Cleveland Browns: 5 trade targets in event of a Saints fire sale

3. DT David Onyemata

There aren’t many good options at defensive tackle this offseason, which is disappointing for the Browns because it’s a position they must address. Larry Ogunjobi is a free agent, and Sheldon Richardson’s $13.6 million cap hit is a high price for his production. Ideally, the team would move on from Richardson and upgrade from Ogunjobi in the process, but it’s going to be very difficult to do either.

Onyemata signed a three-year $26 million contract with the Saints last offseason, and promptly had the best campaign of his career. He’s a strong run defender and a good pass rusher, and is still in his prime at 28 years old. He’d provide a significant upgrade over any other DT currently on the Browns roster, and would allow the team to replace Ogunjobi with a low-cost free agent or a late-round rookie, if they don’t end up bringing back Vincent Taylor.

For what he provides on the field, Onyemata’s contract is a bargain, and he’d cost the Browns a little over half of what Richardson did in 2020. Again, the Saints would certainly like to keep him around, but they aren’t really in a position to pick and choose here. They are going to have to jettison a ton of talent, and Onyemata is one player Cleveland should be very interested in.