As Browns general manager Andrew Berry stated in his end of the season press conference on Monday, “the only constant in the NFL is change.”

Cleveland faces plenty of that this offseason with a laundry list of free agents to be and numerous other decisions looming large in the months ahead.

It’s nothing new for Berry, but the decisions that await him will be key in setting the tone for the 2024 season.

At this time last year, the top of Berry’s priority consisted of completely remaking the Browns defensive line.

He pulled it off with additions like DT Dalvin Tomlinson, DE Ogbo Okoronkwo and DE Za’Darius Smith, among others.

The latter of those however, is now scheduled to enter free agency and with a hefty salary cap bill to navigate, there’s no guarantee Smith is back with Cleveland next season.

Smith finds himself near the top of a free agent class of edge rushers that’s headline with by his former Vikings teammate Danielle Hunter, currently coming off a 16.5 sack season.

Some other names near the top of that group include the Broncos, Randy Gregory, the Giants, Leonard Williams and the 49ers, Chase Young, who is in the final year of his rookie contract after having his fifth-year option declined by Washington.

Believe it or not, Smith and Chase had fairly comparable seasons in 2023, with Smith compiling 5.5 sacks, 27 tackles, eight for a loss, 20 QB hits and a total of 29 pressures.

Young actually came in below Smith in all those categories except sacks, where he finished with two more than Smith.

Now, the biggest thing Young has going for him is that he’s seven year’s younger than Smith, who is obviously on the wrong side of 30.