Cleveland Browns' 4 Worst-Case Scenarios For The 2024 NFL Season

The Cleveland Browns are one of the hardest teams to judge heading into 2024, as things could easily go south for the talented ballclub.

Jul 28, 2022; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) hands off to running back Nick Chubb (24) during training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports / Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Not a whole lot of people outside of Ohio seem to believe in the Cleveland Browns heading into the 2024 NFL campaign.

Many projections have them finishing in last place in the AFC North, which actually is a possibility given the difficulty of the division.

Remember: last year, the Cincinnati Bengals went 9-8 and finished in the basement.

So, what would have to go wrong in order for the Browns to end up in the AFC North cellar?

Here are the four worst-case scenarios for Cleveland heading into the new season.

Amari Cooper doesn't get a new deal

I think Amari Cooper will end up playing for the Browns in 2024 regardless of whether or not the team hands him a contract extension, but in a world where Cleveland does not give Cooper security beyond this coming season, problems could ensue.

The last thing the Browns want is a disgruntled No. 1 receiver on a lame duck contract. It could create issues in the locker room, and if Cleveland gets off to a rough start offensively, it could potentially result in a lack of effort on the part of Cooper.

That's not to say Cooper would mail it in. It doesn't seem like it's in his character to do so. But we have absolutely seen discontented wide receivers fail to give 100 percent in the past.

It is absolutely in the Browns' best interest go provide Cooper with a fresh deal. It's completely understandable to not want to give him a four-year extension, but a two-year contract with a nice chunk of guaranteed money should be enough to placate the 30-year-old star.

Nick Chubb doesn't return

The general assumption is that Nick Chubb will be back at some point in 2024, and Chubb himself has even said that he is not ruling out a Week 1 debut.

However, the running back's recent comments about feeling "behind" in his rehab aren't exactly soothing, and given the severity of the knee injury he is recovering from, there is a possibility that we might not see Chubb at all this coming season (or maybe we will see a very limited version of him).

I'm just not buying into the idea of Chubb suddenly reverting back to his 2022 form (one analyst even predicted him to lead the league in rushing this year). Not after such a devastating injury, and not at an age (28) where halfbacks typically begin to decline.

Chubb probably will return this year, but even if he does, expectations need to be tempered. Taking it a step further, the Browns may need to prepare as if Chubb won't be available in 2024. That means a whole lot of Jerome Ford and D'Onta Foreman.

Jerry Jeudy is a bust

The Browns acquired Jerry Jeudy in a trade with the Denver Broncos earlier this offseason with the idea of bolstering their receiving depth behind Cooper.

Cleveland then proceeded to hand Jeudy a three-year, $58 million contract extension ($28 million guaranteed in new money).

The Browns really needed a No. 2 receiver, so in theory, this was a good move. But the problem is that Jeudy has yet to prove he can even be a consistent high-end No. 2 option on the NFL level.

Since being selected with the 15th overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft, Jeudy has yet to achieve 1,000 yards in any one campaign. He topped out at 972 yards in 2022, and last year, he dipped to 758 yards. That isn't a whole lot better than Elijah Moore, who totaled 640 yards in 2023 and appears to be in the doghouse heading into this coming season.

Jeudy has not given the Browns any reason to be 100 percent positive that he will be a very valuable asset come September. Of course, he could end up being a major boon to Cleveland's offense, but the other side of the coin does exist.

Deshaun Watson continues his downward spiral

Deshaun Watson has not exactly lit Cleveland on fire in his first two years with the Browns.

Watson has played in a grand total of 12 games since arriving in 2022, throwing 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Not exactly MVP-caliber numbers.

Can the 28-year-old dig deep and rediscover the form that made him a three-time Pro Bowler with the Houston Texans? Cleveland better hope so, because its 2024 success is hinging on it.

To be fair, Watson does not have to lead the NFL in passing yards like he did in his final season of play with the Texans in 2020 (he sat out all of 2021). After all, the Browns managed to win 11 games in spite of shuffling through five different starting quarterbacks last year, eventually settling on Joe Flacco.

But Watson does need to play a heck of a lot better than he did in either of his first two seasons in Cleveland for anyone to take the Browns seriously as a genuine contender.

If Watson doesn't look any better than he did last fall, it's going to be really difficult for Cleveland to make any sort of legitimate noise in the crowded AFC.