The Cleveland Browns kicked off the offseason on a high note. Acquiring Houston Texans veteran right tackle Tytus Howard was a big swing, and getting him for a fifth-round pick was great value for general manager Andrew Berry.
However, that doesn't mean the Browns should be done considering options at the position. Howard has extensive experience at multiple positions along the offensive line, specifically left guard, and Monroe Freeling's performance at the NFL Scouting Combine should have him soaring up most draft boards.
The Browns should make a run at Freeling in the 2026 NFL Draft. He has extensive experience playing on both sides of the offensive line, including as Georgia's starter on the left side in 2025, and he could project as Cleveland's blindside protection for years to come.
Monroe Freeling's NFL Scouting Combine performance gives Browns another draft dilemma
Freeling ran a 4.93-second 40-yard dash. We're talking about a 6-foot-7, 315-pound physical specimen. As shown by RAS Football, he had the second-highest Relative Athletic Score by any offensive tackle in nearly four decades:
"He scored an unofficial 9.99 RAS out of a possible 10.00," the post read. "This ranked 2 out of 1512 OT from 1987 to 2026."
Measurements aren't guarantees, but these projections are promising. He got his collegiate career started as a right tackle, but he played almost exclusively on the left side of the line last season, logging 739 snaps at left tackle and only one at right tackle, per Pro Football Focus.
Freeling was an unmovable force at Georgia last season, giving up just six pressures and two sacks. He was also called for just two penalties, potentially giving the Browns some much-needed discipline at the line of scrimmage.
More than that, Freeling also has some obvious ties to Cleveland. As a former Bulldog, the Todd Monken connection cannot be overlooked. Monken spent years on Kirby Smart's coaching staff, and the Browns should have much more intel on him than the average NFL team.
Once projected as an early second-round pick, Freeling's otherworldly performance at the combine may have put him in first-round pick territory. NFL Mock Draft Database has him going at No. 25, so he could be gettable around the Browns’ second first-round selection in this draft, via Jacksonville, No. 24 overall.
That would also allow the team to get their hands on a potential No. 1 wide receiver at No. 6. If Spencer Fano and Francis Mauigoa aren't available, the Browns could pivot to Carnell Tate or maybe even roll the dice on elite defensive prospects like Caleb Downs and Sonny Styles.
The Browns took a major first step toward fixing their offensive line woes. Now, they just have to put the cherry on top of the sundae by adding an absolute unit of a human being.