CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Browns finally have the elite quarterback in Deshaun Watson they believe can take them to the Super Bowl, and they still have one of the best running backs in the NFL in Nick Chubb to give them one of the most dynamic backfields in the NFL.
It certainly better be for what they’re paying them: Watson has a cap hit of $54.99 million for 2023 and Chubb’s is $14.85 million. That’s almost $70 million for those two alone, and the Browns have six other players with cap hits in the double-digit millions for 2023.
If all goes as hoped, the Browns will have their Joe Burrow, Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen in Watson over at least the next four years, and will challenge for multiple Super Bowls. And he’ll be supported by the NFL’s third-leading rusher in 2022 who’s shown no signs of slowing down heading into his sixth season.
This week, we’re continuing our look at the Browns 2023 roster and identifying core players. In most instances, a core player is one who’s expected to be a high quality starter over the next three to five years, during which most of the Browns’ core players are in the prime of their careers and the Browns’ Super Bowl window is open. We’ll also take a look at Browns players who don’t fit the narrow definition of a core player, and provide insight into where they stand.
Recommended Browns stories
- Browns MVP, most disappointing player, defining moment and more: Orange and Brown Talk Awards
- John Johnson III and 3 other players the Browns must make big decisions on for 2023: Mary Kay Cabot
- Cade York vs. Phil Dawson: How do their rookie seasons as Browns kickers compare?
CORE PLAYERS
Deshaun Watson: Watson, acquired in a controversial trade with the Texans last March for a net of five draft picks — including three first-rounders — had a rocky return to the field for the final six games last season after serving his 11-game suspension under the NFL’s personal conduct policy and being out of football for 700 days.
He went 3-3 in his six starts, including a victory over the 3-13-1 Texans, a victory over the Ravens without Lamar Jackson, and a victory over the Washington Commanders. He completed 58.2% of his passes with seven TDs and 5 INTs en route to a career-low 79.1 rating.
The transition back to the field and to a new team was more difficult than expected, and Watson must work hard to hit the ground running in 2023.
For starters, the Browns must supply him with a few new pass catchers, including a speedy wideout to stretch the field. If the playoffs have shown anything, it’s that quarterbacks need an array of premier receivers — including tight ends and backs — to flourish in this pass-oriented league.
The Browns must decide if they can afford to keep Amari Cooper at his 2023 cap hit of $23.77 million, or if they need to cut, trade or restructure him. If they move on, they’ll need to replace him with another Pro Bowl-caliber wideout. They also need at least one faster, smaller receiver in the mold of a Stefon Diggs or Tyreek Hill who can strike fear in a defense.
Watson can elevate the play of the receivers around him, but he also just needs a few more amazing skill players who can make the impossible catch, those who have the natural ability and instincts to stay alive on the scramble drill and make the unexpected play.
Watson and Kevin Stefanski will have to work hard together this offseason to create a scheme that maximizes Watson’s skillset and one he feels comfortable with. He must have enormous input into the playbook and be honest about what he loves and hates. Now is not the time for people-pleasing. Even if it requires a major overhaul, Watson must express his feelings about any concerns that arose last season and any personnel changes he feels are necessary.
Stefanski must continue to educate himself on how to call plays for a dual-threat QB like Watson, and press the personnel department for more receivers if he believes they’re needed.
Watson, who must get rid of the ball quicker at times, also has that enormous cap hit for 2023 and a $46 million-a-year average for fourth in the NFL among QBs. He must be willing to restructure if asked, to keep the supporting cast as strong as possible. Watson must also spend as much time as possible working with his receivers this offseason to develop timing and chemistry. Cooper has already said he plans to work with him offsite.
Nick Chubb: Chubb signed a three-year extension before the 2021 season worth $36.6 million a year, including $20 million guaranteed. The $12.2 million average makes him the sixth-highest paid running back in the NFL.
Analytics-oriented teams often don’t pay their running backs that much, but the Browns have made an exception for Chubb, who’s a four-time Pro Bowler, and different.
He finished third in the NFL with 1,525 yards in 2022, making him only the second back in Browns history to Jim Brown to reach the 1,500-yard milestone. Chubb will still need an excellent No. 2 back to help keep him fresh, but he hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down, and could approach 1,500 yards again in 2023.
According to Pro Football Focus, running backs don’t “fall off a cliff” until their 31st year, and Chubb just turned 27 in December. Like other Browns players with double-digit millions cap hits, the Browns could possibly flag his salary for a re-do. But the cap increased by $16.6 million on Monday to $224.8 million, meaning they might not have to restructure as many deals.
Chubb will need to continue to working on his hands so he doesn’t have to come off the field in obvious passing situations, especially with Kareem Hunt likely to be gone. Last season, Chubb caught 27 of 37 targets for 239 yards and one TD, and could get 50 targets if he demonstrates he can handle it.
POTENTIAL CORE PLAYERS
Jerome Ford: The Browns drafted Ford in the fifth round of the 2022 draft out of Cincinnati, and he could assume Kareem Hunt’s No. 2 role in 2023. Ford carried the ball only eight times in 2022 for 12 yards, but solidified the kickoff return spot after Jakeem Grant was lost for the season to a ruptured Achilles, averaging 24.1 yards on his 30 returns with a long gain of 48. The 24.1-yard average was 14th in the NFL.
In his final season at Cincinnati in 2021, Ford rushed for 1,319 yards on 215 carries for a 6.1-yard average and 19 TDs. He caught 21 passes for 220 yards and 1 TD. The Browns will run Ford more in 2023 and see if he can handle the load.
OTHER KEY BACKFIELD PLAYERS
Jacoby Brissett: Brissett played well enough in 2021 in his 11 starts (4-7) that some teams might call on him as their starter in 2023. It’s what he wants, and he’ll be gone if such an opportunity presents itself. If a guaranteed starting job is hard to come by, Brissett might be a offered a bridge QB post to ease the transition to a young passer. If he doesn’t get a chance to start, the Browns would love to have him back, and he’d be open to it. What he brings in terms of leadership for the whole team in general and support and counsel for Watson in particular, Brissett is a great player to have in the locker room, and would be worth whatever the Browns have to pay him. He’d also be an excellent backup who could step right in and win games.
Kareem Hunt: Hunt, who’s two-year contract worth $12 million expires in March, had a rough season after asking to be traded in training camp and coming to the realization that he wasn’t in the Browns’ long-term plans. He got emotional during the national anthem before the Bengals game on Monday Night Football, thinking it could be his last game at FirstEnergy Stadium as a Brown. He told cleveland.com before the home finale against the Saints that it was “bittersweet,” knowing that he was likely gone. He rushed 123 times for 468 yards and 3 TDs, and caught 35 passes for 210 yards and one TD, and all signs point to Hunt playing elsewhere in 2023. The only way he’ll be back is if he can’t find a good deal on the open market.
D’Ernest Johnson: Johnson told cleveland.com after the season finale in Pittsburgh that it “was frustrating” not to have a chance to show what he could in 2022, rushing only four times for 17 yards. In 2021, he rushed for 146 yards the victory over Denver, 99 in the loss to New England, and 123 in the season-ending victory over Cincinnati, who rested most of their backups that game. Johnson, who signed a one-year contract worth $1.2167 million in 2022, will test the open market and will only be back if he returns at a bargain basement price. More likely, he’ll try to find a team that views him at least as its No. 2 back.
If you or a loved one has questions and needs to talk to a professional about gambling, call the Ohio Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-589-9966 or the National Council on Program Gambling Helpline (NCPG) at 1-800-522-4700 or visit 1800gambler.net for more information. 21+ and present in Ohio. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
Ad Choices