Browns roster: 5 players who could become first-time Pro Bowlers

The Cleveland Browns had a great season last year culminating in a playoff bid followed by a playoff loss after winning 11 games. This year should offer more of the same.

The accolades were immense. Head coach Kevin Stefanski won his second NFL Coach of the Year Award while defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz was named Assistant Coach of the Year. On the field, Myles Garrett captured NFL Defensive Player of the Year and Joe Flacco was voted as NFL Comeback Player of the Year.

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Pro Bowls awarded were to OG Joel Bitonio – his sixth consecutive, DE Myles Garrett – his fourth, and OG Wyatt Teller – his third consecutive. Garrett also earned his third First Team All-Pro distinction. Later, JOK was chosen to replace T.J. Watt. This was JOK’s first Pro Bowl.

Selecting any All-Star squad is never an easy mission. And every year it seems like quite a few outstanding players who are having an exceptional year are left off the roster of that year’s Pro Bowl. Of course, there are only a certain number of spots and accommodation is not always on the agenda when the voting occurs.

Some players will get voted to the Pro Bowl by reputation alone despite how their current season is going. For new players trying to crack the AFC or NFC Pro Bowl roster, it can be doubly times more difficult to break through the ranks and familiarity as a first-time Pro Bowl candidate.

That should change this year with several Browns players. Here are five we here at Dawgs By Nature believe will be named to their first Pro Bowl.

S Grant Delpit

Another injured player the Browns really counted on last year, Delpit was the team’s leading tackler when he sustained a groin injury in Week 13. His numbers were 80 tackles, 1.5 sacks, four QB hits, one interception, seven pressures, two knockdowns, three hurries, and one fumble recovery. He also had seven missed tackles.

Delpit seemed to be everywhere every game and was lined up as a linebacker numerous time when Schwartz’s defense would shift into the 4-2-5. This gave the defense another sure tackler and somebody to take on taller tight ends with his 6’-3” height.

He missed four games plus the playoff game against the Houston Texans. He had six or more tackles in seven games, including two games with 10. Needless to say, his relentless pursuit abilities were sorely missed.

In 2022, he had 105 tackles. So, if Delpit had averaged six tackles in those final four games he would have had over 100 tackles for his second consecutive year.

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K Dustin Hopkins

Last year’s hamstring injury in the Week 16 win over the Houston Texans killed a tremendous season for Hopkins. He was a lock for the Pro Bowl. He was named the Special Teams Player of the Week twice and regularly kicked field goals in the 50+ range making 8-8 from that distance.

Hopkins had a banner year going 33-36 in field goal attempts for a 91.7% completion ratio. Ironically, that was better than both kickers that were selected to last year’s Pro Bowl in Justin Tucker (86.5 %) and Jason Myers (83.3%). Plainly put, he was a weapon before his injury.

What Hopkins offers the Browns coaching staff is the opportunity to collect three points when a drive stalls near midfield. He will need to have another great season to supplant Tucker who gets AFC Pro Bowl votes just for his name alone despite lesser stats.

LB Jordan Hicks

Speed is Hick’s best asset and ability to recognize whether it was run and then fill the gap. He continued his string of breaking the 100-tackle plateau last year with 107 total tackles and was healthy for another full season. This enabled him to show that he belongs as one of the Browns’ key defenders even though it will be his first season in Cleveland.

After a 91-tackle year in 2018, he then had 150, 118, 116, and 129 tackles followed by last year’s 107. How in the world has Hicks not been named to the Pro Bowl?

Hicks is about to bust the NFL defensive world by being reunited with Jim Schwartz this season where he played under Schwartz from 2016-2019.

Hicks told Sports Illustrated:

“Knowing who (Schwartz) is, knowing what he brings energy-wise, knowing what he brings mentally to a team, to a culture, and understanding his part in how to build a group of guys to achieve something special. Excited to be a part of it, and excited for another opportunity to play for him. One thing about Jim and his defense is it’s concise.”

Hicks is set to be the eyes and ears of this year’s defensive unit which was stellar last year. Now, they bring in a guy who has had 711 tackles in his last six seasons? The fact that Hicks is entering his 10^th year is a plus in that he has seen it all and remained a factor.

CB M.J. Emerson

Despite only being in the league for half a season during his rookie season, Emerson became a starter. He was consistent in training camp and proved nobody was going to outwork him. The Browns had two first-round draft picks playing the cornerback positions with Denzel Ward and Greg Newsome. Not to be deterred, Emerson controlled his environment.

In his first three games, he played 29 special teams snaps which is normally what a third-round draft pick can expect. Cleveland used the 4-2-5 defensive scheme quite a bit, placed Newsome in the slot, and started Emerson opposite Ward. Suddenly, his defensive snaps went from 18% to 98%, and was set as the starter. This continued into training camp of 2023 and the subsequent season.

Emerson had 122 total tackles in his first years in Cleveland with 29 batted passes. Though Cleveland bases in man coverage, Emerson is a Top-10 cornerback in both man and zone. Quarterbacks rarely threw in his direction, which does not involve many statistics although he did have four interceptions in 2023.

He is known for his exceptional coverage. Last year as the full-time starter, Emerson allowed just 37 or 79 targets to be completed. His passer rating against was a paltry 46.3. That Emerson was snubbed for the Pro Bowl last year was a shock with stats like this. This year, that will change.

Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images

C Ethan Pocic

It probably helps that Pocic is sandwiched between two Pro Bowl guards in Bitonio and Teller. That alone allows Pro Bowl voters the opportunity to see the cooperation that these triplets perform each game.

Pocic has had some injury issues in past seasons which has altered any voting for the Pro Bowl, but he is consistent when he suits up. He has the body of an offensive tackle but is very agile with a chiseled physique.

On the field, Pocic is all business. He does not joke around or take plays off and expects the same from his offensive line teammates. Just his demeanor. He is just as valued as the two Pro Bowl guards in that the Browns extended him before training camp last year with a three-year $18 million extension. This continues the continuity of the offensive line group.

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Last year the AFC Pro Bowl center was Creed Humphrey who plays for the Kansas City Chiefs. Many believe this achievement was tied to the fact that he snaps for QB Patrick Mahomes, and not necessarily on his playing merits. This would be Pocic’s quintessential competition for his first Pro Bowl nod.