This will be a very important offseason for the Cleveland Browns, and it could determine the path they head on for the next several years.
Star defensive end Myles Garrett has demanded a trade, and they will have the No. 2 pick in the upcoming NFL draft, which should give them plenty of options.
Per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, Browns offensive tackle Dawand Jones just had arthroscopic knee surgery, but he is expected to be ready to participate in training camp this summer.
The Browns’ offensive line has been a work in progress, and it failed to provide their quarterbacks with a lot of protection or time this season.
The four players they started under center this season — Deshaun Watson, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Jameis Winston and Bailey Zappe — were sacked a total of 66 times, and none of them played particularly well overall.
Jones, who has two years of NFL experience under his belt, was a fourth-round draft choice in 2023, and Pro Football Focus gave him a 57.6 pass-blocking grade, a 45.8 run-blocking grade and a 46.4 overall grade for the 2024 season.
Who will start at the quarterback position could be the biggest question the Browns face right now, and many expect that they will not take a signal-caller with that No. 2 pick in April’s draft.
Plenty of mock drafts have them taking Abdul Carter, a promising pass rusher from Pennsylvania State University who had 12.0 sacks in 2024 and could be a worthy replacement for Garrett, should Garrett actually get traded.
