CLEVELAND — This past weekend, Cleveland Browns legendary left tackle Joe Thomas became the first player to have played for the franchise since its return to the NFL in 1999 to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
And while it might be a while until the next modern Browns player is enshrined in Canton, Cleveland's current roster currently contains multiple potential candidates.
With that in mind, let's take a look at five players on the Browns' 2023 roster who could one day join Joe Thomas in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Myles Garrett
Through his first six seasons in the NFL, Myles Garrett is clearly on a Hall of Fame trajectory.
The No. 1 pick of the 2017 NFL Draft, Garrett is already the Browns' leading sack getter with 74.5 to his credit. With two first-team and two second-team All-Pro selections, as well as four Pro Bowl nods, the Texas A&M product is already writing a Hall of Fame-caliber resume, which should only get stronger as he continues his career.
According to Pro Football Reference, Garrett possesses a Hall of Fame monitor score of 39.45, with the average Hall of Fame defensive end possessing a score of 104. Considering his currently trajectory, that's a realistic -- if not inevitable -- threshold for the 27-year-old to reach, as he should surpass the Hall of Fame defensive end with the lowest score (Fred Dean at 43.85) by the end of the 2023 campaign.
Joel Bitonio
Perhaps the next Browns player to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame will happen to be the player who Thomas spent the final four seasons of his career playing next to.
Joel Bitonio may not have the same snap streak as Thomas, but he has helped anchor Cleveland's offensive line in a similar fashion. Since being selected in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft, the Nevada product has served as the Browns' starting left guard, playing 100 percent of Cleveland's regular-season offensive snaps since the start of the 2016 season.
In the past few years, Bitonio has really bolstered his Hall of Fame resume, earning two first-team All-Pro, three second-team All-Pro and five consecutive Pro Bowl selections. His Hall of Fame monitor score of 43.43 is the highest of any current Browns player and not far off from Hall of Famer Tom Mack's score of 59.50.
Nick Chubb
There's no questioning that Nick Chubb is one of the best offensive players in the NFL and has played at a Hall of Fame level since entering the league in 2018.
The question, however, is how much longevity will the Georgia product be able to build an how will Hall of Fame voters view running backs in the modern era?
Since his rookie season in 2018, Chubb has amassed the second-most rushing yards (6,341) in the NFL, trailing only Derrick Henry. A four-time Pro Bowl and one-time second-team All-Pro selection, his Hall of Fame monitor score (25.93) remains well below the average score for a Hall of Fame running back (107), as well as the lowest scoring running back (Floyd Little's 40.25) to be enshrined in Canton.
As he enters his sixth season, it's fair to wonder just how much Chubb has left in the tank. It's also worth questioning whether Hall of Fame voters will readjust their threshold for running backs in the modern era who have had shorter careers.
Amari Cooper
Amari Cooper has never been one of the most dominant wide receivers in the NFL, but he has been one of the most consistent. Since entering the league in 2016, the Alabama product ranks eighth in receiving yards and touchdowns and ninth in receptions behind a list of likely future Hall of Famers including Davante Adams, Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill, Mike Evans, Stefon Diggs and DeAndre Hopkins.
A four-time Pro Bowl selection, Cooper's Hall of Fame monitor score of 32.43 trails Hall of Fame inductee Tommy McDonald's score of 55.45 and the average wide receiver inductee's score of 104. Whether or not the 29-year-old Cooper will wind up in Canton likely depends on how his game ages and his connection with...
Deshaun Watson
While he may not be the Browns' best player, it would be tough to argue that there's a more important player for Cleveland this season than Deshaun Watson. After serving an 11-game suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy in 2022, the 3-time Pro Bowl selection was underwhelming in his first six games as the Browns' starting quarterback, leaving many to wonder which version of the Clemson product Cleveland will see in 2023.
Still, during his time with the Houston Texans, Watson was one of the best quarterbacks in the league and appeared to be on a Hall of Fame trajectory. Entering 2023, the 27-year-old's Hall of Fame monitor score stands at 24.38, with Jim Kelly possessing the lowest score of any inductee at 59.10.
While Watson has work to do on the field to return to a Hall of Fame-caliber level and off the field to rehabilitate his image, he still has plenty of time left to write his resume. And if he can return to the Pro Bowl level he played at in Houston, it's not out of the realm of possibility to think his legacy will find a permanent home in Northeast Ohio.