With training camp set to begin later in July, the Cleveland Browns will have their sights set on taking the next step. They went 11-6 in 2023 but a first-round playoff exit has them wanting more.
To move past that round, they’re going to need a little luck. Last year, they were unfortunate when it came to injuries, losing one key player after another. In addition to a focus on durability, the Browns are also figuring out a new offensive coordinator.
Ken Dorsey was hired to replace Alex Van Pelt and his work with mobile quarterbacks in the past was one of the primary reasons he was hired. With Dorsey having more control on offense, it’s not a coincidence that the three players with the most to lose during camp are on that side of the ball. Let’s check out which players have a lot on the line.
3. Jack Conklin, Right Tackle
When it comes to career accolades, Jack Conklin has nothing to prove. A two-time All-Pro, Conklin has been one of the best right tackles in the league for several years. That's why the Browns signed him to a four-year extension worth $60 million in 2022.
The only issue with Conklin — who was originally signed by the Browns in 2020 — has been health. He has yet to play a full 17-game schedule in Cleveland, missing 10 games in 2021 and 16 in 2023. While he was out, rookie fourth-round pick Dawand Jones stepped in and was impressive — before he too suffered a season-ending injury.
Conklin is ready to return to action but there’s a sense he could move to the bench since Jones performed so well. The Ohio State product is much younger and while he might not be as effective as Conklin, there’s a school of thought that it would be best to let him play so he can continue to develop.
In this scenario, Conklin would be the swing tackle. That's not likely an ideal situation for a veteran with his resume. Training camp will be his first chance to remind everyone how elite he can be, and perhaps prove his job shouldn’t be in jeopardy.
2. Jerome Ford, Running Back
When the Browns lost Nick Chubb in Week 2 to a knee injury, Jerome Ford stepped into the starting role. Ford put up decent numbers, finishing with 813 yards on the ground and 319 as a receiver. Along with his yardage totals, Ford had nine touchdowns.
Looking deeper at the numbers paints a different picture, however. Ford was often a “feast or famine” player who benefited from eight breakaway runs for 266 yards. That’s a shocking 32.7 percent of his production on eight runs. That left him with 547 yards on the other 196 carries, an average of just 2.8 yards per attempt.
That average was more in line with what we saw from Ford. Down the stretch, the run game became a major problem. Ford spent more time than most backs in the backfield and was stuffed for a loss 56 times, losing 91 yards in the process. These struggles highlight why the front office decided to sign free agents D’Onta Foreman and Nyheim Hines in the offseason.
Ford will still be given every opportunity to keep the No. 1 spot until Nick Chubb returns but it’s hard to see him being a superior option to Foreman. Hines is going to be more of a third-down back but will likely be kept ahead of Ford if there’s a numbers crunch when No. 24 is back.
Ford might have exceeded expectations for a typical fifth-round pick but he will have to fight to prove he deserves his spot this year. And if he loses out to Foreman and Hines, the consequences could be heavy.
1. Elijah Moore, Wide Receiver
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When the Browns added Elijah Moore in a trade with the New York Jets last season, he was expected to help open up their offense. Throughout the past couple of seasons, Cleveland has lacked an explosive player at receiver. They had the ever-steady Amari Cooper, who was added in 2022, but outside of that no one truly threatened defenses.
Moore, a second-round pick for the Jets in 2021, had the talent to do exactly that. He’s a speedy wideout who can move all around the field and even possesses a skill set to be utilized out of the backfield — although that wound up being a disaster.
Once he arrived in Cleveland, he turned heads with one deep catch after another. But once the regular season started, the Browns struggled to get him involved.
Moore ended up with a decent number of receptions (59) and had 640 yards but scored just two touchdowns. He also averaged a career-low 10.8 yards per reception. As for his work in the backfield, Moore had 11 yards on nine attempts.
Entering his second season with the team, Moore finds himself in an unenviable spot. The Browns added Jerry Jeudy in a trade with the Denver Broncos, then signed him to a three-year extension. That addition pushes Moore to third on the depth chart, which isn’t terrible. Typically, the No. 3 wideout gets plenty of opportunities. However, Moore finds himself with some competition in the form of Cedric Tillman.
The 2023 third-round pick has been turning heads throughout the offseason and reports indicate he could be brought in to play on the boundary for three-receiver sets with Jeudy manning the slot.
When the Browns meet for training camp, Moore will have a chance to prove he deserves that spot but there’s a lot on the line as he enters the final year of his contract.
