Cleveland Browns: Will free agency bring more excitement?
By Randy Gurzi
The Cleveland Browns made four trades this weekend, and with free agency opening soon will they look to make another big splash?
A quiet Friday afternoon was turned upside down when the Cleveland Browns decided to start making some serious trades. First they went for wide receiver Jarvis Landry, followed by quarterback Tyrod Taylor and finally defensive back Damarious Randall.
They also sent a couple players away as quarterback DeShone Kizer left in the Randal deal and then nose tackle Danny Shelton went to the New England Patriots on Saturday. The plethora of moves makes sense as general manager John Dorsey wants to significantly alter the roster following a 1-31 record over the past two seasons.
With that record and Dorsey’s claim the previous regime didn’t draft real players, the question becomes whether or not the team is done. While the trades may die down, the Browns could still wind up making a splash in free agency when it kicks off on Wednesday, Mar. 14 at 4:00 p.m. EST.
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While Cleveland added some big money to their roster in the deals, they still are second in the NFL in cap space at $77 million according to Spotrac. That’s plenty of money to go after a big name player and the recent moves make them a more attractive destination as they try and convince those players to sign on.
One name to keep an eye on is Trumaine Johnson. The former Los Angeles Rams cornerback has ties to the Browns as he played his best football under Gregg Williams, the current defensive coordinator in Cleveland.
Other possibilities could open if Dorsey isn’t done trading the players brought in by his predecessor, Sashi Brown. One name that keeps getting rumored is receiver Corey Coleman. If he does end up getting dealt, the Browns could look at Taylor’s former teammate Sammy Watkins or possibly Paul Richardson from the Seattle Seahawks.
Next: Looking for wins amid the flurry of Browns trades
One thing’s for sure though, Dorsey isn’t done trying to make a splash. Hopefully that leads to them putting up some more wins going forward rather than just giving them the title of offseason champions.