2023 Cleveland Browns Projected Finish, Key Signings & Fantasy Stars

DeShaun Watson (Erik Drost, Wikimedia Commons)

In the eighth of a 32-part series, we are featuring all National Football League teams with a prediction of where each team will finish within their division, key off-season acquisitions and their top fantasy stars. Here are the Cleveland Browns.

Key Off Season Acquisitions

The three key acquisitions the Cleveland Browns made in the offseason were on defense. Cleveland came to terms with defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson of McDonough, Georgia (four years, $57 million), safety Juan Thornhill of Alatvista, Virginia (three years, $21 million), and defensive end Ogbionnia Okoronkwo of Gainesville, Georgia (three years, $19 million).

Tomlinson played 13 games last season with the Minnesota Vikings and had 42 combined tackles (20 solo tackles and 22 assisted tackles), 10 quarterback hits, three tackles for a loss, 2.5 sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. In addition to the Vikings, Tomlinson played four seasons with the New York Giants.

Thornhill won a Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs a season ago. In 2022, he had 71 combined tackles (43 solo tackles and 28 assisted tackles), four tackles for a loss, two quarterback hits, three interceptions, one sack, and nine pass deflections. The sack came in a 34-28 Chiefs win over the Denver Broncos on December 11.

Okoronkwo was with the Houston Texans in 2022, after three seasons with the Los Angeles Rams, where he won the Super Bowl too. In 2022 with the Texans, Okoronkwo had 44 combined tackles (32 solo tackles and 12 assisted tackles), 11 quarterback hits, nine tackles for a loss, five sacks, two pass deflections and one forced fumble.

On offense, the Browns did acquire wide receiver Elijah Moore of Fort Lauderdale, Florida in a trade with the New York Jets on March 22. Moore had 37 catches for 446 yards and one touchdown with the Jets in 2022. His touchdown came in a 31-10 Jets win over the Chicago Bears on November 27 as he caught a 22 yard pass from Jets quarterback Mike White. On defense, the Browns also made a trade as they acquired defensive end Za’Darius Smith of Montgomery, Alabama from the Minnesota Vikings on May 16.

Fantasy Stars

At running back, Nick Chubb of Cedartown, Georgia is ranked fifth in fantasy football. Last year, the four-time Pro Bowler had 302 rushes for 1525 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns. He also had 27 catches for 239 receiving yards and one major score.

At wide receiver, Amari Cooper of Miami, Florida had 78 catches for 1160 receiving yards and nine touchdown catches in his first year as a Brown. He is ranked eighth among wide receivers.

Projected Finish

The wildcard on the team is obviously quarterback DeShaun Watson of Gainesville, Georgia. He is in his first full season in Cleveland after being traded from the Houston Texans. However questions will constantly linger about Watson’s troubled past and if he can be in the right frame of mind mentally to guide Cleveland for a deep run. Until Watson silences the skeptics, Cleveland should be behind Baltimore and Cincinnati, and in third place in the AFC North.

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