The Cleveland Browns started the offseason with a bang, filling four of the five potential starting spots on the offensive line. The left tackle spot is still up for grabs, with Dawand Jones, who's currently working his way back from an injury, potentially in the mix as a placeholder for a rookie.
General manager Andrew Berry also bolstered the defense with players like Quincy Williams and Kalia Davis. He's made other minor moves to add depth, and even though losing veteran leaders like Joel Bitonio, Wyatt Teller, and David Njoku may have been a big blow, the overall balance has been positive.
That said, the Browns haven't done anything to address their glaring needs at wide receiver. Tylan Wallace is more of a special teams guy, and even if he wasn't, they'd still need to add a proven pass catcher to the mix.
Three-plus weeks of free agency is in the books, and the Browns might come to regret this lack of activity.
The Browns’ lack of action at wide receiver might come back to haunt them
Perhaps expecting the Browns to be in the fold for big names like Alec Pierce or Mike Evans was wishful thinking. That said, mid-tier guys like Romeo Doubs, Jalen Nailor, Rashid Shaheed, Darnell Mooney, Christian Kirk, and Marquise "Hollywood" Brown could've been solid veteran additions and an improvement over their current wide receiver corps. They watched from afar while all of them got new deals.
They can still make a run at the likes of Deebo Samuel, Stefon Diggs, Jauan Jennings, DeAndre Hopkins, or maybe even Tyreek Hill. Granted, that doesn't guarantee any of them will be even slightly interested in joining the team, but the lack of buzz around any free agent wide receiver is somewhat concerning. According to Over the Cap, the Browns have $21.4 million in available cap space, so they can certainly make the numbers work.
The Browns will have nine draft picks, including two in the first round and four in the top 100. That should give them multiple opportunities to land at least two potential stars in a class that's pretty stacked at the position. As many as six wide receivers — Carnell Tate, Jordyn Tyson, Makai Lemon, Denzel Boston, KC Concepcion, and Omar Cooper Jr. — have a chance to go in the first round, and intriguing selections like Chris Bell and Germie Bernard might be available on Day 2.
That said, putting all that pressure on rookies is a risky gamble. The Browns have a history of overvaluing their young wide receivers, and that mistake could come back to haunt them again this season. Isaiah Bond should be better in Year 2, but expecting Cedric Tillman to be healthy is just wishful thinking, and Malachi Corley might be more of a gadget/situational type of guy. As for Jerry Jeudy, he might be better suited to be a Robin than a Batman.
Berry is always actively looking for trades, and he might still have an ace up his sleeve. Chris Godwin, Chris Olave, and Brian Thomas Jr. are just some of the guys who could be available at the right price on the trade market. Still, with all the moves they've made thus far, it looks like they're putting all their eggs in the NFL Draft basket, and a lot can go sideways with that approach.