Like it or not, and some really don’t like it, Deshaun Watson is going to be the player the Cleveland Browns lean on the most for the foreseeable future. While they have a strong enough roster to win without him, he’s the one they believe will put them over the top.
Of course, that hasn’t happened yet. Through two seasons, Watson has played in just 12 games as he’s gone through an 11-game suspension and then dealt with shoulder injuries throughout 2023.
Looking ahead to 2024, they’re banking on a healthy No. 4 to take their next step. With that in mind, they could target these three draft prospects to make his life easier going forward.
3. Patrick Paul, OT, Houston
Cleveland is going to give Jedrick Wills every chance to start at left tackle in 2024 but there’s no way he remains the starter beyond that without massive improvement. That’s why it makes sense for the Browns to take advantage of a stacked OL class. The only question is whether they look for a potential starter in Round 2 or Round 3.
If they elect to wait until the third, Patrick Paul is a player to watch. The Houston product met with the Browns during the NFL Combine and has a lot to offer. Standing 6-foot-7 and weighing 331 pounds, Paul has the size to match up with any opposing lineman. He also displayed adequate athleticism although he’s still a work in progress.
If Cleveland wants to land a player who needs time to develop but has a high ceiling, this could be their guy. It might not make a huge impact in 2024 but Paul could make Deshaun Watson feel much more comfortable in 2025 and beyond.
2. Kiran Amegadjie, OT, Yale
The 2024 class is loaded on the offensive line and while the Browns can get someone such as Patrick Paul in the third to develop, they could also potentially land a first-round talent at No. 54 in Kiran Amegadjie from Yale. Amegadjie has elite size at 6-foot-5 and 326 pounds but isn’t expected to go in Round 1. The reason for this belief is the lack of talent he faced at Yale coupled with a torn quad suffered in October.
Despite these concerns, Ian Cummings of Pro Football Network believes he can be a starter. When discussing Amegadjie, Cummings said he didn’t put enough tape out there due to the injury but was still dominant when he didn’t play.
“The hope was that Amegadjie would have been able to produce more tape, but when he was on the field for Yale, he was dominant. He was a first-team All-Ivy League selection in 2022, and he never allowed a sack at tackle. Amegadjie looked exactly the way you want early-round FCS prospects to look at that level. He was a tier above his opponents, and his physical profile should help him draw plenty of demand in the 2024 NFL Draft.” — Ian Cummings, Pro Football Network
Amegadjie is a prospect who could push Jedrick Wills this season. In the worst-case scenario, he gives them a vastly improved backup while allowing them to move on in 2025. Either way, the quarterback should be much more comfortable knowing the blind side will be better protected this season than it was in 2023.
1. Ja'Tavion Sanders, TE, Texas
With David Njoku and Jordan Akins on the roster already, it might seem like a bad idea for Cleveland to consider Ja'Tavion Sanders, who would need to be a target at No. 54 overall for the Browns to have any shot at bringing him in. Having said that, there’s no reason Cleveland shouldn’t make the move if Sanders is there.
Andrew Berry has done a great job ensuring the roster is strong enough to use the best player available approach. And it’s going to be hard to see many players superior to Sanders at No. 54.
The Texas tight end had 45 catches for 682 yards with two touchdowns this past season. He played in line as well as in the slot while also proving to be a decent run blocker. Still, it’s his receiving that puts him on the map and he was excellent last year with no drops. Adding him as TE2 across from Njoku would really open up this offense.
Ironically enough, Lance Zierlein of NFL.com says the pro comparison for Sanders is Njoku. If he can come anywhere close to the same level as No. 85, life will be much easier for Deshaun Watson. His main problem at this point might be trying to get everyone enough touches — a beautiful problem to have.