Cleveland Browns: 5 best remaining free agent fits ahead of 2021 camp
By Sam Penix
Five free agents still on the market who could help the Cleveland Browns in 2021
The 2021 NFL Draft is over, and the Cleveland Browns are preparing for training camp. Their roster is currently at 90 players, with the vast majority of the final 53-man team fairly easy to predict. However, there are still needs for Cleveland, and there are still good players available on the free-agent market to fill them. Here are five of the best fits remaining.
Honorable mention: EDGE Olivier Vernon
It’s a crying shame that Olivier Vernon suffered a torn Achilles in Week 17. He was playing extremely well for the Browns, clearly, the team’s best defensive player since Myles Garrett began having injury and COVID-19 issues after the first quarter of the season. Vernon was a steady presence on a defensive line that underachieved for the most part, and was playing himself into a new contract with the team.
Achilles injuries are devastating, especially for older players; Vernon will turn 31 in October, and his recovery time could easily take a calendar year before he’s back to full strength, and it’s unlikely that he will be back to the player he was before getting hurt.
Vernon was a leader for this team and one of its most important players. If he’s back to even 50% effectiveness and in game shape late in the season, he could be a real shot in the arm for a Browns playoff run, providing an upgrade over the final EDGE on the roster, which seems like a contest between Porter Gustin, Curtis Weaver, and Malik McDowell. The team is likely to keep four or five, with Myles Garrett, Jadeveon Clowney, and Takk McKinley taking the first three spots.
The value of leadership and cultural impact has been a hotly debated topic as of late. Vernon provides both of those, in addition to quality and impactful play on the field. As end-of-the-roster support on a Super Bowl run, he’d be a welcome re-addition to the squads, and a return makes sense for him; if he wants to keep playing, he’ll need to show other teams he can still play, and what better placed to do that than Cleveland. He knows the coaches, players, and system already, and wouldn’t need to play every down. It makes too much sense as late-season reinforcement, as long as he’s able to come back strong.