Cleveland Browns: ESPN.com gives Browns a low grade in free agency
ESPN.com recently broke down grades for each NFL team after the first week of free agency, and the Cleveland Browns ranked among the bottom of the league.
NFL free agency has been open for a week, giving everyone time to take in all that has happened.
The Cleveland Browns were very active a week ago, doing everything from bolstering the offensive line, to bringing Brock Osweiler to town, although he isn’t expected to stay for long.
There was also the loss of Terrelle Pryor, although the signing of Kenny Britt seemed to be a lateral move that shouldn’t result in too much of a loss in production next year, given Corey Coleman and the other young receivers step up in their second year in the NFL.
ESPN.com Browns writer Pat McManamon recently handed out a grade for the Browns after one week of free agency, and he doesn’t seem to be too impressed. He gave the Browns a “C-minus” after all the moves, which is a bit lower than how we here at Dawg Pound Daily saw things.
McManamon breaks down all the arrivals and departures, but the reason for his grade revolves around the quarterback position. Per the article:
"The bottom line with all these moves is that the team’s quarterback position remains a gigantic unknown, and the roster overall still has some needs, though the team does have an extra second-round pick in 2018 thanks to the machinations of the trade with Houston that included Osweiler."
The quarterback position was indeed not addressed, but it seems like the team is focusing on fixing that in the NFL Draft. That may not instill confidence in fans who have seen so many drafted quarterbacks flop after a year or two, but it doesn’t mean another team’s backup would have been a better option.
The current front office is not one that is committed to building through free agency, as draft picks have been accrued to build the team through the draft. It may not be the best option, but it is the one the team is going with right now.
Next: Building around Kessler in 2017
Giving a low grade for their free agent pursuits may not be valid, as it was never the plan to spend big in March. The most important grade will be for how the front office drafts, as that is where much of the team will be built for years to come.