5 Cleveland Browns who need to be cut before the 2023 offseason starts

Alex Wright

We’re starting off with a controversial one. Yes, Alex Wright is just a rookie. Yes, Wright was a third-rounder not even a year ago. Yes, there’s potential he can get better. Yet, name one rookie under Andrew Berry since 2020 that has actually improved in year two. Jedrick Wills has not improved. Greg Newsome has not improved. Jacob Phillips has not improved. I can go on, not one rookie under Berry has shown a marketed improvement year to year. Some are fine, like Wills and Newsome. They’re fine starters as is.

Others, like Phillips, or Jordan Elliot, weren’t good when drafted, and still aren’t good. The Browns have got to stop holding onto every project pick like Wright, hoping for them to get better magically. Wright isn’t strong enough at the point of the attack and lacks the athleticism necessary to be a good pass rusher.

Of course, with the right position coach, scheme, or whatever, Wright could be a good player. That’s the case for literally everyone. What we know is that this isn’t the right coach, the right situation, and the right whatever for him to excel. Let’s draft somebody better and begin a new era where fans don’t have to sit through years of below-average football simply due to “potential”.

And if it matters to you PFF hounds, he’s the worst-rated player at his position. It’s not like he hasn’t played a fair bit, either. He’s seen the 11th most action of all defenders on the Browns.