Cleveland Browns: 10 potential free agent reinforcements ahead of 2021 season

Cleveland Browns options at defensive line

6. Geno Atkins

Geno Atkins is a potential future Hall of Famer, but he’s also 33 years old now and injuries have slowed him down. When healthy, he can still be a quality disruptor. The question is how much money will he command?

5. Jurrell Casey

Casey has been one of the best interior defenders in the league for the past decade, but landed on injured reserve after just three games with the Denver Broncos in 2020. He’ll turn 32 during the season, and is clearly past his prime, but can still prove solid play against both the run and the pass.

4. Damon Harrison

Snacks is about to turn 33, but he’s been perhaps the league’s best run-stuffer for a good seven-plus seasons. Andrew Billings was signed to fill that role for the Browns, and while he struggled in the first preseason game, he should end up being fine. His backups, however, are entirely unproven, and Harrison could make a big impact if he’s willing to sign for cheap, like he did last year with the Seahawks and Green Bay Packers. Cleveland now qualifies as a contender, which is pretty cool.

3. Kawann Short

Another former stud past his prime, Short has played in just five games over the past two seasons after having zero injury issues over his first six years in the league. That likely pushes down his price, and he wouldn’t be an every-down player in Cleveland.

2. Everson Griffen

The Browns have had reported interest in Griffen multiple times in the past, but nothing has ever come of it. He’ll be 34 in December, but he can still play. He totaled seven sacks over 14 games with the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions last season, and is significantly more proven than any EDGE on the Browns roster not named Myles Garrett or Jadeveon Clowney.

1. Adrian Clayborn

Signed to provide good depth for the Browns last season, Clayborn struggled with injuries and an unexpectedly large role, and had his worst season in a long time. Now 33, he is reportedly considering retirement, but he does know the scheme, and maybe he’d bounce back with a smaller role and an offseason to get healthy.

Clayborn was extremely disruptive in 2019 with the Atlanta Falcons, and while it’s unlikely he’d return to that level, he’d provide more comfort at EDGE4 than the likes of Curtis Weaver, Porter Gustin, or Joe Jackson do at the moment.