After handing over significant draft capital to the Houston Texans – and, by extension, the Arizona Cardinals – as part of the Deshaun Watson trade, the Cleveland Browns entered the 2024 NFL Draft with little hope of landing any of the top players available, having filled any of their remaining deeps in the draft just in case.
Despite their situation, the Browns significantly increased their depth in the trenches with their two picks on Day 2 of the draft, including a young upstart on the defensive line with near-limitless potential and a guard on the opposing side of the ball who was his college opponent.
These rookies could play for the Cleveland Browns in 2024.
2. Michael Hall Jr. will challenge Shelby Harris at defensive tackle.
With one of the NFL’s smallest draft selection caches entering the 2024 NFL draft, the Browns were never going to depart with a slew of blue-chip prospects who could make an immediate impact as rookies.
Fortunately, the Browns don’t have many gaps moving into 2024, and they still found a way to sign someone outstanding with a lot of upside in Michael Hall Jr., the OSU star who should compete for playing time right away as a rookie.
Standing just under 6-foot-3, 290 pounds, with a gigantic wingspan and a relentless drive, Hall is a darn decent defensive lineman who can rush the passer from the 3-tech position, and at only 21, he has the ability to improve even more as he progresses into a larger role.
Do the Browns need Hall to contribute straight away? No, Shelby Harris will play that position this fall, and he is a solid seasoned starter, but the Browns have so much more in the OSU product, as the team’s general manager stated after the draft.
“Mike is an ideal fit for our assault front. He’s explosive and speedy. He can rush the passer. He’s long, and he plays with a tremendous motor. He’s the classic three-technique in our defense. And for us, pass-rushers will always be in high demand, particularly those who can disrupt the pocket from inside, which we believe Mike will be able to do along our front. So, we’re really happy to keep him home, so to speak, and believe his skill set and enthusiasm are a fantastic fit for our organization,” general manager Andrew Berry told ESPN.
“He was one of the most disruptive forces in college football, especially in the pass rush. This is not a space-consuming position for us. We need guys who can move. So our template for the position will seem a little different from other systems in the league.”
For a squad with few weaknesses moving into the fall, Hall is one of the most promising young players on the roster and will see significant rotational time. If he can demonstrate his ability and be more disruptive than Harris and Dalvin Tomlinson on obvious passing downs, he may start getting snaps and become the team’s next great front-seven player.
1. Zak Zinter will challenge Joel Bitonio at left guard.
On paper, Zak Zinter appears to have been drafted as the Browns’ guard-of-the-future, a multi-position backup plan in case one of the team’s Pro Bowl maulers gets injured.
If you are a Browns fan and believe that was the point of the Zinter move, you are (mostly) correct, as unless Joel Bitonio or Wyatt Teller is injured, he will most likely spend the entire season on the bench, but calling it a “red-shirt year” would be a mistake, as, according to Andrew Berry after the draft, there are no “red-shirt years” in the NFL.
“You know, I believe that time will tell for every player we add, including rookies. “I don’t think any of us can really make that decision,” Andrew Berry told reporters via Cleveland.com. “As we sit here today, one thing I often tell Kevin is that there aren’t very many red shirts in the NFL. Everyone on the 53 will be called into action at some point, but we’re just thrilled to have him in the building and up and running.”
Could Zinter play a key role for the Browns in 2024? Sure. Could one of the squad’s guards reveal their age, with Bitonio entering his 11th season with the team this fall? That is also possible, but as Kevin Stefanski pointed out after the draft, the Michigan product has an excellent chant to learn from two Pro Bowlers, which will be beneficial to his future as well.
“Yes, very valuable. And he’s entering a room full of talented people who will encourage and push one another. But I believe it is crucial to be able to connect with veterans who have been there and done it in your position.”
