The biggest part of the 2023 NFL offseason is officially behind us. Not that there won’t still be some roster activity, but the heat of free agency and the draft are now officially over. The Cleveland Browns roster is anything but set in stone but based on decisions this past weekend by Andrew Berry it’s really starting to take shape.
Even though this was one of the lightest drafts in recent history for the Browns, it could be one of the most important as well. Berry has gone all in with trades for Deshaun Watson and Elijah Moore which makes it that much more important to hit on the remainder of the picks.
Overall, Berry hit in a lot of spots where it feels like this roster is weak. He certainly drafted four offensive players and three defensive players. While this roster certainly started to come together this past weekend, there are still three pretty big holes.
Here are three positions not yet solved before the start of the 2023 seasons.
Browns Position of need No. 3: Linebacker
On paper, the Cleveland Browns don’t look too bad at the linebacker position. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (JOK), Anthony Walker, and Jacob Phillips will be the likely starters with Sione Takitaki and Tony Field Fields as depth.
Five capable linebackers on a roster is typically plenty, but injuries have plagued this position for years. Walker and Takitaki are both coming off season-ending injuries while JOK and Phillips have been sidelined multiple games in each of their early careers in the NFL.
I didn’t expect the Browns to take a linebacker extremely early in the 2023 draft, but I was shocked to not see them take anyone. If even one of these guys goes down for the year (which seems likely), the depth at this position gets thin very quickly.
Browns Position of need No. 2: Defensive Line
Even though the Cleveland Browns drafted Siaki Ika (DT, round three, pick no. 98) and Isaiah McGuire (DE, round four, pick no. 126), I’m not sold that this defensive line is fully settled.
Myles Garrett at DE and Dalvin Tomlinson at DT are the only two locks as starters at the moment. Ogbonnia Okoronkwo was certainly brought in to be the starter across from Garrett, but there are still question marks on if he can be a three-down defensive end in the NFL.
The bigger question right now is still defensive tackle. Berry brought in Maurice Hurst and Trysten Hill this offseason to pair with Jordan Elliott, Tommy Togiai, and Perrion Winfrey to all fight for the second starting spot.
Truthfully, all have a ton of question marks on and off the field (Winfrey primarily), and there is a good chance that at least three of the defensive tackles mentioned above won’t make the opening day roster.
Ika was certainly drafted to be the big body in the middle this team needs, but I’m not yet a believer that he can be a contributor early or at all in his career. The early vibe after looking at his Combine results and film is he could be a lesser version of Danny Shelton.
Ika is athletic for his size, but at 335 pounds, I’m not exactly sure what that says. Berry at least took a swing at a big man to fill a huge void, I’m just not sold yet that he solved a problem.
Browns Position of need No. 1: Safety
The biggest surprise for me this draft was that we didn’t see a young safety drafted with one of the first four picks. Even though the Cleveland Browns have Juan Thornhill and Grant Delpit on the roster as the current projected starters, there is a huge gap after that.
With Delpit off his rookie deal after 2023, I thought for sure that Berry would draft an insurance policy and basically give him one full season as an audition. Delpit has been great at times, but also a liability as well at times.
If he can put together even 14 games of solid play, I think Berry will do everything possible to sign him to an extension. But if we see major breakdowns again at the beginning of the season, you could even see Delpit get benched.
Right now, D’Anthony Bell is the only real backup if either player goes down. Bubba Bolden is on the roster, but he will only be used for special teams.
With increased depth at corner, It will be interesting to see if a guy like Cameron Mitchell or A.J. Green take a few snaps at safety just to give the team a little bit of depth.
Of all positions on the roster, this one scares me the most. There is still a chance that Berry will make a move, but there is also a chance that this depth chart will have no adjustments before the start of the regular season.