We are several weeks into the NFL free agency window and there are many players still available to teams across the league. For the Cleveland Browns, they are still looking for a few discounted free agents as they gear up for the upcoming NFL Draft. The Browns have already picked up several notable free agents, including Zion Johnson, Elgton Jenkins, and Quincy Williams.
Cleveland still has several positions that need more depth, though. The team could fill some of these holes via the draft, but adding more veteran players could be helpful going into next season.
With that in mind, here are three players the Browns could be considering picking up in free agency.
Why these under-the-radar free agents could help Cleveland most
Curtis Samuel, WR, Buffalo Bills
Cleveland's wide receiver room has been under construction for a while now, and it seems like there is no end in sight to the orange cones being out on the playing field. Therefore, the Browns will likely draft a wide receiver or two in the upcoming draft. They do have the No. 6 and No. 24 picks in the first round, so there is an opportunity to find that offensive pass catcher who could change their fortunes. Wide receiver Carnell Tate of Ohio State and Makai Lemon of USC are both in play.
Even if the Browns take one of those wide receivers, there is still a need to find a veteran wideout. That could be wide receiver Curtis Samuel, who was recently released from his three-year, $24 million contract with the Buffalo Bills.
The market value, as projected by Spotrac.com, suggests that Samuel's next contract should be around $1.8 million a year. Samuel had two subpar seasons with the Bills after having played previously for the Washington Commanders and Carolina Panthers.
The bargain contract for Samuel could be intriguing to a team like Cleveland, which have little veteran presence in the wide receiver room. The Browns do have Jerry Jeudy, and he'll likely go into the season as the presumed No. 1 pass-catching target.
The Browns have sputtered in trying to find reliable wide receivers. They traded their last good wide receiver, Amari Cooper, over a year ago. Cleveland recently tried using third-year player Cedric Tillman and rookie Isaiah Bond to cover up a pretty bad group of receivers. The team instead used their new rookie tight end, Harold Fannin Jr., as their main go-to pass catcher for a good chunk of last season.
Using a tight end as your primary target in an NFL offense isn't generally going to help your team win on a consistent level. Cleveland has to find more pass catchers who can stretch the field and give their offense a chance at improving this season.
Samuel, a former Ohio State Buckeye, was drafted in 2017 by the Carolina Panthers at pick No. 40. His NFL career stats have also been pretty consistent until these last couple of seasons. It's why Buffalo released him but they originally signed him to the pricey $24 million deal thinking he'd continue his success.
For the Browns, grabbing a player like Samuel, who still has something left in the tank, could be a steal at this point of the offseason.
Mike Hilton, CB, Indianapolis Colts
The Browns still need to boost their secondary room, which is still thin in spots, including at the slot cornerback spot. They have Denzel Ward and Tyson Campbell as the veteran corners primarily working the outside, but they need that inside corner. Adding another veteran like Mike Hilton, who most recently played for the Indianapolis Colts, could be an interesting get.
Hilton is an older player now at the age of 32, but he could still make a difference for the Browns' defense. His previous contract with the Miami Dolphins was only worth $1.4 million. He was released by the Dolphins right before the 2025 season started and then picked up by the Colts on their practice squad.
Hilton only played in two games a year ago with Indy. He had played for the Cincinnati Bengals from 2021 through the 2024 season. In his career, Hilton has collected 525 tackles, had 13 interceptions, 56 pass deflections, recovered six fumbles, and recorded 11.5 sacks.
Nick Chubb, RB, Houston Texans
It would only be a year removed from Nick Chubb's departure from the Browns, but Cleveland should consider bringing the fan favorite back. He had a decent season in Houston with the Texans, running for 506 yards and scoring three touchdowns. Chubb has now had two subpar seasons since his return from his horrific injury back in 2023, when he was still playing in Cleveland.
The Browns drafted two running backs a year ago, picking up Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson. They also used undrafted rookie Raheim Sanders as their third back. Cleveland's veteran back Jerome Ford, took his talents to the Washington Commanders recently in free agency. Ford had been demoted to the third string running back this past season.
If the Browns brought back Chubb, he'd likely be used similarly to Ford, maybe as their third down back. Chubb was also a good pass protector of the quarterback and could be valuable to the offense in that way as well. Spotrac.com has Chubb's market value at $1.3 million, so Chubb would definitely be a bargain.
The 30-year-old former Georgia Bulldog had an amazing start to his Browns career, having five seasons that were off the charts. He collected 6,843 yards on 1,340 carries for a solid 5.1 yards per carry average.
Fans of the Browns would love this reunion. Bringing back Chubb to the team that raised him since 2018 would be worth every penny. At this point, it would be just that... pennies.