Where can “aggressive” Andrew Berry realistically improve Browns roster?
When the Cleveland Browns hired Andrew Berry as their general manager there were some concerns. Some wondered if he would “just be Sashi Brown 2.0” while others worried that he was a sign that Paul DePodesta was making all of the decisions.
Shortly after being hired, Berry made it clear that the team would be “aggressive” in acquiring talent. Since then, he has shown that being aggressive would be a theme of his tenure. Last offseason, Berry changed the offensive line from a weakness to a strength while adding more talent for Baker Mayfield to work with.
This offseason, Berry reworked the defense to the point that the team could have nine new starters on that side in 2021.
As shown by his flurry of moves, including trading for Ronnie Harrison near the end of training camp last year, Berry is always ready to pounce on a deal he likes.
Berry has the Browns roster as one of the envies of all of the NFL. The team has no perceived weakness on either side of the ball while also having more depth than most teams can dream of.
In fact, it is likely that Berry will have to move on from some players that could have started for the Browns over the last decade.
We’ve shared with you a few of the battles coming up in training camp already:
Those are only the beginning. From the defensive line through the linebackers and to the secondary, Cleveland has defenders at every level that have played significant snaps but could be gone in 2021.
Yet, Berry’s theme has been all about being aggressive. Where could he be aggressive in adding talent? Can he be aggressive while trading away talent?
First, it is always possible to improve a roster. While the offense seems set, if a big, fast receiver became available the Browns would have to take a look. They had some interest in Julio Jones before he was dealt to Tennessee.
On the defensive side of the ball, Cleveland has added a lot of talent but could still be looking for more. Sheldon Richardson was pursued by the team after they released him but he decided to move on. Could another interior defensive lineman be targeted? The Browns have a lot of youth at that spot along with veteran Malik Jackson but don’t have a proven top-flight talent there.
Defensive end is another interesting spot where Cleveland has added players (Curtis Weaver, Takk McKinley, Jadeveon Clowney) during Berry’s time but still is unsettled for the long-term future.
The linebacker position has had resources thrown its way through the draft (Jacob Phillips, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Tony Fields II) and free agency (Malcolm Smith, Anthony Walker) during Berry’s time but it is unlikely he’ll pursue another second-level player at this point.
The safety room, with John Johnson III, Grant Delpit, Ronnie Harrison and Richard LeCounte III all added in the last two offseasons, probably doesn’t have room for another addition except for a developmental type.
The cornerback room has proven talent with Denzel Ward and Troy Hill while Greedy Williams (injury) and Greg Newsome II (rookie) have unproven talent at this level. M.J. Stewart, A.J. Green and Robert Jackson will likely fight it out for the fifth and, if kept, sixth cornerback spots.
If Berry wants to continue to be aggressive to improve the roster, the defensive line and cornerback rooms are the most likely places he could do so. Those positions are often quite expensive in terms of trade capital and salary cap space which could keep the Browns from making that kind of move.
The other way Berry could continue to be aggressive is by trading away talent. While this seems to go against their Super Bowl aspirations, the Browns have more quality players than they can keep, currently. Injuries can always change things but the front office can add draft capital by dealing away players near the bottom of the roster to teams begging for depth, or starters.
While they wouldn’t likely be well-received, aggressive trades of depth players can help Berry and the Browns meet their short and long-term goals.
While Cleveland can add to their roster at a couple of spots on the defense still, it won’t be easy. Perhaps their aggressive general manager lives up to his promise by trading his depth for draft picks that he can use later to improve the roster, either by trade or selecting players in the future.
For now, Berry has lived up to his word and we await his next aggressive move.
