If you are a fan of the Cleveland Browns, which of course you are as you are reading this article, then you’ll know that the offseason, especially free agency, used to feel like Christmas. It was the hope that new players would change the culture and win football games. Now, the expectations are higher and a lot of sizzle is unnecessary if the roster is assembled correctly.
Cleveland general manager Andrew Berry has done a wonderful job of constructing a roster that can compete at the highest level since taking over the role in 2021. For the most part, Berry has made a big-splash signing or trade, but this offseason was a bit different. Sure, he did trade a fifth and sixth-round pick for wide receiver Jerry Jeudy, but that’s more of a move for the future, which could also be beneficial this upcoming season.
The move for Jeudy does bolster the wide receiver room, especially if (when) Amari Cooper is given an extension. Add in the likes of Elijah Moore, David Bell, and Cedric Tillman, and that gives the Browns a receiving corpse that can give opposing secondaries nightmares. Last year, Berry signed Marquise Goodwin to a low-risk, high-reward, $1.7 million deal for his speed, but the latter did not perform up to his contract. Jeudy adds speed and is young as he just turned 25 back in April.
Jeudy was given a three-year, $58 million extension nearly a week after the trade was made, and some Browns fans looked at that as a steal due to the skyrocketing of the wide receiver market, but let’s slow it down a little. The move should be a good one, but Jeudy isn’t on the same level as the guys signing these record-setting contracts, but he could certainly get there at one point.
Browns get a ton back from injury
Berry couldn’t go and make a ton of flashy moves this offseason as the Browns didn’t have much room to operate within the (fictional) salary cap. However, they will see a lot of guys return to the field after the never-ending list of injuries that occurred last season. While all of the players coming back into the fold are important in their own way, the biggest question mark will remain on quarterback Deshaun Watson, who suffered a season-ending shoulder injury.
According to Berry, Watson is “actually ahead of schedule” as he rehabs his shoulder. This is a good sign for the Browns, who also got Watson a new offensive coordinator in Ken Dorsey this offseason. If Dorsey, along with head coach Kevin Stefanski, are able to get the most out of Watson, then finally the controversial trade can start paying off.
Of course, Berry got some protection there as well, signing Jameis Winston as the backup. Famous Jameis might not have lived up to his status as the No. 1 overall pick but he’s still more than capable of pushing the ball downfield and winning games with this defense.
Along with Watson, Cleveland will also see Nick Chubb return, but we should not expect him to return to what we’ve been accustomed to seeing, but more on that in later literature. Even if Chubb can return to 80 percent, that will be a massive win for the Browns. Berry went out and signed Nyheim Hines and D’Onta Foreman to give Cleveland better depth than they had a year ago at the position. These two can fill in for Chubb should he not be ready for the Week 1 opener at home versus Dallas and potentially beyond.
The Browns will also get back offensive linemen Jack Conklin, Dawand Jones, and Jedrick Wills Jr., even if the left tackle position is anything but assured. Grant Delpit and Rodney McLeod look to return to the secondary and Maurice Hurst, who was a sneaky-good signing last year, will also return to get after the quarterback after re-signing with the Browns on a one-year deal.
If this roster can finally find a way to stay (mostly) healthy, then it could spell good things in The Land. Berry didn’t have to do a whole lot this offseason, which is what good teams deal with. He made the trade for Jeudy, retained some key pieces from a season ago, and brought in veterans on one-year deals, something he has done since he got [back] to Cleveland.
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