Roster Holes Browns Must Fill Before Training Camp

Although the Cleveland Browns ended a 17-year postseason drought when they made the playoffs in the 2020 NFL season, they haven't quite been able to replicate that success in recent years. The team missed the postseason in both 2021 and 2022, going a combined 15-19 over the past two seasons.

The Browns will aim to get back to the playoffs in the 2023 campaign. But the question is, do they have the talent in order to make that happen?

Cleveland's roster appears to be better now than it was at the start of the offseason. However, there are still some holes that could be filled. It has roughly $16.9 million in available cap space (per Over The Cap) that it could use to do so.

Here's a look at several roster holes the Browns may want to fill before training camp.

Backup Running Back

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BEREA, OHIO - MAY 31: Jerome Ford #34 of the Cleveland Browns runs a drill during the Cleveland Browns OTAs at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023 in Berea, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images)

Cleveland's ground game was quite successful in recent years when it had the 1-2 punch of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt. However, Hunt is now gone, leaving Chubb as the clear No. 1 back in the Browns' offense.

Chubb should have a great 2023 season, and the 27-year-old has proven he's capable of being a bell-cow RB for Cleveland. But it doesn't change the fact that the team doesn't have a ton of great options to serve as its No. 2 back, which is an important role on the offense.

Heading into training camp, the Browns have Jerome Ford, Demetric Felton Jr. and John Kelly Jr. as backup running backs. None of them is a clear front-runner to serve as the primary No. 2 to Chubb who could also come in and make impact plays.

Because of that, Cleveland could use an upgrade to its backfield mix. This late in the offseason, it may even be able to get a free-agent veteran at a much lower cost.

Defensive Tackle

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BEREA, OHIO - MAY 31: Jordan Elliott #96 of the Cleveland Browns runs a drill during the Cleveland Browns OTAs at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023 in Berea, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images)

The Browns have the makings of a top-tier defensive line with dominant pass rushers Myles Garrett and Za'Darius Smith on the edges and Dalvin Tomlinson filling one of the interior spots. However, it isn't yet known who will start alongside Tomlinson as the No. 2 defensive tackle.

There are plenty of players for Cleveland to throw into the mix. Jordan Elliott, Maurice Hurst and Perrion Winfrey are notable returners, while rookie Siaki Ika (a third-round pick in the 2023 draft out or Baylor) will also be in the fold.

But in order for the Browns' D-line to be elite, they need another clear starting-caliber player to fill the DT hole next to Tomlinson. They have plenty of depth at the position, but they could still use one final boost.

If that happened, then Cleveland's defensive front would easily rank among the best in the league. Of course, the Browns should only make this type of move if it makes sense financially by them not taking on a sizable multi-year contract.

Veteran Linebacker

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BEREA, OHIO - MAY 31: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah #28 and Anthony Walker Jr. #5 of the Cleveland Browns play basketball during the Cleveland Browns OTAs at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023 in Berea, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images)

Cleveland has plenty of linebackers already on its roster ahead of training camp. It also appears to have its probable starters in place, with Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Anthony Walker Jr. and Sione Takitaki likely to fill those spots.

But that's not the most experienced LB corps. And the Browns don't have any longtime veterans on the team who could be plugged into a starting spot at any time if needed.

By adding one more experienced linebacker to its roster, Cleveland would be bolstering the group and providing some much-needed insurance. Injuries and underperformance can't be predicted, and if either happens to one or more Browns LBs, the team may not have a way to solve those issues with its current composition.

So it would make sense for Cleveland to sign a veteran linebacker to an affordable one-year deal. Such a move would make the Browns' defense a stronger unit for the 2023 season.