The Cleveland Browns have all eyes on the 2023 season now as they've been in Berea for offseason team meetings. Players such as Myles Garrett, Amari Cooper, and Deshaun Watson have all been meeting with the media and discussing what they learned from 2022 that will help them this coming year.
Each player has seemed focused on taking the next step following a frustrating 7-10 campaign — and they do have hope now that Watson knows he will be available all season. It also helps that they have had a great offseason which includes the addition of Elijah Moore, Dalvin Tomlinson, and Juan Thornhill.
As good as their offseason has been, there's one more major event left which is the 2023 NFL Draft. Let's take a look at the event and identify five moves Cleveland can make to finally put themselves in Super Bowl contention.
Browns Super Bowl move No. 5: Bring in a space-eating nose tackle
Right now, the Cleveland Browns should feel good about their defensive line. The projected starters are Myles Garrett and Ogbo Okoronkwo on the edge with Dalvin Tomlinson and Jordan Elliott at defensive tackle.
Tomlinson was their top free-agent acquisition and should be a major upgrade over Taven Bryan. However, they can stand to upgrade next to him.
Elliott, a former third-round pick from Missouri, hasn't developed into a consistent starter and doesn't really fit the mold of a run-stuffing nose tackle. With Tomlinson standing out for Minnesota as a 3-tech the past two seasons, it would be wise for Cleveland to add such a player, allowing Tomlinson to stay where he's best suited.
Whether they look at a player such as Keeanu Benton around Round 3 or even wait until Day 3 to target someone like P.J. Mustipher, the Browns would benefit greatly from a run-stuffing tackle next to Tomlinson to round out their defensive line.
Browns Super Bowl move No. 4: Take advantage RB and TE depth
The Browns don't have a pick in either Round 1 or Round 2 but they own eight selections from Round 3 through 7. Thankfully, this is the perfect draft for Cleveland to come in needing to find talent in the middle rounds.
That migt not be true for every team but the Browns have done a great job not only building their roster this offseason, but also building it around the incoming class of talent. General manager Andrew Berry addressed positions such as wideout and defensive end, knowing there's not a ton of talent at the position in this class.
He also avoided adding a running back, which makes sense considering how stacked this group is. Outside of Bijan Robinson, there's no bonafide superstar but there are a lot of players who can come in and carry the ball 10-15 times per game and make plenty of noise.
Cleveland could also look to upgrade the TE3 spot. Technically, that already happened with Harrison Bryant dropping down a notch following the signing of Jordan Akins but this tight end group is superb. Players such as Brenton Strange and Zack Kuntz might be around on Day 3 and could be huge weapons.
If the Browns were to take advantage of the depth at each position, it would go a long way toward completing their roster, which would help as they battle the normal NFL attrition.
Browns Super Bowl move No. 3: Improve the OT depth
As it stands right now, the Browns have five capable starters on the offensive line. There might be concerns about Jedrick Wills overall, but he's still a solid starting left tackle. All the way on the other side of the line is Jack Conklin, who was seen as the "other" big signing in 2020 — Austin Hooper who has since been released was the splashier move.
Conklin even signed an extension this offseason, keeping him in Northeast Ohio for a few more years. Also locked up are all three interior players in Joel Bitonio, Ethan Pocic, and Wyatt Teller. They even have a couple of capable reserve guards/centers with Nick Harris, Wes Martin, Dawson Deaton, and Michhael Dunn.
In fact, the only real concern is the depth at the tackle position. Third-year pro James Hudson currently serves as the swing tackle but outside of him, there's just Joe Haeg and Tyrone Wheatley, Jr.
That means the Browns would be wise to add more depth at the position. Unfortunately, injuries have been a major concern on the line, and rather than moving a guard out to tackle — something they've had to do recently — they would be best served to add more talented linemen that can be developed by O-line coach Bill Callahan.
Browns Super Bowl move No. 2: Land a starting-caliber DE
While it's true the Browns did add Ogbo Okoronkwo, they should still look for more help at defensive end. One reason would be the depth behind Okoronkwo and Myles Garrett.
Currently, Alex Wright and Isaiah Thomas are the primary options with Sam Kamara on the roster as well — although he's a long shot to even make the team. Another issue is the fact that Okoronkwo isn't great against the run.
As good as he was against the pass for Houston in 2022, he was still a liability in run defense. A former 3-4 stand-up linebacker with the Rams, he was graded a full 20 points lower in run defense than pass rushing by Pro Football Focus last year.
Cleveland not only needs to improve their depth but they need to make sure there are defensive ends on the roster capable of shutting down the run. Right now, Garrett (who can do it all) and Wright are the top run-defenders but they need more — especially considering the durability concerns in recent years.
For whatever reason, the Browns seem to have more injured players than any other team. That's been the case on the defensive line with Garrett, Chase Winovich, and Jadeveon Clowney all missing time in 2022. In order to protect themselves, they need to use a pick in Round 3 or 4 on a defensive end they would be comfortable starting in a pinch.
Browns Super Bowl move No. 1: Trade up for Trenton Simpson
Without an early pick, Cleveland has stayed away from a lot of the premium talent ahead of the draft. But knowing they can always make moves with their draft picks in 2023 as well as future selections, they've still kicked the tires on a couple of players that should be off the board before their first selection at No. 74.
One such prospect they've shown an interest in is Trenton Simpson, a dynamic linebacker from Clemson. Simpson was brought to Berea to meet with the decision-makers who have to love his versatility.
A former safety, Simpson converted to linebacker for the Tigers and turned into an absolute stud. He had 165 tackles, 13 sacks, and five pass defenses in his three seasons. He then went to the Scouting Combine and ran a 4.43 in the 40-yard dash while also getting 25 reps in the bench press.
Simpson will be an immediate impact player and the Browns would be wise to make a move for him. It wouldn't be easy since they would have to move up into Round 2, but the idea of pairing him with Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah is too good to pass on.
In today's NFL, you need linebackers that can cover tight ends and running backs. JOK can do that and adding Simpson would give them another versatile playmaker capable of playing in coverage while also offering plenty of support in run defense.