3 Aging Browns Veterans Who Should Be Replaced in the NFL Draft

The Cleveland Browns will enter the NFL draft looking for guys who can contribute right away considering this team's Super Bowl aspirations. However, any championship hopeful should try to add young talent as well that could develop into something greater down the line to extend their contending window.

In fact, there's a few older Browns contributors who might not make sense for this team a year from now, so it's best to prepare for their exits now through the draft.

1. Jordan Akins

Hopes were high when Cleveland initially traded for tight end Jordan Akins. He had previously established chemistry with quarterback Deshaun Watson from their days in Houston -- including two 400-yard campaigns while catching passes from Watson -- so many thought a reunion would help them pick up right where they left off.

Yet, Akins' time with the Browns has been a total failure to this point. He recorded just 15 receptions throughout the entire 2023 season for a meager 132 yards, serving as a complete afterthought in this offense.

Akins' underwhelming first season in town paved the way for his release this offseason, considering he has a cap hit around $2.3 million in 2024 but would only leave $565K in dead money if cut. He still remains on the team, however, which shows confidence from the front office he'll turn things around.

Even if Akins improves in 2024, it's not like he's shown playmkaing abilities similar to current top TE David Njoku. Akins also just turned 32 years, so he's not the future at the position for any team in the league.

That makes drafting a tight end a legitimate possibility this week to ensure Njoku has a proper complement for seasons to come.