Roster changes are inevitable. Even on a Browns roster that surprised many in 2023 and made it to an 11-6 record and a playoff berthThe Browns already made it clear that they're willing to enact significant changes under head coach Kevin Stefanski when they fired three offensive staff members, including offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt. New coaches mean a new scheme, and some players who contributed to this past year's playoff run might not fit into that scheme.There are plenty of roster spots up for grabs, even after Cleveland brought in , none of which were .This past year showed that the current construction of the team's defense is strong, but there are clear holes, especially as you look down the depth chart at key positions. It also showed that while the offense hummed under Joe Flacco down the stretch, there are serious questions to be raised as to why it wasn't as powerful under Deshaun Watson.Browns schedule 2024: | | Here are five Browns players that could end up on the wrong side of a roster crunch this offseason.5 Browns who could be cut this offseasonWR David BellThe addition of is one thing for David Bell's situation. is another signal that he is much closer to the chopping block than last year. Thrash, the receiver Cleveland selected from Louisville with the 156th pick in this year's draft, is at least worth giving a shot.Bell was a third-rounder two seasons ago and has hardly proved his worth since then. He's caught just 38 receptions and 381 yards with three touchdowns in his Adoree' Jackson Jersey first two years in the league. It was hard for him to find consistent succe s in 2023, a year where many other receivers blo somed and carved out roles for themselves on the Browns moving forward. Elijah Moore was acquired for a second-round picknand the Browns have made it clear that they want him to be a bigger part of the offense in 2024.Cedric Tillman, the other third-round receiver on the team (from 2023), didn't have much to write home to about his year either. He caught 21 balls for 224 yards and didn't catch a touchdown. But he at least has the benefit of only being a year into his career, whereas Bell could be one bad training camp away from being on the wrong side of a roster crunch at the receiver position.OT Jack ConklinIf he ends up getting cut at some point before the start of the season, it'll be somewhat of a surprise. But for an aging lineman coming off another brutal injury that derailed his season in Week 1, it would make sense. He's owed $4.5 million this year in guaranteed money, but his contract counts over $10.5 million toward the cap. Cutting him before the June 1 deadline would save the Browns over $7 million in cap space, money they could use to extend other younger players around the roster that have yet to get paid.The more likely scenario barring the Browns being unwilling to eat his cap money until 2028 is a trade. But it'll likely be difficult to find a trade partner for a 30-year-old guard with two seasons lost to significant injuries. Cleveland has its right tackle of the future in Dawand Jones, so it only comes down to a matter of if they feel like Jedrick Wills Jr. can man down one of the tackle spots for another season.The club also has James Hudson III, Hakeem Adeniji, Kellen Diesch, Lorenzo Thompson and third-round draft pick Zak Zinter on the roster along with a myriad of other tackles and linemen that can fit into rotational roles. The club might already be forced to put Conklin into a backup role to begin the season and have him work with other players, but if they don't want to do that, he and his money could be walking out the door.QB Dorian Thompson-RobinsonThe former fifth-round pick was thrust into starting three games amidst injuries to Deshaun Watson and PJ Walker before he went down with a season-ending concu sion himself. Thompson-Robinson's first start against Baltimore is excusable because he was hardly given any time to prepare as the starter for it. But he looked bad against Denver and only OK against the Steelers.Cleveland brought in Jameis Winston to be the clear backup, Tyler Huntley to compete for a third-string role and Jacob Sirmon as an undrafted free agent likely just for training camp. Regardle s, there are too many bodies in the room right now, and someone with NFL experience will be on the chopping block. The Browns likely brought in Huntley to be that emergency third quarterback, which pushes Thompson-Robinson out on the street.He didn't show the flashes or a command of the offense last year to prove he's on his way to being a competent backup, and it would make more sense for the Browns who have seen tons of quarterback injuries in recent years to carry the Tennessee Titans Jersey veteran in Huntley over a second-year man in Thompson-Robinson.RB Pierre Strong Jr.Going from a throwaway piece in a trade with New England to a running back with