Who are the most important non-Deshaun Watson Cleveland Browns? Try these 5 players

BEREA — The quarterback is the most important position in football. It may even be the most important position in all of sports.

So everyone understands that Deshaun Watson is the most important player for the Browns as they come into Sunday's regular-season opener against the Dallas Cowboys. It's understood that he needs to be consistently available and, just as important, consistently good for them to have a chance to their first back-to-back playoff appearances since the 1980s.

That's out of the way so let's get into this, pointing out the most important non-quarterback Browns heading into the 2024 season. There's five names on the list, and each is critical to the team being able to have a chance at posting another winning season and going back to the playoffs.

The names are listed alphabetically, not necessarily by level of importance. That's because they're all important for the Browns.

Although, it's hard to minimize the importance of the first name on the list.

Myles Garrett, defensive end

Why is the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year on this list? That's because Myles Garrett is the definition of game-changer for the Browns' defense. It can be a solid defense that gets a decent pass rush with the likes of defensive ends Za'Darius Smith, Ogbo Okoronkwo and Alex Wright off the edge and tackles Dalvin Tomlinson and Quinton Jefferson up the middle. It becomes a complete nightmare for opposing quarterbacks and offensive lines when Garrett is lining up ready to get after the passer. The Browns likely won multiple games last year because of Garrett's presence, if not also his performance. That holds true this year as well. He doesn't necessarily have to leap over tall linemen in a single bound or freak out an opposing center with his wicked fake crossover game, just continue to be the one who gets a lot of the opponent's attention, even if he doesn't get all of the sacks.

Dustin Hopkins, kicker

The Browns spent a decade in the desert, just looking to fill the shoes of Phil Dawson as a reliable placekicker. Who should emerge last year like an oasis? None other than Dustin Hopkins, who they acquired in a trade right before cutdown day from the Los Angeles Chargers. What did Hopkins do? He only set single-season records for field goals made (33) and field goals of 50 yards or longer made (eight), while making all eight of his tries from 50 or beyond. The Browns simply don't make the playoffs without the leg of Hopkins, who spent most of preseason battling a minor injury after his season essentially ended last year on Dec. 24 when he hurt his hamstring trying to make a tackle on a kickoff return. Hopkins had four games in which he made a kick within the final 90 seconds — three in the final 32 seconds and two in the last two seconds — to give the Browns a lead. He also made all four kicks, including three from at least 54 yards, Oct. 22 in Indianapolis, a big reason why the Browns escaped with a win over the Colts. All of that, naturally, was impressive. Replicating that, or providing a reasonable facsimile of that, may be needed to help get back to the postseason.

Jerry Jeudy, wide receiver

Jerry Jeudy was acquired in a trade with the Denver Broncos for one big reason. He's being asked to be that guy to add a different dynamic to the passing game that the Browns really haven't had in years. Jeudy's being asked to be the one who can create mismatches on defenses through various choice routes in the new offense. He's also being asked to provide a vertical threat the Browns really haven't had in a while. Former Carolina Panthers and Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. famously referred to Jeudy as "just a guy" once during a pregame broadcast before a Broncos-Kansas City Chiefs game. If Jeudy turns out to be "just a guy" with the Browns, then this passing offense will struggle to be anything above "just average." If he can play like a first-round draft pick and the star he was at the University of Alabama, then the Browns may have something with him alongside wide receiver Amari Cooper and tight end David Njoku.

Juan Thornhill, safety

No one knows that Juan Thornhill has to be better than he was last year more than Juan Thornhill himself. He'll tell you that if you ask him, in fact. The reality of his first season with the Browns after signing as a free agent was that it was a disaster because of a calf injury that never would heal completely. Thornhill wasn't the game-changing safety the team thought he would be when it signed him, and he spent multiple critical games down the stretch hurt and watching from the sideline. Thornhill getting back to being the kind of safety who is anchoring the back end of a Jim Schwartz-coordinated defense will only make that defense be even more dangerous to play against. Considering the passers the Browns will see this season, they're going to need playmakers like Thornhill to complement the pass run from the back end of the defense.

Jedrick Wills Jr., left tackle

No one has seen Jedrick Wills Jr. in a football uniform since he left the Browns' Week 9 win over the Arizona Cardinals on Nov. 5. He left that game with a high-grade sprain to the MCL, a low-grade sprain to the PCL and bone bruises in his right knee. A month later, he had season-ending arthroscopic surgery, which has kept him out ever since. There seems to be a growing doubt he'll start the opener against the Cowboys, and there's just as much question about what timetable he's on to return despite being on the active roster. The long story short here is that the Browns need Wills back in the lineup to provide some stability and, potentially, allow Jack Conklin to move back to his normal right tackle spot. The left tackle spot, without even Conklin, in the preseason was near-disaster. Facing a laundry list of elite edge rusher just in the first month alone means this isn't an issue that can wait.

Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ

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