(Clockwise from top left) Christian Kirksey, Joel Bitonio, Sashi Brown, Joe Thomas, Brock Osweiler, Cody Kessler.

cleveland.com photos

Browns offseason winners

CLEVELAND, Ohio – What’s that? You didn’t know anybody could win an offseason? Of course they can. If you’re a Browns fan, you should know that already. After all, draft picks and the hiring of new coaches/GMs have been some of the franchise’s biggest wins (at least at the time) since the team returned in 1999.

As the 2017 offseason winds down (just 14 more days until training camp begins in Berea), let’s take a look at who won the Browns’ offseason. I’ve ranked our candidates from 10 to one below. At the end, you can vote in the poll and tell me who you think won the offseason.

First, a couple ground rules:

1. No rookies. You have to play an NFL season before you officially get an NFL offseason.

2. The offseason for the Browns began the moment their Week 17 loss to the Steelers ended.

That’s it. Here’s my ranking of Browns offseason winners.

- By Scott Patsko, cleveland.com

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Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com

10. CHRISTIAN KIRKSEY

If you sign a four-year contract extension worth $38 million, including $20 guaranteed, you’re an offseason winner. Kirksey did just that in May.

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Rashard Higgins (top) and Ricardo Louis (bottom) celebrate the Browns' win against the Chargers last season.

John Kuntz, cleveland.com

9. RICARDO LOUIS/RASHARD HIGGINS

The Browns lost Terrelle Pryor in free agency and replaced him with Kenny Britt. Then they passed on wide receivers in the draft, and passed on a couple notable names late in free agency. That puts Louis and/or Higgins in line for a substantial increase in playing time this season.

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Joe Haden (23) talks with Jamar Taylor.

John Kuntz, cleveland.com

8. JOE HADEN

Nobody had better seats for Cavs playoff games than Haden, so he makes our list. He's also here because he had one of the best Gregg Williams anecdotes we heard this offseason.

"When I first got here, I went to his office and we talked for a while," Haden said. "He told me, 'If you didn't play through your injury, I would tell them to get you out of here.'"

View this post on Instagram GameDay A post shared by joehaden23 (@joehaden23) on Jun 12, 2017 at 4:22pm PDT

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Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com

7. JOEL BITONIO

Bitonio missed the final 11 games last season after breaking his foot. That gave him 17 missed games over the last two seasons. But good news came the first day of free agency when he signed a five-year, $47.5 million contract extension, which included $23 million in guaranteed money.

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6. KEVIN ZEITLER

Biggest. Guard. Contract. Ever. Period. (Also, he's so committed to his craft that he was training on vacation in Bora Bora.)

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5. GREGG WILLIAMS

The new defensive coordinator made a splash during his introductory press conference, sparring with local media and offering up his philosophy on a number of things (no slouching in chairs!). Williams went on to display his colorful vocabulary during offseason workouts, and even proved to be a scene-stealer on NFL Films' "All or Nothing" documentary about the Rams.

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Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com

4. CODY KESSLER

Where to start? Kessler outlasted both Robert Griffin III and Josh McCown. He avoided having to compete with a rookie picked in the first round (or even No. 1 overall). Hue Jackson anointed him the man to beat in offseason workouts. And, he reshaped his body by committing to eating the same thing every day for almost three months.

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John Kuntz, cleveland.com

3. SASHI BROWN

Front offices make their money in the offseason, and Brown certainly went to work in 2017. He rebuilt the offensive line in free agency, locked up key players with contact extensions, maneuvered for three first-round draft picks, and set the stage for a big draft haul in 2018.

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John Kuntz, cleveland.com

2. BROCK OSWEILER

Osweiler’s career seemed to have run into a dead end in Texas. Even after he was traded to the Browns, it didn’t seem likely he would even take a practice snap in Berea. But there he was, having his moments during offseason workouts. As training camp nears, Osweiler seems as much in the running to be the Week 1 starter as anybody, and he’s getting a cool $16 million no matter what happens. Oh, and he became a father.

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John Kuntz, cleveland.com

1. JOE THOMAS

What did Thomas do this offseason? What didn’t he do?

He played in his 10th Pro Bowl. He got new and exciting teammates on the offensive line. He made NFL Networks' list of top 100 players (again). He appeared on Family Feud and knew that most people surveyed said that the bathroom is the best place to cry. He took the best photo during team picture day. And also dominated on Twitter.

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You can hug him, but he never hugs back. #civilwarface pic.twitter.com/et8sdjz9nC — Joe Thomas (@joethomas73) April 21, 2017

Window gets an armrest & a wall. Middle gets 2 armrests. Aisle gets an armrest & little extra leg. We're not animals, we live in a society — Joe Thomas (@joethomas73) May 17, 2017

YOUR CHOICE

You’ve seen my selections. Check out the poll below and let me know who you think won the Browns’ offseason.

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<a href="http://polldaddy.com/poll/9787224/">Who won the Browns' 2017 offseason?</a>