The Cleveland Browns will be looking to fill out their roster in free agency and there will be some familiar faces available in the 2023 offseason
There are holes on both sides of the roster for the Cleveland Browns and without a pick in Round 1, it will be imperative that they land some contributors in free agency. One way to make sure they know what they’re getting would be to sign players who were once part of the franchise.
Here, we look at four free agents that spent time in Cleveland that would make sense as targets this offseason.
4 former Browns free agents who could be brought back in 2023
4. Carl Nassib, EDGE
Back in 2016, the Browns added Carl Nassib out of Penn State via the third round of the NFL Draft. At 6-foot-7 and 275 pounds, he gave them a strong defensive end that could hold up in the run game while also offering the occasional pass rush.
He spent two seasons with the Browns and had 52 tackles and 5.5 sacks before being a surprise cut ahead of the 2018 season. That was clearly a bad move by John Dorsey since Nassib landed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and had 12.5 sacks over the next two seasons.
From there, he went to the Las Vegas Raiders for two more years, and while he wasn’t as effective, he was still a capable rotational defensive end.
Nassib returned to Tampa Bay in 2022 and had 23 tackles and 3.5 sacks. He’s again a free agent and would be a solid addition. He wouldn’t be a permanent starter across from Myles Garrett but he would be able to fill in should he be needed — and would be an excellent rotational player.
3. Larry Ogunjobi, DT
If the pattern holds true, Larry Ogunjobi will actually sign with the Baltimore Ravens this offseason. A former third-round pick from Charlotte, Ogunjobi spent 2020 with the Browns, 2021 with the Cincinnati Bengals, and 2022 with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
That means he can make it four-for-four in the AFC North by signing in Baltimore. Or, perhaps the Browns can bring him back for another season.
Ogunjobi appeared to be a star in the making early in his career as he had 52 tackles and 5.5 sacks in 2018 playing the 3-tech. He was moved to the 1-tech in 2019 when Sheldon Richardson was signed and while his numbers were nearly identical (50 tackles and 5.5 sacks), his effectiveness was nowhere near the same.
He became a liability in the running game which is part of the reason he wasn’t retained. But once with the Bengals, he returned to his natural position and had a personal-best seven sacks. Then in 2022, he had 48 tackles but just 1.5 sacks for the Steelers — but was still a full-time starter.
For Cleveland, it would be an upgrade over Taven Bryan to add Ogunjobi back to the roster. They’ll still need a true nose tackle capable of stuffing the run, but Larry O would bring the heat as a pass rusher from the interior.
2. Breshad Perriman, WR
Breshad Perriman went down as a bust for the Baltimore Ravens since he never lived up to his Round 1 status. In two seasons, he had just 43 receptions for 576 yards and three touchdowns. But then in 2018 with the Browns, he was able to rehab his image.
Perriman was a deep threat with 340 yards and two touchdowns on just 16 receptions. That 21.3 yards per reception average was enough for him to sign a one-year contract worth $4 million to return in 2019.
But then, Cleveland traded for Odell Beckham, Jr. That meant Perriman would be far down the depth chart with Jarvis Landry there as well — not to mention Baker Mayfield was fond of throwing to Rashard Higgins as well. For that reason, Perriman backed out of the contract and headed to Tampa Bay.
In 2019, he had the best season of his career with 645 yards and six touchdowns in 36 receptions. He followed that up with 505 yards and three touchdowns for the New York Jets in 2020.
Perriman went back to Tampa Bay for 2021 and 2022 but has been relatively quiet. Now a free agent again, he would be an interesting addition to Cleveland’s roster. He has 16.2 yards per catch for his career is exactly what this offense needs.
1. M.J. Stewart, DB
M.J. Stewart was a second-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft out of North Carolina but fell out of favor with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a hurry. In two seasons, he appeared in 21 games and had 68 tackles and five pass defenses before being waived.
The Cleveland Browns brought him in for the 2020 season and he spent the next two seasons of his career in Northeast Ohio. Stewart was never a regular starter, getting just three in 29 games, but he was always able to step up when needed.
He finished his time in Cleveland with 69 tackles, two interceptions, and seven pass defenses. Stewart was also fantastic in their playoff run, recording 14 tackles and a pick in two games. Even more impressive, he was ranked No. 5 overall at safety during the 2021 season as he moved to the position when needed.
This past year, he joined the Houston Texans and spent the majority of the campaign playing free safety. He also moved closer to the line and played the slot at times as well, finishing with 41 tackles and two fumble recoveries.
Stewart is a capable defender that could add some much-needed depth to Cleveland’s secondary. His addition would give them a potential third safety along with John Johnson and Grant Delpit while also offering a slot corner as well, if needed.
Cleveland Browns: 3 Running backs who can replace Kareem Hunt
The Cleveland Browns will most likely be replacing Kareem Hunt this offseason. Here are three possible replacements for him.