The Cleveland Browns head into the NFL offseason with a sense of optimism about the future. Sure, they didn't win a Super Bowl this year, but the Browns still managed to have an 11-campaign and made the playoffs despite dealing with injuries to key contributors like Deshaun Watson, Nick Chubb, and more.
After the franchise's most successful campaign in a long time, it'll be interesting to see how general manager Andrew Berry handles the offseason — especially free agency. Spotrac lists the Browns as having 26 free agents this spring, leaving time to tell who stays and who goes.
When it comes to potential departures, don't expect Browns fans to be sad if these five players leave Cleveland in free agency.
1. P.J. Walker, QB
P.J. Walker didn't expect to see significant playing them when he signed with the Browns last season, but that changed quickly once Watson became plagued by injury issues in September.
Unfortunately, Walker didn't do much with any opportunities given to him. The former XFL passing yards leader only completed 54-of-111 passing attempts (48.6%) for 674 yards and one touchdown while throwing five interceptions with a putrid 52.2 passer rating.
Walker's underwhelming play (along with rookie QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson's struggles) led to the Browns signing Joe Flacco in December. The signing wound up working in Flacco and Cleveland's favor, but it also illustrated just how bad Walker is given that he lost his job to a near-40-year-old QB who missed over half of the season.
With Watson returning next season, DTR still being under contract, and Flacco opening to return to the organization, it's clear that there's no spot left for Walker in Cleveland.
2. Marquise Goodwin, WR
Another pending free agent who Browns fans won't shed a tear for if he leaves is Marquise Goodwin.
In a season where the passing game was a weakness early on, Goodwin didn't exactly do much to help improve the situation. The 33-year-old wideout was invisible for the most part, hauling in only four catches on 13 targets for 67 yards without a touchdown.
He also registered a putrid 9.6 passer rating when targeted, which further shows just how much of a negative asset he was.
Think maybe he was playing better than the stats show? If you were watching closely you wouldn't say that, and Pro Football Focus' grade (50.3 receiving) goes one step further to highlighting just how much of a non-factor Goodwin was.
Considering he averaged fewer than 10 offensive snaps across his last seven appearances, it's safe to say that re-signing Goodwin won't be a priority. He just isn't an NFL-level WR anymore and there's no reason to expect that he can turn things around next season.
Wide receiver is a big need for the Browns, sure, but Goodwin is part of the problem, not part of the answer.
3. Kareem Hunt, RB
The 2023 NFL season was a mixed bag when it came to the Kareem Hunt experience.
On one hand, the veteran rusher stepped up when the Browns needed him following Chubb's season-ending injury. The 28-year-old was far from the most dominant running back in the league, but he still managed to lead all Cleveland RBs with nine rushing TDs — a new personal best after recording eight as a rookie in 2017.
On the other hand, there was little to love about Hunt's game. The ex-Toledo product struggled to generate yardage, averaging just 27.4 rushing yards across 15 games while finishing with a career-worst 3.0 yards per carry. His 5.6 yards per reception and 78.3 passer rating when targeted were also new lows.
With Hunt's decline likely continuing as he nears 30, Browns fans won't be sad to see him go. Chubb, Jerome Ford, and Pierre Strong are all under contract for the 2024 campaign, leaving them with healthier and better options than what the former Pro Bowl RB brings to the table.
4. Jordan Elliott, DL
Jordan Elliott's development has frustrated a portion of the Browns fanbase ever since he was drafted 88th overall in 2020. The 26-year-old just hasn't lived up to the expectations that come with being a former Day 3 selection and former first-team All-SEC defender.
While the 2023 campaign was a slight improvement for Elliott, his numbers didn't exactly pop out. His 2.5 sacks in 17 games were a new career best, but he still finished with 15 fewer tackles than last season while missing 8.7% of his attempts. He also played 259 fewer defensive snaps than he did in 2022 despite playing the same number of games.
Pro Football Focus gave Elliott a 47.3 defensive grade for his efforts (or lack thereof), making him the No. 112-ranked interior defender out of 130 eligible players. Grades don't always tell a story perfectly, but the fact that 85.4% of interior defenders are viewed as being better than Elliott shows how below-average he was.
After four uninspiring seasons, it's time to send Elliott packing. The Browns' defensive line will be just fine without him and hitting free agency gives him a chance at a fresh start elsewhere. Just don't expect Cleveland fans to shed a cheer on his way out.
5. Harrison Bryant, TE
Browns fans had high hopes for tight end Harrison Bryant when he was drafted 115th overall in 2020. After all, he was coming off a huge college season that saw him rack up 1,004 receiving yards and seven touchdowns on 65 catches across 13 games with Florida Atlantic.
Bryant hasn't brought that same level of production to the NFL, though. The 2023 campaign marked his fourth straight season with fewer than 300 receiving yards, finishing with just 81 yards and three touchdowns on 13 catches. That's more than underwhelming considering how long Browns fans have waited for him to take that next big step.
When a TE struggles to produce offense, the hope is that they can at least be a solid blocker. That wasn't the case for Bryant, though, finishing with a PFF run block grade of 49.6, marking the second time in three seasons that he finished with a sub-50.0 grade.
Now that he's heading toward free agency, it's time for the Browns to let Bryant walk. Head coach Kevin Stefanski loves having two TEs who can contribute on offense and while he has one in the form of David Njoku, it's become increasingly clear that Bryant isn't good enough to fill that role.
As long as the Browns find a Bryant upgrade in free agency or through the draft, Browns fans won't miss him on the field next season.
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