Cleveland Browns: 4 veteran free agents to fill 4 biggest needs

3. Denico Autry, EDGE

If the Browns are looking to save some money on an edge rusher, they could look in Denico Autry’s direction. Autry is currently on the Indianapolis Colts and has been there since 2018. At 30 years old, Autry is getting closer to the end of his career and has most likely passed the peak of his production, but he could still be a great playmaker for the Browns defense.

The Browns defensive line has a lot of uncertainty and could go in several different directions. Olivier Vernon tore his Achilles tendon in week 17 this past season. That is a devastating injury for someone at his age and he will likely miss the majority — if not all — of the 2021 season. Larry Ogunjobi is going to be a free agent this Summer, and the Browns may want to consider moving on from Sheldon Richardson and his huge cap hit.

The good thing about Autry is that he is more versatile than just an edge rusher. Autry played a good amount of his snaps last season as a three-technique as well as on the outside. This just goes to show that you can move him almost anywhere along the defensive line. He is a swiss-army-knife type of defender and the Browns could put him wherever is needed.

Autry has played seven seasons in the NFL so far and he’s recorded 30.5 sacks in that time. If the Browns choose to put him on the line alongside Myles Garrett, Denico Autry may be able to produce most of what the Browns lost with Olivier Vernon going down.