The back end of the Cleveland Browns' offensive depth chart will be closely watched over the next few months.
Cleveland has established starters at running back and wide receiver in Nick Chubb, Amari Cooper and Jerry Jeudy.
The Browns have an abundance of promising players behind those starters, and if they want to contend for a playoff spot again in 2024, they need to find the right mix of complementary offensive skill position players.
The running back depth may play an even more important role if Nick Chubb is not at 100 percent to begin the season as he works back into full game play after his torn ACL.
Cleveland has a similar situation with depth at defensive tackle, where it is six deep at the position and must sort out a hierarchy ahead of Week 1.
Backup Running Back
The backup running back role is more important in Cleveland than it is in most spots across the NFL.
Jerome Ford, Kareem Hunt and Pierre Strong Jr. filled in for Chubb as best as they could last season, but only Ford got over the 500-yard mark.
Ford, who had 813 rushing yards and four scores in 2023, should receive every opportunity to solidify the No. 2 role behind Chubb.
However, he faces more competition for that spot compared to last season. D'Onta Foreman and Nyheim Hines were both brought in this offseason.
Foreman has been a solid No. 2 in three different stops over the last three years, while Hines' impact would be felt most in the passing game.
Ford caught 44 passes on 63 targets last season, so if keeps up that efficiency in preseason, he should beat out Hines and Foreman as the No. 2 back who can do it all.
Foreman and Hines' performances may be important to the Browns as well, though, especially if Chubb struggles to get going in September.
Cleveland may need two backups to help the offense get through the first month while Chubb works his way back to 100 percent in-game fitness.
No. 4 and No. 5 Wide Receiver![CLEVELAND, OHIO - DECEMBER 28: Cedric Tillman #19 of the Cleveland Browns waits for the snap during the second half against the New York Jets at Cleveland Browns Stadium on December 28, 2023 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images)]()
Cleveland's trade for Jeudy shortened the margin of error that all the depth wide receivers will have in training camp.
Cooper, Jeudy and Elijah Moore should be the top three wide outs unless Moore takes a step back.
Additionally, the Browns have David Njoku at tight end to take up a bulk of the targets from Deshaun Watson.
The No. 4 and No. 5 wide receivers not only have play well in a small number of snaps, they must contribute on special teams as well.
Cedric Tillman and David Bell will be under threat from fifth-round Jamari Thrash. All three could play a role in the return game.
Tillman likely enters training camp in better standing than Bell since he recorded more receiving yards in his rookie season than Bell did in either of his two NFL campaigns.
The Browns probably will not carry six active wide receivers each week. They may not feel like they have to active five with Njoku and a pass-catching running back in the fold.
Tillman, Bell and Thrash may be competing for one spot to significantly contribute in 2024. The No. 5 wide receiver may be relegated to special teams at the start, while the odd man out will not be around for Week 1.
Defensive Tackle
The Browns' defensive tackle pool became deeper after they selected Michael Hall Jr. out of Ohio State in the second round.
Hall joins a room that includes Dalvin Tomlinson, Shelby Harris, Quinton Jefferson, Maurice Hurst II and Siani Ika.
Harris and Tomlinson are the assumed starters going into training camp, but the order of the defensive tackles could change in August.
Hall should come in hungry to prove his worth on the interior. Jefferson and Hurst are looking to stay in front of him on the depth chart. Ika is looking to get more of an opportunity in his second season.
The sheer volume of quality defensive tackles should make that one of the positions to watch every day in training camp.
