3 free agents Cleveland Browns can’t afford to lose in 2022
By Greg Newland
Cleveland Browns Player to bring back No. 3 – Chris Hubbard or Blake Hance
I know, naming two guys is a bit of a cop-out, but Chris Hubbard has a major asterisk by his name right now. As much as I would love to see him come back, we can’t forget that he has had season-ending injuries that last two years.
If brought back, he wouldn’t be asked to start (likely), but some due diligence is definitely needed to make sure his body can hold up another year. Hubbard was a starting tackle in the league for years and has the athleticism to play the interior line as well, other than center. If healthy, Hubbard is an ideal sixth man and would be crucial to bringing back.
If the health concerns are too much, Berry must keep Blake Hance to make sure there is some depth on this team along the offensive line. Hance is a capable guy but is undersized at tackle and struggles with powerful defensive tackles on the interior.
Hance has some room for improvement with another year in the system, but Berry knows he isn’t a long-term fix. James Hudson, the Browns third-round pick in 2021, started to improve at the end of the season, but I’m not sold he is ready to be the go-to backup tackle.
Berry could be interested in an outside free agent to deepen up his offensive line, but that will likely come at a cost. Don’t be surprised to see an offensive lineman in an early round of the draft as well.