The first day of the NFL’s free agency, popularly known as the period of legal adulteration, ended without much activity from the Cleveland Browns. GM Andrew Berry and the Browns made a big move by agreeing to John Johnson’s safety terms, but this is the only player coming in after the first day.
The Browns still need a pass rusher to line up against Myles Garrett, a position that many expected Cleveland to address prominently in the free agency. This did not happen on the first day, a time when there was a frenzy of spending on league brokers.
Some of the deals are crazy money, contracts that the Browns are smart not to compete with or distribute. Some potential targets mentioned prominently for Cleveland ended up receiving much more money from other teams than the Browns would rationally spend.
Take the case of Trey Hendrickson. The Saints’ highlight is going to Cincinnati for $ 60 million over four years. It’s a huge amount of money for a player with 20 bags in four seasons. More than half – 13.5 to be exact – came in their contract season playing almost exclusively in passing situations.
Would Hendrickson help the Browns? Absolutely. But at this price? That would cut any potential Baker Mayfield extensions, or other ways the team must spend to keep the young emerging candidate’s core intact.
Hendrickson replaces Carl Lawson in Cincinnati. Lawson would have looked great in a Brown uniform, no doubt. But he’s being PAID by the Jets,
For the #Jets and Carl Lawson: 3 years, $ 45 million with $ 30 million guaranteed. Up to $ 47.4 million. Great deal. https://t.co/JbL2TsViT0
– Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 16, 2021
A $ 15 million a year deal to be No. 2 for Garrett in Cleveland is simply not a viable option, at least not in the long run. It is difficult to justify paying so much for a second violin. Someone who can command this type of contract is unlikely to be able to hold a second violin for long.
There were several important deals to go through on Monday:
Pass-rushers …
Shaq Barrett: 4 years, $ 68 million
Bud Dupree: 5 years, $ 82.5 million
Trey Hendrickson: 4 years, $ 60 million
Matt Judon: 4 years, $ 56 million
Carl Lawson: 3 years, $ 45 million
Leonard Floyd: 4 years, $ 64 million
Yannick Ngakoue: 2 years, $ 26 million
Romeo Okwara: 3 years, $ 39 million* Structure / guarantees always tell the complete story.
– NFL Update (@MySportsUpdate) March 16, 2021
Olivier Vernon had to cut his pay to stay with Cleveland in the off-season and it worked both ways, thankfully. Expect the Browns to learn from this experience that high-level pay isn’t necessary to get the kind of fast-paced production and overall game level that Vernon skillfully provided in 2020.
The Browns showed great interest in guys like Jadeveon Clowney and JJ Watt during Berry’s reign at GM. Clowney is still there a year after failing to hit a single bag; I hope that passion has disappeared.
The market must stabilize now. Fewer teams need newcomers to the position, and the number of teams that can pay for the remaining guys is also much less than it was at the beginning of the legal adulteration period. The remaining names are not premium players, but it looks like the Browns are doing well for not paying for two premium defensive ends. Among those who can still help the Browns:
- Takkarist McKinley
- Tarell Basham
- Haason Reddick
- Carlos Dunlap
There is also the draft next month, and the Browns are on a track in the first round where they should be able to get an instant start on EDGE, if they so choose. This is no time to panic – it is a day after all – and Berry and the Browns are smart and patient enough to let the market reach them.