6 Browns on Thin Ice Following the 2024 NFL Draft

The Cleveland Browns came away from the 2024 NFL Draft with an even better roster, and for a team that won 11 games last year, that's not great news for the rest of the AFC North.

The Browns felt like a team that overachieved last year based on some of the detrimental injuries they suffered early on in the season offensively. However, general manager Andrew Berry has one of the best defenses in the league and one of the most well-rounded rosters overall.

Even without a first-round pick, how might this year's Browns draft class impact some of the holdovers from last year's roster? Let's discuss six Browns players who could be on thin ice.

1. Joel Bitonio, OG

Alright, you're going to have to hear me out on this one.

Obviously, Joel Bitonio has been one of the best offensive guards in the NFL for a really long time at this point. He's been a staple on the Browns' offensive line, but it's not out of the question to think that his run with the team could (relatively) soon be coming to an end.

Bitonio's contract is up after the 2024 season, and the Browns undoubtedly saw the rise in price for interior offensive linemen around the league. Some interior linemen around the NFL are getting upwards of $20-21 million in average annual value on their contracts. If it came down to it, the Browns probably wouldn't be able to pay Bitonio that much.

So what did they do? They went out and drafted Michigan's Zak Zinter in the third round. Zinter was one of the best guards in all of college football the last couple of years. He might need a year to get right physically after an injury in 2023, so the succession plan is likely in motion here.