Browns' Position Battles to Watch Ahead of 2023 NFL Season

During the 2022 NFL season, the Cleveland Browns couldn't get rolling. They started 2-5—while quarterback Deshaun Watson was serving an 11-game suspension for violating the league's personal conduct policy—and went 5-5 from there, never winning more than two consecutive games.

The Browns are hoping for better results in 2023, when they'll have Watson for a full season and plenty of talented players on both sides of the ball. Do they have enough to get back to the playoffs?

Before thinking that far ahead, Cleveland will need to get its depth chart and 53-man roster in order. And throughout training camp and the preseason, players will be competing for starting roles and for spots on the team.

Here's a look at several Browns position battles to keep an eye on ahead of the 2023 season.

Wide Receiver

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Elijah Moore

Amari Cooper will be Cleveland's No. 1 wide receiver. It's obvious because he's by far the most talented pass-catcher on the team's roster, and he's been among the best wideouts in the NFL for the majority of his eight-year career.

However, it is unclear how the Browns' receiving depth chart will shake out beyond that. There will be a pair of starting jobs up for grabs, with Elijah Moore, Donovan Peoples-Jones, rookie Cedric Tillman, Marquise Goodwin and David Bell in the mix.

Moore, who was acquired in a trade with the New York Jets this offseason, should be a starter, but he'll likely have to earn the role. Peoples-Jones is also a front-runner, although Tillman (a third-round pick in this year's draft) and Goodwin (a free-agent acquisition) could make it a fierce competition.

With other solid wide receivers on the roster (such as Anthony Schwartz and Jakeem Grant Sr.), Cleveland will have to decide which six or seven will make the team. There may be some tough calls during that process.

Defensive Tackle

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Jordan Elliott

Just like at wide receiver, there's one starter in place at defensive tackle. That's Dalvin Tomlinson, the 29-year-old who signed with the Browns this offseason after spending the past two years with the Minnesota Vikings.

As for the other spot, there are a host of candidates but no obvious front-runner. Jordan Elliott started all 17 games for Cleveland last season, but the team may want an upgrade after he had only 36 tackles and two sacks.

Siaki Ika could force his way into the picture even before his rookie season gets underway. A third-round pick in this year's draft, the former Baylor standout could quickly become a factor in the Browns rotation at defensive tackle and could even earn a starting role.

Cleveland will also have Maurice Hurst, Trysten Hill and Perrion Winfrey in the mix.

Strong-Side Linebacker

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Sione Takitaki

Last year, Sione Takitaki collected a career-high 71 tackles and a sack despite playing only 12 games for the Browns. Because of that, the 27-year-old is the favorite to be the starting strong-side linebacker for Cleveland in 2023.

But Takitaki has only 57 games of experience, so he'll have to earn the role. The catch is that he's still recovering from an ACL tear that ended his 2022 campaign, so he may not be able to do that because of the rehab process.

So the Browns may need to determine a Week 1 starter at the position. And they may need multiple players to fill a rotation, as Takitaki may not be up to full speed even when he returns.

Tony Fields II and Matthew Adams could be among those battling for playing time. There's also undrafted rookie Mohamoud Diabate, who could be in the conversation. Maybe Cleveland isn't done adding players to this potential competition, either.