Browns offseason: 3 of Cleveland’s best personnel moves from 2023
The Cleveland Browns enjoyed a higsuccessful hly regular season in 2023, thanks in large part to key personnel moves made in the offseason. Now that the 2024 offseason has officially begun, let’s take a look at how the front office performed last season.
Andrew Berry and the rest of Cleveland’s front office had an excellent summer in terms of player acquisition via free agency, the NFL Draft, and the trade market. Though many new players contributed to the team’s overall performance in 2023, three additions stood out above the others.
Being able to re-sign Ethan Pocic to a reasonably “team-friendly” contract was a huge gain for the Browns. He was a good fit at center during the 2022 season and continued to play above average in the team’s 11-win 2023 campaign. Joel Bitonio, Pocic, and Wyatt Teller are unquestionably one of the league’s best interior offensive line combinations, and they should remain so in the future
Cleveland made it a priority to upgrade the interior defensive line last summer, and they made a big impact by signing Dalvin Tomlinson after his successful season as a Minnesota Viking in 2022.
He was a stalwart at defensive tackle in his first season with the Browns, demonstrating why he was so sought after in free agency. His strength and ability to anchor at the point of attack made it tough for teams to run between the tackles, particularly in different forms of inside zone. Tomlinson’s massive frame also allows players like Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, who recently had his greatest season, to make a lot more plays in space and in the offensive backfield.
Cleveland was able to select Dawand Jones in the fourth round of last year’s draft, which is fantastic. His extraordinarily long arms enable him to completely counter a number of pass rush methods by edge rushers, but his general strength and power make him an outstanding run blocker in Kevin Stefanski’s ground assault. He was forced into action early when RT Jack Conklin tore his ACL in Week 1, and he has excelled since his first regular-season snap. Jones has clearly demonstrated the talent and potential to be a long-term offensive line option for the Browns.
He played in 11 games in 2023, starting nine of them at right tackle, before suffering a knee injury that necessitated surgery in December. He played.
