3 Free agents Cleveland Browns could still sign in August
By Randy Gurzi
1. Alec Ogletree, Linebacker
After the way Andrew Berry got things done this offseason, Browns fans have to feel rather excited about their roster. Berry landed Jack Conklin in free agency and Jedrick Wills in the drat to shore up their offensive line. He also picked up Karl Joseph and Andrew Sendejo in free agency while drafting Grant Delpit which improved the safety position.
Those are just a couple of the moves Berry made but the point is, he aggressively went after positions of need and improved them. Or at least he did for the most part.
One area where Cleveland actually looks worse than a season before is at linebacker. Joe Schobert walked in free agency and the Browns also elected to release Christian Kirksey who was struggling to stay healthy in recent seasons. There were reasons for both moves but the fact is, it left them thin at linebacker.
As it stands now, Mack Wilson and Sione Takitaki could be the top two linebackers. Rookie Jacob Phillips and veteran free agent pickup B.J. Goodson are also in the mix but there’s not a lot of confidence in this group as a whole. For that reason, they could look to add a veteran such as Alec Ogletree.
Picked No. 30 overall by the Rams back in 2013, Ogletree spent the past two seasons with the New York Giants — which came after five seasons with the St.Louis/Los Angeles Rams. He’s started every game he’s played, including 26 over the past two seasons for New York.
He’s also been one of the better tackling linebackers, three times topping the 100-tackle mark and recording 173 over the past two seasons with the Giants. Even better has been his ability to take the ball away, evidenced by his 12 career picks — five of which came in 2018.
Ogletree might not have the name recognition he once did but he would be the best linebacker on the Browns if they decided to give him a shot as the season prepares to get underway.