Following the NFL Draft, the 2020 Cleveland Browns off-season is nearly complete from a transaction standpoint. Not that the team won’t sign, trade, or release from now until training camp begins, but they set most of the roster.
Today we’re looking at key transactions that transformed the 2019 Browns into the 2020 Browns in the team’s first off-season with Andrew Berry as general manager. As fans know, 2019 didn’t go as planned despite the optimism capturing the city and fan base.
As for 2020, the Browns added playmakers to their arsenal on both sides of the ball while providing depth at most positions of need. Here’s an inside look.
State of the 2020 Cleveland Browns
Key Addition: Jack Conklin
Many will place Jedrick Wills here, but adding Conklin gives the Browns an experienced, proven tackle while Wills must prove himself at the NFL level. Conklin helps bolster an already effective running game and provides greater pass protection for Baker Mayfield.
Below are other key additions and how they figure to help the Browns in 2020.
Tight end Austin Hooper provides Mayfield with another excellent target to pair with accomplished pass catchers in Odell Beckham, Jarvis Landry, and Kareem Hunt while providing a more proven target than the incumbent, David Njoku. The same goes for John Mackey Award winner Harrison Bryant, who the Browns drafted in the fourth round.
Karl Joseph and Andrew Sendejo will hold down a safety position rocked with injuries in 2019 while second-round draft pick Grant Delpit will also see playing time and take over as the starter at one of the two positions.
B.J. Goodson provides a decent stopgap at linebacker but is a downgrade from Joe Schobert. Third round draft pick Jordan Phillips will get a look into what is still a weak position group for the Browns.
Adrian Clayborn and Andrew Billings provide excellent depth on the defensive line, something the Browns lacked in 2019. Drafting Jordan Elliott in the third round adds to this depth.
Kevin Johnson figures to be the nickel back and he’ll be 28 when the season begins, so he can have a long-term future with the Browns.
Jojo Natson provides the Browns with a legitimate return threat.
Key Loss: Joe Schobert
Losing Schobert hurt, and the Browns didn’t find a legitimate replacement for the talented linebacker. Schobert had a habit of missing tackles, but he often made up for it with his playmaking ability.
Neither Goodson nor Phillips serves as an immediate replacement for Schobert, though it’s fair to draw comparisons between Schobert and Phillips. The Browns selected each in the middle of the draft and Schobert didn’t work his way in the lineup until his second season.
With time, Phillips can be the potential replacement for Schobert, but it probably won’t be in 2020. The Browns’ linebackers will suffer without Schobert’s presence.
Losing Christian Kirksey also hurt, but he hasn’t been healthy since 2017, having played in only nine games since the infamous 0-16 season.
Damarious Randall and T. J. Carrie were serviceable starters but the Browns replaced them as noted in the above section with Joseph, Sendejo, and Johnson, breaking even.
The Browns also lost Morgan Burnett, Demetrius Harris, Ricky Seals-Jones, and Eric Kush, but the Browns replaced each with upgrades except for Kush, who played guard in 2019.
State of the 2020 Cleveland Browns
Judging from the NFL Draft, additions, and releases, the Browns are rising.
A bad offensive line stagnated offensive production in 2019, often leaving Mayfield scrambling, throwing before he was ready, and trying to force plays when the Browns got behind. The line should be a strength in 2020.
Adding Hooper and Harrison Bryant are obvious upgrades over Harris and Seals-Jones. While the latter two flashed, they don’t possess the credentials of incoming targets. Bryant needs to prove himself, but winning the Mackey Award and drawing comparisons to George Kittle helps.
Joseph and Sendejo both make excellent stopgaps but neither signed long-term deals. Drafting Jim Thorpe Award winner Delpit shows the Browns are thinking ahead of 2020 at safety. They need to, especially if Joseph continues to struggle with injuries.
Clayborn and Billings won’t light up the stat sheet, but they give depth the defensive line didn’t have in 2019.
Johnson is a fantastic option to place at nickel and it adds more depth to a position group that’s deeper than fans realize.
Linebacker is a huge concern. Wilson’s proven, and Goodson might hold down a position. Phillips is at least a year away from being an every-down player. 2019 third-round pick Sione Takitaki could step up but he has a lot to prove after recording just 21 tackles in 2019.
Overall, the Browns are trending upward and will improve on their 6-10 record from the season before. They filled every hole via free agency and the draft except for right guard and linebacker.
If the Browns reel in their discipline and stay healthy, it’s one of the NFL’s better teams who added to their arsenal from a year before.
