Breaking Down the Offense for 2024-2024
The 2023 Cleveland Browns season will be remembered for two things: the team’s scintillating and overachieving regular-season performance and its disastrous Wild Card playoff-round loss to the Houston Texans.
The Browns finished the regular season with 11 wins. After injuries to starter Deshaun Watson and backup Dorian Thompson-Robinson left the Browns front office scrambling to find a solution, it was a remarkable feat.
They found veteran QB Joe Flacco sitting at home after his last gig with the Jets fizzled. Flacco took over the offense after Thompson-Robinson was concussed before a week 13 game against the Rams. He threw for 254 yards and two touchdowns. The following week, he threw for 311 yards and three touchdowns. Flacco threw for 1,611 yards and 13 touchdowns in his 5 regular season games. The Browns went into the playoffs as the 5 seed in the AFC.
And then came the Wild Card game against the Texans. The Browns were blown out, 45-14, in a game many believed they would win.
Cleveland’s success in 2024 will likely depend on whether Watson is healthy and able to play at the levels Cleveland thought they were getting when they made the trade that ended Watson’s disastrous spell in Houston. Texans rookie C.J. Stroud has already, after just one season, showed his potential as one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks. Meanwhile, Watson has played just 12 games in two seasons, and has not been particularly good when he has been on the field.
Browns QB Depth Chart
| QB Depth | Player |
|---|---|
| Starter | ⭐ Deshaun Watson |
| Backup | Jameis Winston |
| Third String | Tyler Huntley |
As with 2023, the most significant question mark on the entire Browns roster is the status of Deshaun Watson, who has played in just 12 games since being acquired by Cleveland in 2022. Watson underwent surgery on his injured shoulder on November 21. He began throwing the football on March 19 and has no doubts he’ll be ready to go by the time the Browns open the 2024 pre-season in August.
After his strong 2023, Flacco departed to the Indianapolis Colts, forcing the Browns to seek another backup quarterback. They signed former Florida State standout Jameis Winston to a one-year contract. Winston, who spent the past four seasons with the Saints (making 10 starts during that time), gives the Browns yet another veteran quarterback they can rely on should the injury-prone Watson not play a full slate of games in 2024. Tyler Huntley will be the team’s third option under center.
Browns RB Depth Chart
| RB Depth | Player |
|---|---|
| Starter | ⭐ Nick Chubb |
| Backup | Kareem Hunt |
| Third String | D'Onta Foreman |
Starter Nick Chubb is recovering from a severe knee injury and surgery to repair his ACL, MCL, and meniscus. He restructured his contract this offseason to accommodate a lower base salary with more incentives. Should Chubb not be ready to go—or should his reps be limited for recovery—by the start of the season, the Browns have new backfield additions D’Onta Foreman and Nyheim Hines, along with holdover Jerome Ford.
Browns WR Depth Chart
| WR Depth | Player |
|---|---|
| Starter | ⭐ Amari Cooper |
| Starter | ⭐ Jerry Jeudy |
| Backup | Elijah Moore |
| Backup | Cedric Tillman |
| Backup | David Bell |
| Backup | James Proche II |
Cleveland traded a pair of day 3 draft picks to Denver for Jerry Jeudy, who will slot into Cleveland’s offense as the #2 receiver. Jeudy, 24, has amassed 211 catches, 3,053 yards and 11 touchdowns in his four years as a pro football player. Elijah Moore, in the final year of his contract, ** Elijah Moore ** will act as the third receiver and hope to put together a better statistical season in 2024 as he prepares to enter free agency. Cedric Tillman, David Bell, and James Proche will all be trying to work their way into the limelight.
Browns TE Depth Chart
| TE Depth | Player |
|---|---|
| Starter | ⭐ David Njoku |
| Backup | Harrison Bryant |
| Third String | Jordan Akins |
David Njoku will likely continue to be the Browns’ secondary receiving target after WR Amari Cooper. 2023 free agent signing Jordan Akins hasn’t delivered on the expectations Cleveland had when they signed him; he’ll be hoping for a better year than 2023.
Browns O-Line Depth Chart
| OL Depth | Player |
|---|---|
| Starter (LT) | ⭐ Jedrick Willis |
| Starter (LG) | ⭐ Joel Bitonio |
| Starter (C) | ⭐ Ethan Pocic |
| Starter (RG) | ⭐ Wyatt Teller |
| Starter (RT) | ⭐ Jack Conklin |
| Backup (LT) | Hakeem Adenji |
| Backup (C) | Dawson Deaton |
| Backup (RG) | Luke Wypler |
Jedrick Wills, Joel Bitonio, Ethan Pocic, Wyatt Teller and Jack Conklin are the players tasked with keeping Watson—or whomever replaces Watson at quarterback—healthy and on the field.