almost 300 yards and a touchdown as the third, then second back on the roster is nothing to snuff at for Strong Jr. He had his moments when Nick Chubb went down to carve out a role on the back end of the 53-man roster behind Jerome Ford, but never stood out. The Browns in turn (and in part due to Ford not taking that next big step) all but went away from their run game in the final games under Flacco.Watson and new offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey are likely to open up the playbook more get Watson out of the pocket in space. That lends itself to running backs who can catch screens and run bubble routes outside of Chubb, who's going to be the only back the Browns trust to run in between the tackles.The club also brought in veterans D'Onta Foreman and Nyheim Hines in free agency. Their additions not only clog up the running backs room, but the spots on special teams that potentially could have saved Strong's spot with Cleveland. John Kelly Jr. out of Tenne see could all but be gone from the roster, but there's a good shot Strong, who ended the year as the second running back, doesn't make it to week one in a Browns uniform.DT Siaki IkaGeneral manager Andrew Berry has hit on a lot of picks and has been a wizard in the NFL trade market since taking over the Browns. But Siaki Ika's case so far has shown that there's a lot left to be desired with his mid-round drafting abilities. Ika is another third-round pick from the 2023 draft (along with Tillman) who has yet to make a difference. He was active for just four regular season games and Cleveland's AFC wild card matchup and didn't record a single tackle. In fact, according to ESPN, his only registered statistic was a pa s deflection in Cleveland's Christmas Eve win over the Texans.Buried in a crowded depth chart of veterans on the Browns's defensive line, Ika was a healthy scratch until Week 13 when Maurice Hurst II went down with an injury. Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz said he was good to go all year but got squeezed out in the numbers game and had technical i sues that he needed to work on.Berry has already parted ways with mid-round draft picks that didn't pan out early (like ex-Browns DE Chad Thomas), so there's a small bit of precedent that could lead him to being fine with leaving Ika off the final depth chart. Second-round pick further blurs the path forward for Ika unle s he stands out in camp and forces someone else out.
Roster changes are inevitable. Even on a Browns roster that surprised many in 2023 and made it to an 11-6 record and a playoff berthThe Browns already made it clear that they're willing to enact significant changes under head coach Kevin Stefanski when they fired three offensive staff members, including offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt. New coaches mean a new scheme, and some players who contributed to this past year's playoff run might not fit into that scheme.There are plenty of roster spots up for grabs, even after Cleveland brought in , none of which were .This past year showed that the current construction of the team's defense is strong, but there are clear holes, especially as you look down the depth chart at key positions. It also showed that while the offense hummed under Joe Flacco down the stretch, there are serious questions to be raised as to why it wasn't as powerful under Deshaun Watson.Browns schedule 2024: | | Here are five Browns players that could end up on the wrong side of a roster crunch this offseason.5 Browns who could be cut this offseasonWR David BellThe addition of is one thing for David Bell's situation. is another signal that he is much closer to the chopping block than last year. Thrash, the receiver Cleveland selected from Louisville with the 156th pick in this year's draft, is at least worth giving a shot.Bell was a third-rounder two seasons ago and has hardly proved his worth since then. He's caught just 38 receptions and 381 yards with three touchdowns in his Adoree' Jackson Jersey first two years in the league. It was hard for him to find consistent succe s in 2023, a year where many other receivers blo somed and carved out roles for themselves on the Browns moving forward. Elijah Moore was acquired for a second-round picknand the Browns have made it clear that they want him to be a bigger part of the offense in 2024.Cedric Tillman, the other third-round receiver on the team (from 2023), didn't have much to write home to about his year either. He caught 21 balls for 224 yards and didn't catch a touchdown. But he at least has the benefit of only being a year into his career, whereas Bell could be one bad training camp away from being on the wrong side of a roster crunch at the receiver position.OT Jack ConklinIf he ends up getting cut at some point before the start of the season, it'll be somewhat of a surprise. But for an aging lineman coming off another brutal