Are the Cleveland Browns done making significant free agent signings?
By Dan Justik
The Cleveland Browns started the free agency period with a bang, but the talk surrounding the team making other signings have quieted down.
When the NFL’s new league year opened March 13, the Cleveland Browns were the talk of the league. They had just traded for wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and Olivier Vernon, and also signed defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson.
Cleveland entered the off-season as one of the teams with the most cap space available with roughly $80 million in cap space. But after those moves, the Browns took a large chunk out of their cap space, with the team having roughly $35 million currently available.
Even after making those additions, the Browns still have some holes on the roster that should be addressed before training camp. Most notably adding a strong safety and an outside linebacker should be the team’s priorities.
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At this point in free agency, there are still talented players available at both of those positions who would fill the Browns’ needs. Players such as Tre Boston, Eric Berry, Zach Brown, and Brandon Marshall are all still without a team.
But with the second wave of free agency underway, Cleveland Browns general manager John Dorsey does not seem to be too urgent in adding the top remaining free agents available. Instead, he seems more focused on adding depth.
The most recent move by Dorsey and the Browns was to continue to build their offensive line depth, signing Bryan Witzmann, who started seven games for the Chicago Bears in 2018. He joins Eric Kush and Kendall Lamm as offensive line free agent signings by the Browns this off-season.
Because the Browns appear to be all-in on trying to make the playoffs this season, it would make sense for Dorsey to use his cap space and sign one of the top remaining free agents. However, it seems that Dorsey wants to maintain the cap space instead of making splash signings in free agency.
Dorsey may have plans to address the remaining holes on the roster with his eight draft picks in the 2019 NFL Draft. So instead of taking another chunk out of his cap space for a free agent signing, Dorsey may look to fill the holes with a rookie on a cheap contract.
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So even with free agent options who would improve the Browns’ roster still available, it seems Dorsey is more focused on adding depth at this point of the free agency period. He may make some more impactful free agent later on in the off-season, but he may want to see how his cards fall in the draft before making another big signing.