As free agency approaches, Andrew Berry finds himself at the same crossroads Browns fans have seen far too many times. According to Spotrac, the Browns have negative $19.5 million in cap space at this time. By now, though, fans have come to realize the fluidity of the salary cap. A few procedural moves — the ones that push consequences and further suffering into future years — will get the Browns cap compliant.
Being cap compliant is one thing, but the Browns also need to be able to make additions to the roster, sign a draft class, and have leftover money in case of injuries that could happen throughout the season. This is where things begin to get tricky for Browns general manager Andrew Berry.
On one hand, he has to be feeling the temperature rising on his job security. On the other hand, as a steward of the franchise, he is responsible for making moves that don't hamstring the team even further. Another sub-six-win season is likely to earn him his walking papers, so it's definitely a fine line to toe.
It doesn't have to be so difficult. The following free agents would fill desperate needs at palatable salaries for the Browns' delicate cap situation.
Six affordable free agents the Browns can’t ignore
Wan'Dale Robinson, WR, New York Giants
Whether it's Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun Watson, a rookie, or Vinny Testaverde, the Browns desperately need weapons for their QB. The 25-year-old Wan'Dale Robinson fits the bill. The diminutive five-foot-eight and 185-pound dynamo had a breakout season in 2025. He racked up 92 receptions for 1,014 yards, finding paydirt four times in the process.
Furthermore, he has a very real connection to the Browns' coaching staff. Last year, Christian Jones was the Browns' tight ends coach. Todd Monken decided to keep him on staff, reshuffling him to the wide receivers coach position. Jones spent 2022–2024 as an offensive assistant with the New York Giants, where he gained invaluable exposure to Robinson and his work habits.
Besides his counting stats, Robinson also has some impressive advanced stats to further his case. According to Next Gen Stats, he was 15th out of 85 qualified wide receivers in average yards of separation per reception at 3.4. For context, Jerry Jeudy — the Browns' No. 1 receiver in 2025 — placed 62nd. Not to mention, Pro Football Focus had him as the league's 47th-best receiver out of 128 qualifiers.
As far as this list goes, Wan'Dale Robinson is the highest-ticket player we will feature. Spotrac has his market value at around $17.6 million per year. This would undoubtedly be difficult to manage, but if there's a wideout who may slip through the cracks, it's Robinson.
Tyquan Thornton, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
If the Wan'Dale Robinson sweepstakes proves too pricey, there is a budget version of him that could pay huge dividends for the Cleveland Browns. That would be none other than the Chiefs' Tyquan Thornton. For starters, with a smaller role in 2025, Thornton made the most of his opportunities.
He hauled in 19 passes for 438 yards — an eye-popping 23.1 yards-per-reception — which would be tops in the league if he had enough catches to qualify. He also found the end zone three times. At six-foot-two and 185 pounds, he has more size than Robinson, which could prove beneficial for the Browns' downfield passing attack.
This is the part where I remind you that Thornton ran a blazing 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine in 2022 and is still only 25 years old. Thornton checks all the boxes as someone who has earned a premier role in 2026, and if there's anything the Browns could provide him, it's that. Moreover, PFF graded him 66th out of 128 wide receivers — roughly league average.
His projected $2.8 million salary would be a steal for the Browns and their treacherous cap situation.
Josh Jones, OT, Seattle Seahawks
Much has been made of the Browns' offensive line, and it's for good reason. The Browns currently stare down the possibility of losing four of their five projected 2025 starters in free agency. It's essentially a foregone conclusion that Wyatt Teller, Jack Conklin, and Ethan Pocic will be moving on. Joel Bitonio appears to still be in play to return for a 13th season, albeit with an unfamiliar cast around him.
The first call of free agency should be to the Seahawks' Josh Jones. Jones has long been a serviceable tackle in various stops, including Arizona, Houston, and Baltimore. When he played for the Ravens, his offensive coordinator was none other than Todd Monken, and his position coach was the Browns' new offensive line coach, George Warhop. That familiarity, coupled with Jones' strong performance for the Seahawks, should make this a no-brainer.
Jones didn't get a ton of playing time in 2025 due to the Seahawks' starting offensive line staying pretty healthy. He did wind up logging 258 snaps in the final three weeks of the season, as the Seahawks' starting left tackle, Charles Cross, battled injury. PFF gave Jones a sterling 73.1 grade for his efforts, a ranking that would place 30th among 84 offensive tackles if he had enough snaps to qualify.
With a projected $3.4 million annual salary, the Browns could get a steal protecting their QB's blindside in 2026. The six-foot-seven, 339-pound behemoth is still just 28 years old, meaning he can be even more than a one-year stopgap if the Browns see fit.
Luke Fortner, center, New Orleans Saints
Luke Fortner's career seemed to be on life support when the former third-round pick was shipped from Jacksonville to New Orleans for veteran defensive lineman Khalen Saunders. An injury to the Saints' standout center Erik McCoy opened the door for him, however, and he hit the ground running.
Over a whopping 678 snaps in 2025, the folks at PFF gave him a rock-solid 66.5 grade. This placed him 17th out of 37 qualifiers at the position. Fortner, 27, stands six-foot-four and weighs 304 pounds, which are prototypical measurements for a center. He would be a seamless fit for the Browns' center position and, much like Josh Jones, has plenty of tread left on the tires. The opportunity to carve out a long-term role is there.
Spotrac places his market value at around $6.2 million per year, a figure that is actually $4 million less than what Ethan Pocic is projected to get, coming off a torn Achilles, no less.
Brett Toth, OG, Philadelphia Eagles
We continue plugging up holes along the offensive line with our next addition, Brett Toth. Toth has spent most of the last five seasons in Philly, filling in for the Eagles' standouts when they miss time. In 2025, the Eagles had some of their worst injury luck, leading to an uptick in snaps.
Across 363 snaps, Toth earned a fantastic 73.6 PFF grade. This figure ranks 13th out of 79 qualifiers at the position. His roots — being coached by the legendary Jeff Stoutland — make him even more intriguing for the OL-starved Browns. At six-foot-six and 304 pounds, the 29-year-old Toth would be a seamless addition to the Browns.
With a projected $4 million annual salary, Toth makes too much sense. He would slot in at the spot opposite Joel Bitonio (assuming his return), and immediately get to work blasting open holes for Quinshon Judkins and keeping the QB clean.
Yosh Nijman, OT, Carolina Panthers
There is hardly ever a surplus of offensive line talent available in free agency. Coaches frequently bemoan how difficult it is to find, develop, and retain top-tier offensive linemen. There always seem to be very solid guys who simply slip through the cracks. This description fits Yosh Nijman to a T.
Nijman has spent the past two seasons as the Panthers' third tackle, filling in for standout Taylor Moton whenever he missed time. He wound up logging 279 snaps in 2025, proving serviceable in protecting Bryce Young and helping the Panthers make the postseason, albeit with an 8–9 record.
The hulking Nijman, who just turned 30 in January, stands at six-foot-seven and tips the scales at 314 pounds. For his efforts in 2025, PFF gave him a respectable 68.4 grade. This placed him above league average (38th out of 84 tackles).
At a market value of just about the league minimum, the Browns could do a whole lot worse. Nijman and his counterparts on this list would instantly upgrade the Browns' offense. If the goal of 2026 is truly to evaluate Shedeur Sanders, these moves would go a long way toward giving him a fighting chance.