The Cleveland Browns have plenty of needs going into a tumultuous off-season.
One can make arguments for essentially any position on the team needing some supplementation, and a 3-14 record confirms that reality. When it comes to free agency, the teams signing players from elsewhere are taking a gamble on a player that they don't know all that well.
That's likely why we see a lot of intra-division movement year after year. The players you see the most, whether it's playing them twice, or in the carryover tape when facing the same opponents throughout the year, are those in your same division.
We're looking to those divisional foes who all had more successful seasons to find some gems, and if we weaken them in the process - well, that would be a cherry on top.
A priority for the Browns this offseason will likely be finding values in free agency, players that Andrew Berry, Kevin Stefanski, and the front office believe can find greater success in the Browns offense than they've had previously.
The albatross Deshaun Watson contract - coupled with a potential Myles Garrett trade - put the Browns way beyond a precarious cap situation: this is a code red. They need young, cheap talent, and fast.
A familiar QB with loads of upside
I have been unequivocal in my stance that the Browns should draft a rookie signal caller in the 2025 NFL Draft. However, if the front office chooses to go the free agency route instead, there is a young quarterback whose contract is up, and should be very familiar to a large sect of Browns fans.
Justin Fields started his college career at Georgia, before transferring to Ohio State where he burst onto the scene, leading the Buckeyes to a 20-2 record with a TD-to-INT ratio of 63:9. Pretty, pretty good. His collegiate career put him in position to be drafted #11 overall by the Chicago Bears in the 2021 NFL Draft. It didn't work out in Chicago, and he was shipped to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a late draft choice.
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Fields ended up starting the first 6 contests for the Steelers, going 4-2 with a 66% completion percentage and a 5:1 TD-to-INT ratio, with 5 rushing TDs for good measure. This is the part where I have to remind you that the Browns 2024 collective finished with a 19:23 TD-to-INT ratio with a sub-60 completion percentage.
If the Browns are going to gamble on a veteran, Fields is worth that gamble. Besides, sometimes these highly drafted QBs shine in a new environment - looking at you, Baker Mayfield. Fields would enter the season at only 26 years old. With everything to prove on a team that desperately needs a QB, this could be a perfect marriage.
A tank of a RB who could thrive in Cleveland
Should Nick Chubb really move on this offseason, another poach target for the Browns could be another Pittsburgh Steeler - the 6'1", 242 pound monster who goes by the name Najee Harris. When the Steelers took a RB in the 1st round back in 2021, it came as a surprise to many across the NFL. Unfortunately for Harris, he hasn't exactly lived up to the billing he came out of the draft with.
In Harris' 4 years in Pittsburgh, the offensive line has never been much of a strength. This season's Super Bowl will showcase Saquon Barkley, a running back who was saddled with porous O-Line play throughout his career until joining the Eagles, where he put up MVP-type numbers.
A move to Cleveland would pair the bowling ball with 3 Pro Bowlers up front. The market for RBs with a sub 4.0 per carry average isn't typically robust, Najee could come to Cleveland at a reasonable price, with a lot to prove, and still be only 27 years old when the season kicks off.
A versatile offensive lineman with experience
The Ravens offense is often seen running roughshod over opponents. An unsung hero in their success is Patrick Mekari, Baltimore's do-it-all lineman operating as somewhat of a sixth man for them. He has started games at all 5 different positions, and done so with success.
The Browns have dealt with a lot of injuries along their offensive line, with Dawand Jones, Jack Conklin, and Wyatt Teller missing significant time in 2024. Mekari would be an insurance policy against any injuries, and very likely end up playing a key role for a Browns offensive line that is extremely talented, but has struggled with the injury bug.