Cleveland Browns: 15 best free agent acquisitions of all-time

It’s always a good thing when the Browns can poach a talented player away from a divisional rival. This is exactly what they did in 2007 when they signed guard Eric Steinbach away from the Cincinnati Bengals. The former Iowa star began his career with the Bengals, as the No. 33 overall pick was a day one starter for them.

He was primarily a left guard, but did play some outside as a tackle, while also taking some snaps at center. His versatility and non-stop motor made him a favorite of the coaching staff. Steinbach was also considered a top-10 free agent once he hit the open market in 2007.

Cleveland targeted Steinbach and signed him the day that free agency opened. Steinbach and the Browns agreed to a massive seven-year, $49.5 million deal (with $17 million guaranteed) — which made him one of the highest-paid offensive linemen in the entire league at the time. And Steinbach didn’t disappoint.

He quickly became a steadying force on a team that was better than anticipated. He started at left guard, right next to No. 3 overall pick Joe Thomas. Both players made the Pro Bowl that season, as Cleveland was able to win 10 games. To date, it’s still their last winning season and a big reason for that was their talented offensive line.

Steinbach didn’t finish out his entire contract, as the team released him after the 2011 season. He ended up retiring after that, but still proved to be a great signing for the Browns. He started every game for them, while missing just two contests during his four seasons in Cleveland.