Breaking Down the Defense for 2024/25
The Cleveland defensive unit, coached by Jim Schwartz, remains one of the NFL’s best. It proved in 2023 it could dominate some of the league’s best offenses. They led the league in several categories, including average total yards per game (270.2) and average passing yards per game (164.7). Myles Garrett, the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year, anchors a fearsome unit that also features Za’Darius Smith, Dalvin Thomlinson, Shelby Harris and Devin Bush.
Browns D-Line Depth Chart
| DL Depth | Player |
|---|---|
| Starter (DE) | ⭐ Myles Garrett |
| Starter (DE) | ⭐ Za'Darius Smith |
| Starter (DT) | ⭐ Dalvin Tomlinson |
| Starter (DT) | ⭐ Shelby Harris |
| Backup (DE) | Ogbo Okoronkwo |
| Backup (DE) | Alex Wright |
| Backup (DT) | Maurice Hurst |
| Third String (DE) | Isaiah McGuire |
| Third String (DT) | Siaki Ika |
Cleveland’s effectiveness on defense starts with Garrett, a player who executes game-changing plays with alarming regularity. He is particularly effective due to the way Smith, Tomlinson and others occupy blockers, clearing paths for Garrett to do what he does best: make quarterbacks nervous.
Browns Linebacker Depth Chart
| LB Depth | Player |
|---|---|
| Starter (Weakside LB) | ⭐ Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah |
| Starter (Middle LB) | ⭐ Jordan Hicks |
| Starter (Strongside LB) | ⭐ Devin Bush |
| Backup (Weakside LB) | Mohamoud Diabate |
| Backup (Middle LB) | Tony Fields |
| Backup (Middle LB) | Caleb Johnson |
| Backup (Strongside LB) | None |
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Devin Bush and Jordan Hicks return to serve as capable guards for the middle of the Brown’s defense. All three men excel at serving as run pluggers, which is crucial to the Browns’ status as one of the best run defenses in the league.
Browns Cornerback Depth Chart
| CB Depth | Player |
|---|---|
| Starter (CB 1) | ⭐ Denzel Ward |
| Starter (CB 2) | ⭐ Greg Newsome II |
| Backup (CB 2) | Martin Emerson Jr. |
| Third String (CB 1) | Cameron Mitchell |
| Third String (CB 2) | Mike Ford |
| Third String (CB 2) | Kahlef Hailassie |
In 2023, the Browns received consistent play from the cornerback trio of Denzel Ward, Greg Newsom, and Martin Emerson. The team will rely on the trio once again in 2024, in addition to Kahlef Hailassie, Tony Brown, and Cameron Mitchell playing well when they get a chance to shine.
Browns Safety Depth Chart
| S Depth | Player |
|---|---|
| Starter (SS) | ⭐ Grant Delpit |
| Starter (FS) | ⭐ Juan Thornhill |
| Backup (SS) | Rodney Hickman |
| Backup (FS) | Rodney McLeod |
he Browns’ last line of defense is anchored by Juan Thornhill and Grant Delpit. They receive depth from backup players Rodney McLeod, Ronnie Hickman and D’Anthony Bell.
Breaking Down the Special Teams for 2023-24
Below, we break down the starters on special teams for the Browns:
Browns Special Teams Depth Chart
| Position | Player |
|---|---|
| Kicker | ⭐ Dustin Hopkins |
| Punter | ⭐ Corey Bojorquez |
| Long Snapper | ⭐ Charley Hughlett |
| Kick Returner | ⭐ Nyheim Hines |
| Punt Returner | ⭐ Nyheim Hines |
Who Is the Browns' Kicker?
The Browns acquired Dustin Hopkins in a trade with the Chargers at the end of the preseason after Cade York, their 2022 fourth-round pick, struggled mightily in the preseason and was released. Hopkins has been a crucial piece of the Browns' early success in 2023 and has connected on all seven of his field-goal attempts of over 50 yards to begin the season. He had missed just two of 18 field-goal attempts heading into Week 8, and he became the first kicker in league history to convert kicks of over 50-yards in five consecutive games when he achieved the feat in Week 7.
Who Is the Browns' Punter?
Bojorquez is in his sixth season in the NFL and second season with the Browns. Bojorquez averaged 41 net yards per punt in his first year with Cleveland, which ranked 20th among 28 punters with 50+ attempts in 2022. Hughlett has been the Browns' long snapper since 2015.
Who Are the Browns' Returners?
