Cleveland Browns Could Have Major Weakness In This Critical Area

The Browns' roster is pretty loaded top to bottom, but they could have a hole in one very important category heading into 2024.

Dec 10, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (6) celebrates a tackle against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the first quarter at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports / Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

The Cleveland Browns boast one of the NFL's best rosters on paper heading into 2024. The fact that they managed to win 11 games in spite of rifling through five different starting quarterbacks last season is supporting evidence to that statement.

However, just because the Browns look good does not mean they are infallible.

As a matter of fact, Cleveland—which finished No. 1 in defense last year—may have a weakness at linebacker going into training camp.

Josh Edwards of CBS Sports named the Browns' linebacking corps as the team's biggest area of need with Week 1 approaching, and he may have a point.

Cleveland only has one returning starter from 2023 at the position: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, who is coming off of a breakout year. Otherwise, the Browns have nothing but question marks.

The club signed Jordan Hicks and Devin Bush to combat the losses of Anthony Walker and Sione Takitaki in free agency, but it remains to be seen how the two veterans will fit into Cleveland's scheme.

Hicks is productive, but he is on his fourth NFL team for a reason. Meanwhile, Bush logged just 37 tackles with the Seattle Seahawks last season.

Fortunately, the Browns are outstanding at the other levels of their defense. Their defensive line and their secondary are both among the best in the league, and while Walker and Takitaki certainly meshed well with the rest of the unit, it's not like they were world-beaters at linebacker.

Plus, Owusu-Koramoah is so good that he should help mask the deficiencies of the two newcomers.

All of that being said, it would not be surprising if one of Cleveland's youngsters—such as Mohamoud Diabate or rookie Nathaniel Watson—end up pushing for a starting job.