The 2023 season may have ended on a low note for the Cleveland Browns, but overall, it was a successful season. They overcame a lot in the regular season to win 11 games, earning the top Wild Card spot in the AFC. They ran into a buzzsaw in the form of the Houston Texans during Super Wild Card Weekend, cutting their season short.
Heading into the 2024 NFL offseason, there are a few clear needs on the roster. Finding consistency on defense is key as the Browns were the No. 1 rated defense when playing at home but the worst defense in the NFL when on the road.
Offensively, Cleveland miraculously overcame season-ending injuries to several key players. Quarterback Deshaun Watson, running back Nick Chubb and left tackle Jack Conklin all missed significant time.
NFL NEWS & RUMORS: Marquise Brown, 2024 NFL Free Agency, Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns Updates
While several positions were hit hard by injuries, one position that stayed relatively healthy all season was wide receiver. However, the production at the position was sometimes lacking beyond No. 1 receiver Amari Cooper.
Cooper was excellent, catching 72 passes for 1,250 yards and five touchdowns. However, there was virtually nothing in the way of production from wide receivers behind him and Elijah Moore, who caught 59 passes for 640 yards and two touchdowns.
The rest of the players at the position to log snaps, five players in total, combined for only 47 receptions on the season. That is something the Browns should be looking to change in 2024 and is partly why Gordon McGuinness has suggested Marquise Brown as the one player Cleveland needs to pursue this offseason.
“As the Browns look to take a step forward in 2024, finding a player who can win downfield would be smart. Brown was once again held back by injuries in 2023, perhaps meaning he is set to sign a one-year, prove-it deal, but has made plays downfield throughout his NFL career. His six receptions on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield this past season resulted in 175 yards and a touchdown,” wrote McGuinness.
NFL NEWS & RUMORS: Marquise Brown, 2024 NFL Free Agency, Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns Updates
Brown would provide the team with a nice deep-threat element to their offense, something they were lacking in 2023. Most of the big plays that came in the passing game were catch-and-run plays, but a threat to take the top off the defense wasn’t always there.
A first-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Brown would change that immediately for the Browns. He would make for an excellent complement opposite of Cooper, giving Cleveland a strong group of pass catchers along with tight end David Njoku, Moore and Cedric Tillman.
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