Nyheim Hines, who signed a one-year deal with the Browns earlier this year, will handle the bulk of the returning duties. Hines was out the entire 2023 season after a left ACL injury, but in 2022, he accumulated 554 kick return yards with 2 touchdowns and 153 punt return yards with Indianapolis. Pierre Strong and James Proche will provide cover for Hines.
Breaking Down the Coaches & Front Office
Below, we breakdown the coaches and front office for the Browns:
Cleveland Browns Coaching Staff for 2023-24
| Role | Coach |
|---|---|
| Head Coach | Kevin Stefanski |
| Offensive Coordinator | Alex Van Pelt |
| Defensive Coordinator | Jim Schwartz |
| Running Backs Coach | Stump Mitchell |
| Wide Receivers Coach | Chade O'Shea |
| Quarterbacks Coach | Ashton Grant |
| Offensive Line Coach | Bill Callahan |
| Defensive Line Coach | Ben Bloom |
| Linebackers Coach | Jason Tarver |
| Cornerbacks Coach | Brandon Lynch |
| Safeties Coach | Ephraim Branda |
Who Is the Browns' Head Coach?
Kevin Stefanski is the Browns' head coach after entering his fourth season with the team. Through his first three seasons as head coach, Cleveland has a 26-24 record and has made the playoffs once. Stefanski won 2020 AP NFL Coach of the Year after leading the Browns to a 11-5 record and to their first playoff appearance since 2002.
Who Is the Browns' Offensive Coordinator?
Alex Van Pelt is the offensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns. Van Pelt is entering his fourth season as the offensive coordinator for the Browns. Cleveland's offense has averaged 21.2 points per game under Van Pelt since 2020, which ranks 20th among NFL teams during that span.
Who Is the Browns' Defensive Coordinator?
Jim Schwartz is the defensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns. Schwartz is entering his first season with Cleveland. Schwartz was last a senior defensive assistant with the Titans from 2021-2022. Prior to that, he was the Philadelphia Eagles' defensive coordinator from 2016-2020. The Eagles won Super Bowl LII in the 2017 season with Schwartz as DC.
Who Is the Browns' GM?
Andrew Berry has been the general manager of the Browns since 2020. Since entering the role of Browns GM, Berry as made many notable trades. Here's a list of the some of his notable trades:
- Traded for QB Deshaun Watson in March 2022: He gave six draft picks, including their first-round picks in 2022, 2023, 2024 to the Texans for Watson.
- Traded for WR Amari Cooper in March 2022: He gave a 2022 fifth-round pick and swapped sixth-round picks with Cowboys for Cooper.
- Traded away former #1 overall pick QB Baker Mayfield in July 2022: Cleveland traded Mayfield to the Panthers for a 2024 conditional draft pick.
- Traded for WR Elijah Moore in March 2023: They sent their 2023 second-rounder to the Jets for Moore and a 2023 third-round pick.
- Traded for DE Za'Darius Smith in May 2023: They swapped late-round draft picks in 2024 & 2025 with the Vikings for Smith.
Berry also gave Watson the largest fully guaranteed contract in NFL history in March 2022 (5-year, $230 million).
Browns Depth Chart FAQ
Deshaun Watson was the starter before sustaining a season-ending shoulder injury. With Watson sidelined for the remainder of the 2023 season, the starting quarterback became rookie fifth-round pick Dorian Thompson-Robinson who also got injured. The team has recently decided to start Joe Flacco at QB.
Rookie QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson won backup QB duties after a stellar preseason, but was named starter after Watson hit injured reserve. Then after DTR got injured, Joe Flacco took over as the team's starting QB, making DTR the backup.
Kevin Stefanski has been the Browns' head coach since 2020. Stefanski won 2020 AP NFL Coach of the Year in his first season as head coach. Cleveland has a 30-26 record over their first four seasons under Stefanski.
WR Amari Cooper, DE Myles Garrett, OG Joel Bitonio and CB Denzel Ward have been the Browns' best players in 2023. QB Deshaun Watson has long been expected to be a part of the group, too, but has been largely inconsistent so far in his second season in Cleveland.
Hall of Famers RB Jim Brown, TE Ozzie Newsome, QB Otto Graham, OT Joe Thomas, WR Paul Warfield, RB Leroy Kelly, and kicker Lou Groza are a handful of the Cleveland Browns' best players of all time.
Author
Jeremy Botter is a commercial editor for BetOhio.com. He is a former senior writer for CNN, managing editor at FloSports and associate editor for Heavy.com in addition to spending more than 10 years as a combat sports beat writer for the Houston Chronicle.
