5 Browns Making it Easy for Cleveland to Say Goodbye in 2025

With the way that the 2024 NFL season has unfolded, these five Browns have made it easy to say goodbye to them once the offseason begins.

Nov 3, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski reacts during the second half against the Los Angeles Chargers at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

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3. Maurice Hurst, DT

After a solid debut performance in 2023, the Browns liked Maurice Hurst enough to re-sign him to a one-year contract in the offseason. The former 2018 fifth-rounder was solid on the defensive line and the hope was that he could continue that trend into Year 2 with the team.

Unfortunately, Hurst's current performance has been a mixed bag at best. His campaign was interrupted early on when he missed four of the Browns' first five games with an ankle injury and while he's been healthy since returning to action, the ailment's aftereffects might still be plaguing the veteran defender.

Hurst has only recorded eight solo tackles and 0.5 sacks in seven games (2 starts) with the Browns this season. He rarely plays more than 20 snaps in his appearances and hasn't even started a game since Week 6, highlighting exactly what the coaching staff thinks of him. His career-worst 44.3 defense grade on PFF isn't doing him any favors, either.

As he plays on an expiring contract, too, it's clear that a lot would need to go right for Hurst to return in 2025. Having said that, nothing about his current performance suggests that he deserves another opportunity in Cleveland next season.

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