happens with Flacco will be intriguing. Would Cleveland be interested in bringing back a 39-year-old backup QB after his strong late-season performance?
Key free-agent needs
Wide receiver
Offensive tackle
Defensive line
Why the holes? The Browns addressed one area of need by acquiring WR Jerry Jeudy in a trade with the Broncos, adding a needed complement with Amari Cooper on offense. After that, the biggest area of the roster that can use some work is the edges of their offense.
Do they have the money?: The Browns are right on the edge at a little more than $412,000 under the 2024 cap figure, according to Spotrac. General manager Andrew Berry has already restructured the contract of Denzel Ward, and he likely has more work ahead in restructuring contracts for players like Cooper, Watson and Myles Garrett.
Potential notable cuts
RB Nick Chubb
WR Amari Cooper
TE Jordan Akins
Why they might be gone: Simply put, the Browns need cap space. Chubb is a strong candidate to be cut considering it would free up $11.8 million in cap space and he’s coming off of a debilitating knee injury. Cooper is an interesting, though unlikely, name to watch as well. He’s still very good, but if the Browns want to make a cut without restructuring so many deals, Cooper would free up $12.4 million with a cut. Akins' release could net a $2 million savings.
2023 NFLPA report card
Draft picks
2nd round: No. 54
3rd round: No. 85
5th round: No. 155 (from Eagles)
6th round: No. 205 (from Ravens)
7th round: No. 243
Good draft fit
Georgia WR Ladd McConkey
Why him? Cleveland still doesn’t have a first-round pick this year due to the Watson trade, but if the Browns are looking for a dynamic option to add to their offense, Georgia wide receiver Ladd McConkey may provide some depth there.
What can move the fantasy football needle this offseason?
Would it be asking too much to simply want Deshaun Watson to perform at the level of 39-year-old Joe Flacco? With Joe at the controls, Cleveland’s offense was humming and David Njoku played the best football of his career. Amari Cooper was thriving, too. Watson of course is coming off a dreadful partial season that looked, at least statistically, exactly like his dreadful 2022. There are a variety of questions attached to the Browns' offense, but all of them seem insignificant compared to the Watson situation. He needs to be less terrible, soon. That $230 million is spent and Houston has a firm no-return policy. The needle can’t move for Cleveland until Watson levels up. — Andy Behrens
