While we are still more than a month away from NFL free agency, and more than six weeks away from the 2024 NFL Draft, there's no doubt that Andrew Berry has already begun planning the Cleveland Browns roster. It’s just a part of the game that each year you are going to lose a handful of guys that were big parts of the team.
The good news for the Browns this offseason, there are only two positions that will be greatly affected (defensive end and defensive tackle), but there are certainly some big names that could be moving on. Za’Darius Smith, Shelby Harris, Maurice Hurst, Anthony Walker, Jacob Phillips, and Kareem Hunt are the biggest known names, but guys like Mike Ford and Jordan Kunaszyk who are high performers on special teams are also free to shop for offers.
While seeing some of these players depart from Cleveland will be sad, I won’t be so upset to see these four players move on.
Cleveland Browns FA No. 4: Marquise Goodwin/Jakeem Grant
I typically wouldn’t lump two players together like this, but for this situation, it felt appropriate. Marquise Goodwin was considered a deep threat, while Jakeem Grant was brought in for the return game. At the time both seemed like very low-risk and high-reward contracts, but neither one of these guys was even close to panning out.
Both dealt with injuries last year which limited the sample size, but both have injury history which makes the original singing of them that much more frustrating. For the most part, I love and agree 100 percent with the strategy of Berry, but he certainly is optimistic about guys who are always hurt magically not getting hurt anymore.
There will be plenty of veterans who can attempt to fill the same void next year, but I’ll be glad to not see Goodwin or Grant on the injury report next season.
Cleveland Browns FA No. 3: Kareem Hunt
When I say I’m glad to see Kareem Hunt finally leave the Cleveland Browns, I don’t mean it because I think he was a bad player. I personally think that the relationship has run dry and it’s time for both parties to move on.
We had hit that point last year and Berry didn’t bring him back, but with the early injury to Nick Chubb, it was far too easy of a fix to just plug him back in. Hunt needed a fresh start after some off-the-field issues during his rookie season, and he got exactly that in Cleveland.
I don’t think that Hunt is going to be in line to be an NFL starter with any other team, but there are certainly places where he can go and be utilized better than he was. Hunt is a nose-down runner which is great in short-yardage situations, but he often got swallowed up in the Browns zone scheme as he struggled to let plays develop like Chubb or even Jerome Ford did.
It’s unfortunate for this to happen because in the Browns new offense, I think he could be a bigger weapon in the passing game as well. While with the Chiefs, Hunt showed that he had the skill set of a wide receiver and the toughness of a running back. Kevin Stefanski used him in the screen game some, but I never understood his lack of routes in this offense.
Again, no ill feelings toward Hunt, he is a Cleveland guy through and through, and I’ll be happy to watch him play for another team next season unless it happens to be in the AFC North.
Cleveland Browns FA No. 2: Jordan Elliott
First and foremost, I need to admit that I was wrong about Jordan Elliott. After three seasons of watching him struggle at defensive tackle, we finally saw him have a good year when paired with Dalvin Tomlinson. But if you remember, before 2023, Elliott was often the number one defensive tackle on the roster, and he was often bullied around and was the main reason that this run defense was so poor in years past.
I’m not happy to see him leave because I think he is a below-average player, I’m just ready to see a new face at defensive tackle. Andrew Berry finally spent some money at the position last offseason, and we really saw that pay dividends.
I’ve yet to be blown away by Siaki Ika, but moving forward, I think another late-round draft pick in 2024, and re-signing guys like Shelby Harris or Maurice Hurst make more sense for next season. Even with a stronger season in 2023, it’s clear to me that Elliott isn’t a guy you build around, and at this point, he will likely be looking for a two- or three-year deal which I would not be comfortable giving him.
Maybe Elliott was a late developer and I’ll be proven wrong on this one but letting him walk after this season is certainly the right move for Berry and the Cleveland Browns.
Cleveland Browns FA No. 1: Harrison Bryant
Does everyone remember in 2021 when Harrison Bryant was the number one tight end on the roster and David Njoku was actually number three? Clearly Njoku found his way into the Stefanski doghouse, but things have since corrected. Njoku just signed a large extension to stay in Cleveland, while Bryant will likely be looking for a new team in 2024.
I’m harsh on Bryant because he is so much of a tweener player to me. He’s built like a wide receiver with the skillset of a tight end and doesn’t do anything overly well.
Here is exactly what I mean. If you split him out wide he has no chance of getting separation from a safety or even an athletic linebacker. If you bring him in line and try to run the ball, linebackers, and defensive ends constantly bully him around.
The one thing he is above average at is a big set with play-action. When the defense gets moving the wrong way and the quarterback has time, Bryant does have a way of weaving through zone coverage and has had a few great plays in his career.
But with his rookie deal done, I think it is more than clear that he will never be a starting-caliber tight end in the NFL. Berry gave him more than enough chances, but the production just isn’t there. Between that and the Browns likely headed to more of a spread offense, the match just doesn’t make sense.