Position-by-position analysis following the 2022 NFL Draft

In two weeks, the Browns will take their first on-field look at the nine players they drafted in the 2022 NFL Draft. Rookie minicamp runs May 13-15 at CrossCountry Mortgage in Berea, and the Browns will have plenty of players in town looking to make a good impression to coaches and position themselves for opportunities to prove themselves even more in training camp. The draft class is the largest the Browns have hauled in during the three years that Andrew Berry has been Executive VP of Football Ops and GM, and it comes in a year when the roster was already well-suited with veterans at just about every position. The Browns will have plenty of noteworthy competitions in training camp and hard decisions regarding roster cuts after it, but that’s how every August should look for a team with Super Bowl aspirations. We’re assessing how each position looks now that we know who the rookies will be, and it’s worth remembering that the Browns will continue to add to the roster over the coming weeks with undrafted free agents and possibly other veteran free agents still on the market. Here’s how things stand now: Quarterback On the roster: Deshaun Watson, Jacoby Brissett, Joshua Dobbs, Baker Mayfield Drafted: N/A Analysis: The Browns overhauled the QB room by trading for Watson, who is now under contract through 2026, and adding two veteran backups in Brissett and Dobbs. The addition of Watson could bring big changes to how the Browns operate their offense, but any adjustments will be geared toward making the most of Watson’s diverse, versatile skills that have led him to three Pro Bowls. Running back On the roster: Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt, D’Ernest Johnson, Demetric Felton, Tre Harbison, John Kelly Jr., FB Johnny Stanton IV Drafted: Jerome Ford Analysis: The Browns added a late-round pick to the room in Ford, who was a dominant, 1,000-yard rusher last season with Cincinnati, but Chubb and Hunt are still 1A and 1B. The position is packed with talent, and there likely will be a competition for the backup role behind Chubb and Hunt worth monitoring in training camp.Wide receiver On the roster: Amari Cooper, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Anthony Schwartz, Jakeem Grant, Javon Wims, Ja’Marcus Bradley Drafted: David Bell, Michael Woods II Analysis: Cooper is the clear-cut WR1, and training camp will likely reveal how the depth chart shakes out beneath him. Bell has a shot at earning an immediate big role if he impresses early and could be a big contributor from the slot, but the Browns also believe Peoples-Jones and Schwartz can take a big step in 2022. Grant should provide a huge boost to the return game and is also capable of being used creatively in the offense. Tight ends On the roster: David Njoku, Harrison Bryant, Miller Forristall, Nick Guggemos, Marcus Santos-Silva Drafted: N/A Analysis: The Browns didn’t add a tight end in the draft, which might signal that head coach Kevin Stefanski will shift the offense away from its heavy usage of 13 personnel that has been featured heavily the last two seasons. As it stands now, Njoku should be in line for plenty of targets, and the Browns appear ready to give Bryant some of his biggest opportunities since he was drafted in the fourth round in 2020. Tackle On the roster: Jedrick Wills Jr., Jack Conklin, Chris Hubbard, James Hudson III, Alex Taylor, Elijah Nkansah Drafted: N/A Analysis: The Browns are ready to roll with Wills and Conklin, an 2020 All-Pro who missed most of 2021 due to injuries, as their starters. Hubbard returns to the Browns after he also missed nearly all of last season due to a triceps injury and will be one of the top swing tackle options. Hudson, a 2021 fourth-round pick, will also be a swing tackle candidate after showing gradual signs of improvement as a rookie. Center On the roster: Ethan Pocic, Nick Harris Drafted: Dawson Deaton Analysis: This position will likely feature one of the bigger training camp competitions between Pocic and Harris. Harris is a 2020 draft pick with two career starts and has benefitted from two years of learning behind JC Tretter, while Pocic is a five-year veteran with 40 career starts with Seattle. Deaton is a 2022 seventh-round pick who could add depth to the center and guard positions. Guard On the roster: Joel Bitonio, Wyatt Teller, Blake Hance, Michael Dunn, Drew Forbes, Hjalte Froholdt, David Moore Drafted: N/A Analysis: No changes here. Bitonio and Teller are both under contracts through 2025, while the rest of the group will jostle for backup jobs. Hance and Dunn have 10 combined starts between them, eight of which belong to Hance from 2021.Defensive end On the roster: Myles Garrett, Chase Winovich, Isaac Rochell, Stephen Weatherly, Curtis Weaver Drafted: Alex Wright, Isaiah Thomas Analysis: The Browns added two rookies to this group, with Wright, a third-round pick from UAB, possessing the best shot of cracking a role in the rotation in 2022. The Browns could still explore additions to this group via free agency, but it’s chock full of veterans who could find ways to contribute. Rochell, a five-year veteran, and Weatherly, a seven-year veteran, were free-agent additions. Defensive tackle On the roster: Taven Bryan, Tommy Togiai, Jordan Elliott, Sheldon Day, Perrion Winfrey Drafted: Winfrey Analysis: Winfrey, a fourth-round pick, generated plenty of excitement around Cleveland after his electric introductory Zoom conference and will likely have a chance to at least crack a role in the interior rotation his rookie season. Togiai, a 2021 fourth-round pick, and Elliott, a 2020 third-round pick, will also have opportunities to prove they can take the next step in their development. Bryan, a 2018 first-round pick, was the lone free-agent addition to the group. Linebacker On the roster: Anthony Walker Jr., Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Sione Takitaki, Jacob Phillips, Tony Fields II, Willie Harvey Jr. Drafted: N/A Analysis: The Browns re-signed Walker at the beginning of free agency after he led the team in tackles last season. Owusu-Koramoah, a 2021 second-round pick, is a possible breakout candidate after several impressive flashes as a rookie. Phillips was positioning himself for a big role last year before a training camp injury sidelined him for all but four games. Takitaki, Fields and Harvey will all also be in the competition for rotational snaps. Cornerback On the roster: Denzel Ward, Greg Newsome II, Greedy Williams, AJ Green, Herb Miller Drafted: Martin Emerson Analysis: The Browns subtracted Troy Hill from this group on a Day 3 trade with the Rams and added Emerson, their first pick of the draft in the third-round. The group is one of the deepest on the roster, with Ward, Newsome and Williams are all capable of starting. Emerson has the potential to add his name to that list, too, as he acclimates to NFL competition. Safety On the roster: John Johnson III, Grant Delpit, Ronnie Harrison Jr., Nate Meadors, Richard LeCounte III Drafted: N/A Analysis: Harrison was re-signed this offseason, giving the Browns another year of three quality safety options they can mix through a variety of secondary packages. After missing all of his rookie season in 2020 with a torn Achilles, Delpit rebounded in a big way in 2021 with one interception, three pass breakups and 66 tackles. It’s a safe bet that he’ll see an even bigger role in the defense for his third NFL season. Specialists On the roster: Ps Corey Bojorquez, Joseph Charlton, LS Charley Hughlett Drafted: York Analysis: The Browns invested a fourth-round draft pick on York and believe he could be the Browns’ kicker for years to come. He has a strong leg that should help him power kicks through the swirling winds at FirstEnergy Stadium and was the top-ranked kicker of the draft class. Bojorquez was signed in free agency and has built quite the resume over the last two seasons — he’s kicked the two longest punts in the league the last two years and led the NFL in punting average (50.8) in 2020.

Position-by-position analysis following the 2022 NFL Draft

Here’s how each position looks after the Browns drafted 9 players