Andrew Berry has done a good job bringing star power to the Cleveland Browns during his first four seasons as the general manager. While he inherited Myles Garrett, Nick Chubb, and Denzel Ward, he was able to land Amari Cooper, Jerry Jeudy, Deshaun Watson, and Dalvin Tomlinson — just to name a few.
As important as those players are, the Browns proved throughout 2023 how integral depth is. One player after another was injured which tested the "next man up" philosophy all year.
While they're hoping for better health in 2024, there's confidence in knowing they can turn to the bench and still have success. With that being said, here are three depth players who could prove to be pleasant surprises this year.
3. Mohamoud Diabate, LB
Undrafted in 2023, Mohamoud Diabate had success at Florida and Utah during his collegiate career. He finished with 228 tackles, 10.5 sacks, and 24 tackles for a loss between the two teams.
Diabate made his way to the 53-man roster following a strong preseason performance. In four games he had 14 tackles, one tackle for a loss, one forced fumble, and two pass defenses. He then appeared in 16 games in the regular season, playing primarily on special teams.
He finished with eight tackles and a fumble recovery but there's a chance he could do more in 2024. With Sione Takitaki, Anthony Walker, and Jacob Phillips all gone, Diabate could move up the depth chart. With his skill in coverage, run defense, and pass rushing, he could end up being an unexpected contributor.
2. Giovanni Ricci, TE/FB
One move that went under the radar for the Browns was the signing of Giovanni Ricci. The former Carolina Panthers tight end hasn't seen the field much as he enters his fifth NFL season with just nine receptions for 102 yards.
Despite the limited production, there's reason to believe he can succeed in Cleveland. Ricci entered the league in 2020 as an undrafted free agent from Western Michigan. During his collegiate career, he proved to be a viable option in the passing game with 51 receptions for 642 yards and eight touchdowns in his senior campaign.
Ahead of the draft, Lance Zierlein of NFL.com praised his route running and ball skills while pointing out he's a former wideout.
"Former receiver with loose, athletic gait in open field. Has early acceleration to challenge seam. Has added 40 pounds of good weight on his frame since the start of his college career. Routes are crisp with some detail to leverage. Looks to find football immediately out of breaks and turns. Nimble feet in space after catch. Excellent ball skills to extend and snare throws over his head. Impressive catch focus when it's noisy near him. Quick hands to pluck and tuck through contact. Hyper aware of sidelines/end lines and dots feet accordingly after catch." — Zierlein, NFL.com
Zierlein did say Ricci needed to get stronger which might have been why he never got a shot in Carolina. Their system under Matt Rhule favored blocking tight ends, which is why they gave Ian Thomas a sizable extension despite routinely producing fewer than 200 yards receiving each year.
In Cleveland, Ricci will most likely operate in the H-Back role and do a lot of the things we saw Harrison Bryant handle over the past four seasons. That won't lead to elite numbers but it wouldn't be a shock to see him replicate the stats Bryant typically offered.
1. Alex Wright, DE
A third-round pick out of Alabama-Birmingham in 2022, Alex Wright joined the Browns as a project player. He's well-built for the position at 6-foot-5 and 267 pounds but didn't play against elite competition in college.
The plan was to bring him along slowly but he did have to start five games in 2022 due to injuries suffered by Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney at different points in the season. As a rookie, he had 28 tackles and batted down five passes at the line of scrimmage. The only thing he didn't do was record any sacks.
Wright was able to rectify that in 2023 by recording five sacks on the season. His first came in a Week 3 win over the Tennessee Titans and then he had a cold spell until Week 15. That's when he caught fire as Wright had one sack in each of the final four games — finishing with 13 tackles and four sacks down the stretch.
Now heading into his third season as a pro, Wright is a player on the verge of breaking out. He's still going to be a reserve since Za'Darius Smith was re-signed to a two-year deal, but it's going to be hard to keep him off the field for long if he keeps getting after the quarterback. That's a good problem to have since there's no such thing as too many pass rushers in the NFL.