3 Cleveland Browns entering major contract years

2. Chase Winovich, EDGE

During his first two seasons with the New England Patriots, Chase Winovich was a solid pass rusher. Lined up on the edge, he had 74 tackles and 11 sacks in those first two years while adding 19 quarterback pressures in 2019 and another 37 in 2020.

Then in 2021, he moved to a linebacker role and was hardly heard from. The third-year pro finished the season with just 11 tackles and had three quarterback pressures. Clearly, he was no longer in the plans for New England, which led to his trade to Cleveland in exchange for Mack Wilson this offseason.

Now with the Browns, it seems Winovich will be back on the front lines doing what he does best — getting after the quarterback. And while Cleveland has Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney on the roster, Winovich should still see the field often in 2022.

Not only has Clowney struggled to make it through an entire season but Garrett has been overworked at times, which means defensive coordinator Joe Woods should be willing to give him more of a breather from time to time.

All of this should be good for the former Michigan Wolverine as he enters the final season of his rookie contract. Should he perform at a high level, he could find himself earning a nice raise in the offseason — whether that be with the Browns or another team.