Will the Cleveland Browns regret letting go of these three players?
By Chad Porto
![Dec 17, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns defensive end Jadeveon Clowney (90) leaves the field with an injury during the first half against the Baltimore Ravens at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports Dec 17, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns defensive end Jadeveon Clowney (90) leaves the field with an injury during the first half against the Baltimore Ravens at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/d6641e5e4213e5c2e8438288b08ea6e3e6c545d8ad85aef21b815706c89b4b51.jpg)
The Cleveland Browns may regret (or not) letting these three players go
The Cleveland Browns are trying a soft reboot on defense and offense this year with minimal funds to pull it off. To make this soft-reboot work, the team had to let go of some of the more high-priced players. These players were solid contributors but none of whom were anything truly special.
At least not at this point in their careers. Yet, due to limited funds available to upgrade the team, it’s fair to say the team may have made lateral moves to replace these vets if not step-backs. Sure, the team may be better without them, but we just don’t know. That’s the point of this article, to wonder what the future of the team will be without these three core guys.
And if, by some chance, they would’ve made the Browns better in 2023, as opposed to the guys that were brought in to replace them.
Will the Cleveland Browns regret replacing these three players?
Jadeveon Clowney
The Cleveland Browns are going to miss his run-stopping potential, that’s for sure, but he was paid to help generate sacks. Now, I’m not high on Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, and definitely not for three years, but this seems to be a wash of a move. Though it could come back to bite the Browns if Okonronkwo doesn’t produce as expected.
John Johnson III
The stats and advanced stats kind of pate this as a wash. Juan Thornhill isn’t some major improvement to the safety position. In fact, his advanced stats look very similar to that of John Johnson III. He could very well end up being better, worse, or the same as Johnson, but Thornhill won’t have long to prove it. Not with the way this team is constructed.
Kareem Hunt
The Browns seem very high on Jerome Ford, and considering Kareem Hunt’s limitations in the passing game over the years, it’s not like losing him is affecting much. The team should see a marketed improvement from Hunt to Ford, at least when it comes down to spelling Nick Chubb.
Next. WalterFootball’s first 2023 NFL Mock draft for the Cleveland Browns. dark