Top five most valuable people for Cleveland Browns in 2024

The Browns proved to have one of the most complete rosters in the NFL after making the playoffs with five different starting quarterbacks last season. With a full offseason to get healthy and some extra continuity, Cleveland has bigger goals this year.

Here are the franchise's five most valuable people for 2024:

5. Running back Nick Chubb

For the past six years, the Browns' offense has literally run as Chubb has. However, that ended in Week 2 of last season when he suffered a torn MCL and a damaged ACL.

To make matters worse, it was the same knee he injured in 2015 at Georgia, leaving his status up in the air for the start of the season.

The 28-year-old may never return to being the same player he was, but he'll be worth the wait even if he can return as a percentage of his former self, who ran for 1,000-plus yards in four straight seasons (2019-22).

If anyone can make a comeback, it's Chubb. He's done it before.

4. Quarterback Deshaun Watson

The only thing that could be holding Cleveland back from a championship is consistent quarterback play.

Watson has played in just 12 games the past two years due to suspension and injuries, but if he can finally return to his 2020 form when he led the league in passing yards with the Houston Texans, he'll be worth the king's ransom that the Browns gave up to acquire him.

Watson is still only 28 and has flashed his upside, throwing for 2,217 yards and 14 touchdowns since 2022. Now, he must finally put together a full season and prove Cleveland right for going all in on him.

3. Cornerback Denzel Ward

Ward has quietly put together an impressive NFL career thus far. Since entering the league as the No. 4 overall pick in 2018, he has registered 273 tackles, three forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, 15 interceptions, 76 passes defensed and two touchdowns.

Finding an elite corner that can hang with the league's best playmakers in a pass-happy league is challenging, but Ward has done just that.

The Browns' defense led the NFL in several categories last season, and Ward was a big reason they allowed the fewest passing yards per game (164.7).

2. Wide receiver Amari Cooper

Cleveland already proved how much it values Cooper this offseason by giving him a $5 million raise and guaranteeing him the $20 million left on his contract.

It was the right thing to do after Cooper recorded 150 catches for 2,410 yards and 14 touchdowns in the past two years. No player outside of Cooper eclipsed 650 receiving yards for the Browns last season.

That's why it wouldn't be surprising if they gave him another payday soon. General manager Andrew Berry seems confident that will happen.

"I think everybody here understands what Amari means to this organization," Berry said via 92.3 The Fan. "He's been a big part of our success. We were glad we were able to resolve the situation. Nothing that we've done would preclude us from extending him."

1. Edge-rusher Myles Garrett

It's easy to argue that Garrett is Cleveland's most valuable player, coming off an NFL Defensive Player of the Year campaign.

In 2023, he registered 14 sacks, four forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery, but he is far from finished at 28.

The three-time first-team All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowler has already smashed the Browns record books. His next challenge is making NFL history while he tries to help Cleveland win its first Super Bowl.