Are the Cleveland Browns really considering Larry Warford?
By Greg Newland
Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry has been aggressive this offseason, upgrading the offense and defense. Is he considering adding a Pro Bowl guard to the list?
After the 2020 NFL draft, Cleveland Browns fans finally feel comfortable with the state of the offensive line as is. Rookie Jedrick Wills and free agent signee Jack Conklin will start at tackle with Joel Bitonio at left guard and J.C. Tretter at center. After giving up 40 sacks last season, Andrew Berry focused on improving the unit and has done just that.
Right guard appears to be the only position up for grabs, but it will be a highly contested battle between 2019 starter Wyatt Teller and Drew Forbes. There is also an outside chance that last year’s starting right tackle, Chris Hubbard, could also be thrown into the race. A little competition never hurt anyone and could bring out the best in one of these three options.
There would be no arguments from any fan that right guard will be the weakest spot on the offensive line next year. Given the depth of the Browns roster, right guard may be the weakest position on the entire offense. Odell Beckham and Jarvis Landry at wide receiver, Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt at running back, and Austin Hooper and David Njoku at tight end are as good as any offensive unit in the NFL. Not to mention Baker Mayfield at quarterback, who has shown he can be a top performer in the past.
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The real question is, can the Browns afford free agent guard Larry Warford? The short answer is yes, but the long answer is much more complicated. Warford made over $8 million in 2019 and was definitely a cap casualty for the New Orleans Saints.
The Browns have $38 million of money to spend, but remember, rookies have yet to be signed for 2020. Additionally, it appears the Browns are going to have to pay Myles Garrett $25 million per year in an extension soon. Garrett is certainly worth that, but cap space for the Browns isn’t as much as it may appear on paper.
What does that mean? The Browns should have an interest in Warford, but only at the right price. If you ask any fan of each NFL team, very few would say they don’t need a Pro Bowl offensive lineman added to the roster. If the Browns were able to get this done, they would likely have four of their top-10 salaries on the offensive line for 2020 with Warford likely demanding at least $10 million per year.
A deal for Warford would be heavily front-loaded and a shorter term, similar to Conklin’s to save cap room for extensions with Garrett and Mayfield in the next 12 months. This is a lower risk move with a player who has proven he can play at the highest level for three straight seasons.
dark. Next. Browns predicted to have a mediocre season in 2020
While the Browns should certainly go after Warford, someone will likely be willing to pay more for his services, making Cleveland an unlikely landing spot. Who knows, maybe Berry and Kevin Stefanski will dazzle Warford on the phone and convince him the Browns are going for it all now. With a quarterback on a rookie deal, the Browns certainly need to act that way.