Free agency has been relatively quiet for the Cleveland Browns, although after 2025's radio silence, this year's moves may as well be a rock concert.
To this point, the Browns have made three external additions — guard Zion Johnson, center Elgton Jenkins, and linebacker Quincy Williams — but they continue to be mentioned as "being in the mix" for a bevy of players still awaiting their NFL futures.
One of the latest reports seems to indicate the Browns dodged a bullet, though not for a lack of trying.
The New England Patriots signed former New York Jets offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker to a three-year contract worth a reported $48 million. In the aftermath, The Athletic reported that the Browns were aggressively in the mix for his services.
On one hand, Vera-Tucker is only 26 years old and has flashed considerable upside at points in his career. Much more importantly, however, Vera-Tucker has suited up for 43 out of 85 possible games in his career. He has spent almost exactly as much time watching from the sideline with severe injuries as he has playing in the games. His list of injuries includes a torn triceps (2022), a torn Achilles (2023), and another torn triceps (2025), which wiped out his entire season.
The Browns continue to misread their standing as an NFL contender
On the heels of a season in which the stars aligned in ways most teams can only dream of, the Patriots fancy themselves contenders. They can justify taking a chance on a player with such a daunting injury history because of how their season turned out in 2025.
The Browns, on the other hand, have no such delusions to build on. At least in their signing of Zion Johnson, they acquired an ironman who has been available — if not exceptional — for the entirety of his career. Even their trade acquisition of Tytus Howard, while questionable on the surface at this point in their rebuild, does not come with the caveat of him being oft-injured.
Howard has had injuries in his career, as most players have. However, he is coming off back-to-back seasons of playing in 16 games. The Browns can reasonably expect him to be available. Signing Alijah Vera-Tucker to the kind of deal he received from New England would be malpractice for a team like the Browns. There were cheaper options on the market that the Browns opted against.
While free agency is far from over, this miss by Andrew Berry seems like one Browns fans should feel relief about rather than disappointment.