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.
2. Rodney McLeod
One obvious Browns veteran who needs a future replacement is safety Rodney McLeod. Not for any outstanding negative reason, however.
Instead, the almost 34-year-old signaled after re-signing with Cleveland that this will be last NFL season, so the team must already start planning for his exit during the 2025 offseason.
Beyond grateful to run it back in Cleveland for one last lap!!! 🤞🏾 #DawgPound https://t.co/hwvFet8fQC
— Rodney McLeod (@Rodney_McLeod4) March 25, 2024
McLeod ended up being an important secondary depth piece during the 2023 campaign as injuries sidelined both Grant Deplit and Juan Thornhill at times throughout the year. As a result, the experienced safety logged five starts among his 10 total appearances.
Unfortunately, the injury bug got to McLeod as well last season, as he suffered a torn biceps that ended his campaign in Week 11.
After 12 fruitful years in the league, including a Super Bowl ring won with the Philadelphia Eagles, McLeod had every right to hang his cleats up. Him choosing to stick around speaks volumes about his investment in seeing this squad contend.
McLeod's return should also be a huge plus if Cleveland takes a safety in the draft. His wealth of experience and incredible work ethic to stick around in the league for so long as an undrafted free agent make him an excellent teacher to any young player who joins the safety group.
3. Shelby Harris
No one in the Dawg Pound wants to think about the Browns' defense without big Shelby Harris, but he is also a veteran likely nearing the end of his career.
Harris has been a solid force off the edge ever since his breakout campaign in 2017. After a successful run five-year with the Denver Broncos, Harris then spent a season with the Seattle Seahawks and then landed with Cleveland for 2023.
The former seventh-round pick turned out a be great fit for Jim Schwartz's defense, posting a solid 70.5 overall grade from ProFootballFocus while recording 28 tackles (17 solo, 6 for loss), 1.5 sacks, 5 passes defended and a forced fumble.
Harris' presence solidified the Browns' revamped front four and helped contribute to this defense ranking No. 2 in defensive DVOA and No. 1 in fewest yards allowed during the 2023 campaign.
That being said, it's clear Harris isn't the player he was at the peak of his powers. His sack totals have every seasons since 2021, and he's recorded less than 10 quarterback pressure in back-to-back years.
Harris also is only a rotational player at this stage. After playing between 55-60% of his team's defensive snaps from 2019-2022, that number dropped to just 42% in 2023.
He's still impactful when on the field, no doubt about it, but obviously his days of playing a majority of games are over.
That's why the Browns must target a potential successor in this draft. That would future-proof this defensive line if Harris starts to slide even further, while also opening the door for potential cap savings next offseason if Cleveland decides to cut the veteran in favor of playing a youngster more.
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