5 hidden gems on the Browns roster who will surprise in 2023
2. Pierre Strong Jr., running back
It might sound a little silly to be calling the guy the Browns just recently traded for a "hidden" gem on the roster, but Pierre Strong Jr. could end up surprising some people as the Browns' RB3.
Perhaps in the not-so-distant future, their RB2...
Pierre Strong Jr. didn't play a ton last year but his performance against Arizona showed a great raw skill set.
— Ian Valentino (@NFLDraftStudy) August 27, 2023
5 rushes for 70 yards and a TD, plus 2 catches for 20 yards.
His speed and catching ability might allow him to be a solid backup to Nick Chubb. pic.twitter.com/6pBlcAu1Xe
When Pierre Strong Jr. was coming out of South Dakota State, he boasted outstanding speed and explosiveness to go along with showing himself to be a very instinctive runner overall. I really like this pickup by the Browns and the upside Strong presents.
3. Ogbo Okoronkwo, EDGE
The Cleveland Browns have been in pursuit of help and depth on the defensive front this offseason, and one of the most underrated moves they made was bringing in Ogbo Okoronkwo, who is in line to contribute in the rotation off the edge behind Myles Garrett and Za'Darius Smith.
Although the numbers weren't earth-shattering, Okoronkwo is coming off of the best year of his NFL career with 5.0 sacks, 11 QB hits, and 9 tackles for loss with the Houston Texans. He added a career-best 17 QB pressures on top of that, so this is a guy who could really be coming into his own and finding a niche as a depth piece off the edge.
You've got to be able to bring pass rush in waves in the NFL and Okoronkwo can help the Browns do that effectively.