The Browns still don't know if they will face the Eagles in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Friday night of opening weekend.
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
(Last in a series.)
The Browns’ nine road games in 2024 could start with the longest road trip in their franchise history – 5,000 miles to Sao Paulo, Brazil, to play the Philadelphia Eagles.
We hedge and say could because the NFL still has not announced if it will be the Browns v. Eagles or Green Bay Packers v. Eagles on Friday night of opening weekend.
As of Tuesday, the Browns still didn’t know if they’d be featured in the first NFL game in 50 years on a Friday night and the first-ever NFL game in Brazil.
They’re enthusiastic about the possibility, though. If nothing else, playing the Eagles on a neutral field is better than playing them in their home Lincoln Financial Field.
In this last part of our series, we review the transaction season of all Browns road opponents in 2024 prior to the draft.
In Part 1 we reviewed the Browns’ division rivals. In Part 2, we reviewed their home opponents.
Denver Broncos
Key players added: S Brandon Jones, DT Malcolm Roach, LB Cody Barton, OT Matt Peart, WR Josh Reynolds, OG Ben Powers.
Re-signed: S P.J. Locke, K Will Lutz, FB Michael Burton, TE Adam Trautman, WR L’il Jordan Humphrey, LB Justin Strnad.
Key players lost: QB Russell Wilson, S Justin Simmons, WR Jerry Jeudy (trade), C Lloyd Cushenberry, LB Josey Jewell.
Eight draft picks: Nos. 12, 76, 121, 136, 145, 147, 203, 207.
Analysis: After bullying Wilson out of town, coach Sean Payton may have to settle for quarterbacks Bo Nix or Michael Penix in the draft to compete with Jarrett Stidham. In any case, Payton’s rebuild is likely to result in a step back from last year’s 8-9 team.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Key players added: QB Mac Jones (trade), C Mitch Morse, WR Gabe Davis, S Darnell Savage, WR Devin Duvenay, CB Ronald Darby, DT Arik Armstead, K Joey Slye.
Re-signed: DE Josh Allen, OG Ezra Cleveland, S Daniel Thomas, DT Jeremiah Ledbetter, DB D’Ernest Johnson.
Key players lost: WR Calvin Ridley, DT Foley Fatukasi, CB Darious Williams, S Rayshawn Jenkins.
Eight draft picks: Nos. 17, 48, 96, 114, 116, 153, 212, 236.
Analysis: They were extremely active after fading to second place in a weak division. Everything hinges on QB Trevor Lawrence’s ability to reverse a Year 2 setback in the Doug Pederson offense.
Las Vegas Raiders
Key players added: DT Christian Wilkins, QB Gardner Minshew, TE Harrison Bryant, RB Alexander Mattison.
Re-signed: RB Ameer Abdullah, C Andre James, DT Adam Butler, DT John Jenkins.
Key players lost: RB Josh Jacobs, QB Brian Hoyer, QB Jimmy Garoppolo, DT Jerry Tillery, WR Hunter Renfrow.
Eight draft picks: Nos. 13, 44, 77, 112, 148, 208, 223, 229.
Analysis: Once Antonio Pierce had the interim tag removed from his head coach title, the Raiders pursued two initiatives – strengthening the defensive line and revamping the quarterback room. They are a tougher football team as a result.
New Orleans Saints
Key players added: FB Zander Horvath, LB Willie Gay, QB Nathan Peterman, WR Cedrick Wilson, WR Stanley Morgan, DE Chase Young, OT Oli Udoh.
Re-signed: None.
Key players lost: QB Jameis Winston, S Marcus Maye, WR Michael Thomas, OG Andrus Peat, TE Jimmy Graham.
Nine draft picks: Nos. 14, 45, 150, 168, 170, 175, 190, 199, 239.
Analysis: Desperately trying to fit QB Derek Carr with an offense he can operate, the Saints added coordinator Klint Kubiak to implement the play-action passing game his father, Gary, learned from Mike Shanahan and passed down to Kevin Stefanski, among others.
Philadelphia Eagles
Key players added: DE Julian Okwara, DE Bryce Huff, RB Saquon Barkley, DE Zack Baun, OG Matt Hennessy, WR DeVante Parker, S C.J. Gardner, LB Devin White, QB Kenny Pickett (trade), WR Parris Campbell.
Re-signed: TE Albert Okwuegbunam, DE Brandon Graham.
Key players lost: C Jason Kelce, DT Fletcher Cox, S Kevin Byard, CB Avonte Maddox.
Eight draft picks: Nos. 22, 50, 53, 120, 161, 171, 172, 210.
Analysis: Just two years removed from a Super Bowl appearance, Nick Sirianni had to change both coordinators to keep his job. GM Howie Roseman then shook up the roster. Ultimately, new OC Kellen Moore has to return QB Jalen Hurts to 2022 form or more heads will roll.
Washington Commanders
Key players added: TE Zach Ertz, DT Dorance Armstrong, DE Dante Fowler, C Tyler Biadasz, LB Frankie Luvu, RB Austin Ekeler, K Brandon McManus, OG Nick Allegretti, DE Clelin Ferrell, QB Marcus Mariota, S Jeremy Chinn, LB Bobby Wagner, DE Anthony Pittman, CB Noah Igbinoghene, CB Michael Davis, OT Cornelius Lucas.
Re-signed: S Jeremy Reaves, DE Efe Obada.
Key players lost: OT Charles Leno, TE Logan Thomas, C Nick Gates, QB Sam Howell (trade), QB Jacoby Brissett.
Nine draft picks: Nos. 2, 36, 40, 67, 78, 100, 139, 152, 222.
Analysis: So in his second year as owner, Josh Harris pulled out his checkbook. With a league-high $90 million available in cap space, the Commanders signed 16 new players in free agency – mostly on conservative, short-term deals. Now they own a league-high six draft picks in the top 100, including No. 2 overall, which is expected to be used on Heisman Trophy winning-QB Jayden Daniels of LSU.