Voluntary workouts and the mandatory minicamp are all behind us as we now wait for the Cleveland Browns to kick off training camp. Players will begin reporting to The Greenbrier in West Virginia on the 22nd of July with the first practice on the 24th.
There will be no shortage of priorities for the coaching staff as they look to get the team used to a new offensive coordinator as well as several other position coaches. They also have to get their roster in order and decide the best 53 players for the start of the season.
While we won't cover everything they need to do here, we can identify the three main areas the Browns need to focus on during camp.
3. Find out the best rotation on the EDGE
There's no debate when it comes to the starters on the edge for Cleveland. Myles Garrett is the franchise-sack leader and is fresh off his first-ever NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award. Across from him is Za'Darius Smith, who was re-signed in the offseason.
As good as these two veterans are, the Browns have two younger pass-rushers who proved they need to be on the field in 2023. Alex Wright, a third-round pick in 2022 blossomed in year two. Wright, who stands in at an imposing 6-foot-5 and 267 pounds, recorded 25 tackles and five sacks in 16 games. He came on strong with four of those sacks coming in consecutive weeks from Week 15 through Week 17.
Wright wasn't the only rotational pass rusher to stand out. Ogbonnia Okoronkwo was signed to a three-year deal in the offseason and had 22 tackles and 4.5 sacks. He missed three games due to injury but returned for the finale and their playoff loss to Houston — his former team.
Okoronkwo is fully healthy now and has his sights set on double-digit sacks in 2024. That might be too lofty a goal for someone who will have to fight for snaps but the Browns have to figure out how to give him and Wright the opportunities they deserve while not limiting Garrett or Smith.
This is an excellent problem to have and it's hard to see Jim Schwartz struggling to get it figured out.
2. Get Jameis Winston plenty of time with the starters
General manager Andrew Berry said all the right things about Joe Flacco and was most likely sincere. He praised the veteran for his performance in 2023, which resulted in a 4-1 record for Cleveland and the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award for Flacco. He also said he would like him back with the Browns, but added that several factors go into such a decision.
One factor was the potential to upgrade the backup quarterback position. That's what happened when they landed Jameis Winston, who was the No. 1 overall pick out of FSU in 2015. As much as Flacco gave this team in 2023, Winston still provides them with a better option.
He's not only younger at 30 years old, but also has a stronger arm. He proved this in 2019 when he led the NFL with 5,109 yards passing. Of course, there are concerns since he led the league with 30 interceptions while tossing 33 touchdowns that year. Still, something must be said for being good enough to throw 30 picks and still keep a job — clearly, he was doing something right. Plus, Flacco wasn't exactly protecting the ball with 10 picks in six games, which would equal 28 in a full season. As we saw with him, the turnovers aren't too deadly if the offense keeps scoring points.
Moving beyond the decision to sign Winston, the Browns must ensure he's ready to take over. As much as we all want Deshaun Watson to play 17 games, he's still missed 11 games in each of the past two seasons. Until he turns into a reliable option, Cleveland has to treat him as what he's been — unreliable.
That means Winston needs to be given as many opportunities as possible with the starting team. That happened a lot in OTAs as Watson rehabbed his shoulder and needs to continue in camp and the preseason.
1. Make sure Amari Cooper is on the field
Ignore the doubters who say Amari Cooper isn't worth the money. The man is simply one of the best route runners in the NFL and finished 10th in the league with 1,250 yards. That was with Deshaun Watson starting just six games.
Cooper had to work with four different quarterbacks in 2023, two of which combined for two touchdowns and nine interceptions. There were also times when those two — P.J. Walker and Dorian Thompson-Robinson — struggled to push the ball downfield.
Despite this, Cooper averaged a career-high 17.4 yards per catch and now has 2,410 yards and 14 touchdowns in two seasons marred by QB uncertainty.
Still, there are those who think he's out of his mind to ask for more money. In all honesty, he would be out of his mind not to.
Cooper is a far more proven option than Jerry Jeudy, who just received $58 million over three years with $41 million guaranteed. Cooper, however, has no more guaranteed money and is the 20th highest-paid player at his position.
He's also been called "old" which is a wild take. Cooper just turned 30, making him the same age — or younger — than Tyreek Hill, Davante Adams, Mike Evans, Cooper Kupp, Calvin Ridley, or Stefon Diggs. There's not an endless debate over their age, and there shouldn't be for Cooper who just put up arguably the best season of his career.
With all that being said, the Browns have to get his contract situation figured out. This receiving corps has talent but outside of No. 2, they don't have anyone who opposing teams fear. Losing him would be a huge blow to this offense — just ask Deshaun Watson who went to bat for him recently.