injury that derailed his season in Week 1, it would make sense. He's owed $4.5 million this year in guaranteed money, but his contract counts over $10.5 million toward the cap. Cutting him before the June 1 deadline would save the Browns over $7 million in cap space, money they could use to extend other younger players around the roster that have yet to get paid.The more likely scenario barring the Browns being unwilling to eat his cap money until 2028 is a trade. But it'll likely be difficult to find a trade partner for a 30-year-old guard with two seasons lost to significant injuries. Cleveland has its right tackle of the future in Dawand Jones, so it only comes down to a matter of if they feel like Jedrick Wills Jr. can man down one of the tackle spots for another season.The club also has James Hudson III, Hakeem Adeniji, Kellen Diesch, Lorenzo Thompson and third-round draft pick Zak Zinter on the roster along with a myriad of other tackles and linemen that can fit into rotational roles. The club might already be forced to put Conklin into a backup role to begin the season and have him work with other players, but if they don't want to do that, he and his money could be walking out the door.QB Dorian Thompson-RobinsonThe former fifth-round pick was thrust into starting three games amidst injuries to Deshaun Watson and PJ Walker before he went down with a season-ending concu sion himself. Thompson-Robinson's first start against Baltimore is excusable because he was hardly given any time to prepare as the starter for it. But he looked bad against Denver and only OK against the Steelers.Cleveland brought in Jameis Winston to be the clear backup, Tyler Huntley to compete for a third-string role and Jacob Sirmon as an undrafted free agent likely just for training camp. Regardle s, there are too many bodies in the room right now, and someone with NFL experience will be on the chopping block. The Browns likely brought in Huntley to be that emergency third quarterback, which pushes Thompson-Robinson out on the street.He didn't show the flashes or a command of the offense last year to prove he's on his way to being a competent backup, and it would make more sense for the Browns who have seen tons of quarterback injuries in recent years to carry the Tennessee Titans Jersey veteran in Huntley over a second-year man in Thompson-Robinson.RB Pierre Strong Jr.Going from a throwaway piece in a trade with New England to a running back with almost 300 yards and a touchdown as the third, then second back on the roster is nothing to snuff at for Strong Jr. He had his moments when Nick Chubb went down to carve out a role on the back end of the 53-man roster behind Jerome Ford, but never stood out. The Browns in turn (and in part due to Ford not taking that next big step) all but went away from their run game in the final games under Flacco.Watson and new offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey are likely to open up the playbook more get Watson out of the pocket in space. That lends itself to running backs who can catch screens and run bubble routes outside of Chubb, who's going to be the only back the Browns trust to run in between the tackles.The club also brought in veterans D'Onta Foreman and Nyheim Hines in free agency. Their additions not only clog up the running backs room, but the spots on special teams that potentially could have saved Strong's spot with Cleveland. John Kelly Jr. out of Tenne see could all but be gone from the roster, but there's a good shot Strong, who ended the year as the second running back, doesn't make it to week one in a Browns uniform.DT Siaki IkaGeneral manager Andrew Berry has hit on a lot of picks and has been a wizard in the NFL trade market since taking over the Browns. But Siaki Ika's case so far has shown that there's a lot left to be desired with his mid-round drafting abilities. Ika is another third-round pick from the 2023 draft (along with Tillman) who has yet to make a difference. He was active for just four regular season games and Cleveland's AFC wild card matchup and didn't record a single tackle. In fact, according to ESPN, his only registered statistic was a pa s deflection in Cleveland's Christmas Eve win over the Texans.Buried in a crowded depth chart of veterans on the Browns's defensive line, Ika was a healthy scratch until Week 13 when Maurice Hurst II went down with an injury. Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz said he was good to go all year but got squeezed out in the numbers game and had technical i sues that he needed to work on.Berry has already parted ways with mid-round draft picks that didn't pan out early (like ex-Browns DE Chad Thomas), so there's a small bit of precedent that could lead him to being fine with leaving Ika off the final depth chart. Second-round pick further blurs the path forward for Ika unle s he stands out in camp and forces someone else out.