5 Browns players who won't be back in 2024

There was more adversity than expected this year for the Cleveland Browns who somehow went 11-6 despite one of the longest IR lists ever created. They not only lost a lot of players but they saw focal points of their offense go out with Nick Chubb and Deshaun Watson on the IR.

Joe Flacco ended up leading them down the stretch and they made history with him. Cleveland was the first team to make the postseason with five different starting quarterbacks and they won with four of them.

Unfortunately, it all came crashing down on them against the Houston Texans in a 45-14 loss. Now that their season is officially over, let's look ahead to the offseason and identify five players who won't be back in 2024.

5. Jakeem Grant, KR

Sadly, the Browns never got to see what Jakeem Grant had to offer. He was signed following a Pro Bowl campaign in 2021 when he split time with the Miami Dolphins and Chicago Bears. An excellent return man, the hope was that he could help them put their offense in better situations.

He was also being used as a receiver and was catching everything in camp. But then, he went down with an Achilles injury before the first preseason game. Lost for the year, Grant had to focus on getting back to 100 percent for 2023.

The speedy return man was able to do that but then in the preseason opener, he suffered a knee injury on his first touch. Grant was diagnosed with a torn patellar tendon and again went to the IR.

Considering he will be 32 early in the 2024 season and is coming off two serious injuries, it's hard to see the Browns bringing him back. They'll still need help in the return game but it's not likely going to come from Grant — which is depressing considering how much excitement he brought.

4. Marquise Goodwin, WR

In 2021, the Browns drafted Anthony Schwartz in the third-round out of Auburn. They knew when they brought him in that he was a raw wide receiver but also that he had insane speed. Schwartz ran a sub 4.3 at his Pro Day and was supposed to stretch the field.

In his debut, he did make quite the impact. The rookie caught a 44-yarder on his first target and ended the day with 69 yards against the Kansas City Chiefs. After that, he was known for dropping the ball and missing games.

This year, Cleveland was ready to move on but before they did, they wanted to make sure they had another player capable of stretching the field. That's why they signed former Olympic athlete Marquise Goodwin. Like Schwartz, he could get downfield in a hurry but has had plenty of success in the league.

With Cleveland, however, Goodwin hardly made a mark. He didn't have his first reception until Week 4 and that went for just one yard. The only succesful deep shot in the regular season came in Week 15 against Chicago when Joe Flacco hit him in stride for a 57-yard gain.

That was a huge play in their comeback win but he still had just 67 yards through the air and 33 on the ground all year. That's why they'll be going back to the drawing board to find another receiver who can play alongside Amari Cooper and Elijah Moore.

3. Za'Darius Smith, EDGE

In need of another pass rusher across from Myles Garrett, the Browns swung a trade for Za'arius Smith. A former Pro Bowler who started his career with the Baltimore Ravens, Smith was with the Minnesota Vikings in 2022 but they were looking to shed some salary. Cleveland was looking for someone happy to be there after their relationship with Jadeveon Clowney fell apart.

Smith brought a lot of promise with more than 10 sacks in three of the past four seasons. The only exception was in 2021 when he was injured and appeared in just one game for the Green Bay Packers.

In Cleveland, he was able to play 16 games with 16 starts. It could have been 17 but he was one of many starters to rest in the finale against the Bengals. That means Smith finished the regular season with 27 tackles and 5.5 sacks.

He said at one point he expected more sacks but he was still one of the top EDGE players in the game. PFF had him ranked 18th overall at the position, meaning he was a huge part of the improved play on defense. Despite that, it's not likely he will be back in 2024.

Smith will turn 32 next September and can still ask for a lot of money. Cleveland has some younger players who can take the snaps including Ogbo Okoronkwo and Alex Wright, who had a sack in each of the final four games. The Browns will also need that money to add depth at wide receiver and potentially extend Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. Unless Smith struggles to find a new home and takes a massive discount, this might be a one-year partnership.

2. Kareem Hunt, RB

Losing Nick Chubb was devastating for the Browns, especially with it happening in Week 2 of the season. Had he been able to play this year, the offense would have likely been much more consistent throughout the season but seeing their top guy go down, they had to switch up their plans.

That included their original decision to move on from Kareem Hunt after four years. Hunt, who had yet to sign with a new team, was added back on a one-year deal to help the Browns field a running back committee.

Jerome Ford remained the primary starter with Hunt serving as a goal-line and short-yardage back. A tough player who runs without fear, this wound up being a good role for the veteran. He scored nine touchdowns on the ground and had a five-game stretch early in the year with at least one score.

As good as he was at punching it in (including two postseason TDs), Hunt had a career-low in both yards per rush and yards per reception. Considering they already thought he had lost a step last year, this will only confirm to the front office that they need someone with a little more burst. Ideally, they'll go after someone in the draft who can challenge Ford for the No. 2 spot and help them carry the load until Chubb is back to 100 percent.

1. Joe Flacco, QB

This one is arguably the toughest of the bunch. Joe Flacco was signed to the Browns practice squad in mid-November after Deshaun Watson was sent to the IR with a shoulder injury. Dorian Thompson-Robinson had taken over and led them to a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers but they wanted another backup to compete with P.J. Walker.

DTR was injured in their following contest as they lost to the Denver Broncos. Walker took over in that one but it was Flacco time when they took the field in Week 13 against the Los Angeles Rams. That proved to be the worst outing for Flacco but he still had 254 yards and two touchdowns. It was also the only loss they had with him under center during the regular season.

Flacco led the Browns to four wins in a row and had more than 300 yards in each of those victories. With nothing to play for in the finale, Flacco sat out meaning he finished the year 4-1 with 1,616 yards and 13 touchdowns. He had eight interceptions which was more than he would say is too many but he still had the most wins, most yardage, and most touchdowns out of every quarterback in the NFL during those four weeks.

As good as he was, it's hard to see a scenario where he returns. The Browns are tied to Watson no matter what thanks to his monstrous contract. That means they will do all they can to make him comfortable, even if it means letting Flacco play elsewhere in 2024. Keeping him could lead to a distraction with the crowd calling for Flacco any time Watson makes a mistake.

If your betting bankroll is hurting after the Wild Card loss, then you'll want to cash in your $150 guaranteed bonus from FanDuel this week! New users just need to bet $5 (after depositing $10+) on any Divisional Round matchup to automatically unlock that $150 bonus whether they win or lose! Sign up through the exclusive Dawg Pound Daily link below to claim your offer before it expires.

More Browns news and analysis