Does a Cleveland Browns and Carl Nassib reunion make sense?

With a new but familiar front office in place, the Cleveland Browns could look to bring back several former Browns, including Carl Nassib.

After John Dorsey took over as the Cleveland Browns general manager in December 2017, he quickly turned over the roster compiled by Sashi Brown. One of the more surprising decisions was to waive Carl Nassib prior to the start of the 2018 season.

Nassib never emerged as a three-down defensive end for the Browns. He was able to make an impact in a small role as a pass rushing specialist. However, Dorsey felt that there was an opportunity to improve with Nassib’s roster spot.

In 30 games with the Browns, including 15 starts, Nassib compiled 52 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, and nine passes defensed. After being waived by the Browns, Nassib was quickly snagged off waivers by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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Nassib made his presence felt with the Buccaneers as he became a key player for their defense. After serving as a role player and impacting the game in only a few ways with the Browns, Nassib became more of a complete player with the Buccaneers.

In 29 games with Tampa Bay, including 17 starts, Nassib made 63 total tackles, 20 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and two passes defensed. Nassib was named a captain for the Buccaneers in 2019.

After his strong stint in Tampa Bay, Nassib will be entering free agency this offseason. His solid performance over the last two seasons should help Nassib generate interest around the league and earn him a solid contract.

With a front office in Cleveland that is consisted of members who were with the regime that drafted Nassib in 2016, it would not be surprising if the Browns are one of the teams interested in signing Nassib in free agency.

Not only is the Browns front office familiar with Nassib and liked him enough to draft him, Nassib also plays a positional need for the Browns. Under Dorsey, the Browns lost a lot of their depth on the defensive line.

Adding to the defensive end group should be an area of focus for the Browns, especially if they decide to part ways with Olivier Vernon in the offseason. Signing Nassib would certainly provide a boost for the Cleveland defensive line.

Nassib would not need to solely be used as a pass rusher, as he improved his run defense. He would be able to play a large percentage of Cleveland’s snaps, but can also be used in a rotation to stay fresh.

Andrew Berry said he would be aggressive in adding talent to the roster, and Nassib should be a player they consider adding. He is starting to grow into his potential and he would address a key need for the Browns defense.