4 Cleveland Browns playing their way off the roster in 2023

The Cleveland Browns have several free agents to make a decision on but these four might be making the choice easy — for one reason or another

With a record of 6-8, the Cleveland Browns are likely preparing for the 2023 season — unless a whole lot falls in their favor down the stretch.

While anything is possible, the final three games will be a chance to see which players should be brought back in 2023 and which might be best to let walk. Some will make the decision easy due to their play, whether good or bad, and we look at four such players here.

4. Cleveland Browns RB Kareem Hunt

It was a bit of a surprise the Browns added Kareem Hunt when they did in 2019. John Dorsey, who drafted Hunt with the Kansas City Chiefs, decided to give him a shot once he was released following a video of him in an altercation with a female became public.

Hunt missed the first eight games of that season due to a suspension but then became one of the best No. 2 backs in the NFL behind Nick Chubb. His best campaign was in 2020 when he had 841 yards rushing, 304 receiving, and 11 total touchdowns.

However, over the past two seasons, he hasn’t been as effective and was even on the block this year as the trade deadline approached.

It’s become clear that Cleveland is ready to move on from Hunt despite his original desire to stay with his hometown team. With Jerome Ford on the roster, the Browns are likely to head into 2023 with a different No. 2 back.

3. Cleveland Browns LB Sione Takitaki

Another addition in 2019, Sione Takitaki was a third-round pick out of BYU. After a couple of years full of off-field issues, Takitaki got things right and became a star for the Cougars, leading to his selection by Cleveland.

As a rookie, he played sparingly and recorded just 21 tackles. But since then, he’s been more of a fixture in the defense — and has been incredibly underrated.

Takitaki doesn’t make splash plays, so he often flies under the radar. Still, he has 203 career tackles, two sacks, and one pick-six. He also rarely misses tackles, which is a welcome sight for this defense.

In 2022, the Browns were dealt one blow after another at linebacker with Anthony Walker and Jacob Phillips being sent to the IR. Takitaki was then asked to man the MIKE position and he finally started to get the recognition he deserved. He also already topped his career high with 71 tackles on the season.

Unfortunately, he too was injured as he tore his ACL in early December.

Now set for free agency, Takitaki might have a hard time landing a contract before the season begins. That could help him return to Cleveland but chances are high that they could be looking for a complete overhaul of the position. And even with the injury, Takitaki might be able to make more money elsewhere.

It’s clear that general manager Andrew Berry doesn’t like to invest a lot of money at the linebacker position, so Takitaki could be on the way out.

2. Cleveland Browns S John Johnson III

Although he played much better in the Week 15 win over the Baltimore Ravens, safety John Johnson III has had arguably the worst season of his career thus far.

A former starter for the Los Angeles Rams, Johnson signed a three-year, $33.75 million deal with Cleveland in 2021. In that contract, he was given $24 million guaranteed and there were those who thought this was highway robbery for Andrew Berry.

Johnson played well in 2021, but he still saw a decline in his PFF grade. He was the No. 3 safety in the NFL according to the analytical site in 2020 but fell to 34th in his first season with the Browns. Still, he was a starting-caliber player and had 61 tackles and three picks. This year, he’s fallen even further as PFF has him 51st at the position.

While PFF isn’t the primary resource for judging a player, it’s a useful tool and it backs up what’s been seen on film. Johnson has struggled in deep coverage this year and has continued to struggle with missed tackles — although, he was actually worse in the category in 2021.

Cleveland has had a lot of issues with safeties as of late and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them completely change course in 2023. Ronnie Harrison is a free agent and Johnson could be designated a post-June 1 cut, which would save them roughly $9.75 million.

1. Cleveland Browns QB Jacoby Brissett

The crowd was excited to see Jacoby Brissett come onto the field in Week 15 as he ran a quarterback sneak on fourth-and-one to give his team a fresh set of downs. That reaction is a reminder of how popular he became during his 11 starts this season.

Cleveland was just 4-7 with him under center but he kept them in several games throughout the year.

His numbers weren’t eye-popping but they were respectable. Brissett completed 64 percent of his attempts for 2,608 yards with 12 touchdowns and six picks. Cleveland was also one of the most efficient offenses in the NFL with him under center.

Ideally, the Browns would be able to get him back in 2023. Having a player such as Brissett as the No. 2 quarterback would be quite the luxury. His presence would mean they could remain competitive even if Deshaun Watson were to miss any time at all.

The problem is, there are a couple of teams that could use a new starter — and some of them won’t be drafting early enough to take a rookie capable of starting right away. Both the New York Giants and New York Jets come to mind as possible landing spots.

In the end, Brissett likely played his way out of town since he played so well.

Browns studs and duds: Safeties shine in Week 15 win over Ravens

The Cleveland Browns improved to 6-8 with a win over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 15. Here are the studs and duds from the victory.