6 Offseason Moves the Browns Must Make to Reach the Super Bowl Next Season
5. Sign Chase Young to replace Za'Darius Smith
The Cleveland Browns have a mass exodus of players from their stellar defensive front this past season hitting free agency in 2024.
- Za'Darius Smith
- Jordan Elliott
- Shelby Harris
- Maurice Hurst
All of these players are pending free agents for the Browns, and all will need to be replaced in some shape or form (obviously). Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz loves bringing pass rush in waves, and the Browns did a really great job of identifying players who can not only play well in rotation, but also play a variety of positions on the defensive front.
Cleveland could lose the veteran Za'Darius Smith in free agency, but they could replace him with a guy who has some local ties in former Ohio State star Chase Young. Young is coming off of the best season of his career (arguably) in which he was traded to the 49ers mid-season.
Having Young play opposite of Myles Garrett would be incredible, and if the Browns could pull this move off financially, it could give them a dynamic duo of young players off the edge to terrorize quarterbacks.