Building a Playoff Roster: Free Agency & 2023 NFL Draft Options for the Browns

As the 2023 NFL offseason approaches, the Cleveland Browns have a number of key decisions to make in order to build a roster that can contend for a spot in the playoffs.^[0] With the free agency period beginning March 15, the Browns have an opportunity to bring in some much needed help on the defensive side of the ball. As the team looks to upgrade their roster through free agency and the 2023 NFL Draft, they have to make the most of their picks and target players that can help them immediately.

The Browns have several needs on the defensive side of the ball, particularly at the linebacker and safety positions, which they can address in free agency. The team can also use the 2023 NFL Draft to find some talent on the defensive line and in the secondary. Pro Football Focus recently released an article that provides an early and late-round draft pick for each team.^[0]

On the defensive line, the Browns could target players like TCU defensive lineman Ochaun Mathis in the first round, as he has the size and athleticism to be a disruptive force in the backfield. Mississippi State defensive lineman Kobe Jones and Baylor defensive lineman Isaiahh Loudermilk could also be good options in the later rounds.

At linebacker, the Browns could target Duke’s Chris Rumph II or Oregon’s Noah Sewell in the first round. Both players have the athleticism and size to play at the NFL level and make an immediate impact.^[1] In the later rounds, the team could take a look at Clemson’s Baylon Spector or West Virginia’s Tony Fields.

In the secondary, the Browns could target Washington safety Damar Hamlin in the first round. Hamlin has the range and ball skills to play in the NFL and could be a valuable addition to the Browns’ secondary.^[2] In the later rounds, the team could look at Texas safety Caden Sterns, Colorado safety Mark Perry, or TCU safety Trevon Moehrig-Woodard.

Overall, the Browns have a number of options in free agency and the 2023 NFL Draft to upgrade their roster. With the free agency period beginning March 15, the Browns have an opportunity to bring in some much needed help on the defensive side of the ball. By targeting players that can help them immediately, the Browns can take a big step forward and contend for a spot in the playoffs in 2023.

0. “PFF: Early and Late Browns NFL Draft Fits” Yardbarker, 20 Feb. 2023, https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/pff_early_and_late_browns_nfl_draft_fits/s1_16697_38489946

1. “Do the Cleveland Browns 2022 NFL Draft Class deserve a passing grade?” Factory of Sadness, 23 Feb. 2023, https://factoryofsadness.co/2023/02/23/do-the-cleveland-browns-2022-nfl-draft-class-deserve-a-passing-grade/

2. “Cleveland Browns: Lightning Wednesday Mock #BrownsMockDraftCountdown Day 28, 2/22/23” 247Sports, 22 Feb. 2023, https://247sports.com/nfl/cleveland-browns/LongFormArticle/cleveland-browns-daily-mock-draft-day-28-205128933/