The Cleveland Browns lost their best player this offseason. Trading Myles Garrett was a big blow, and while it might turn out to be for the best in the long run, it's hard to believe their defense will be better now than it was a couple of months ago.
Of course, adding a promising talent like Jared Verse was a great return, and new defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg still has plenty of talent to work with. That said, it might be better to be safe than sorry.
That's why, even with a strong core, the Browns could still dip their toes in the free-agency pool for some reinforcements.
And given his Baltimore Ravens ties, perhaps Todd Monken could pull some strings to get Kyle Van Noy to join him in Cleveland.
Andrew Berry should call Kyle Van Noy before Browns training camp
Even at 35, Bleacher Report listed Van Noy as one of the 10 best free agents still available ahead of the preseason. Given his positional versatility and recent production, it's hard to disagree with that assessment.
Van Noy's market has been surprisingly quiet. He's coming off a somewhat down year, with just two sacks and nine quarterback hits after racking 12.5 and 21, respectively, in 2024. However, he wasn't used as much on the edge, and the Ravens' defense regressed overall.
Monken didn't directly coach him, since he was the Ravens' offensive coordinator, but they still spent three years under the same roof, so there's a direct line there. And even if he's no longer in his prime, he can still help as a do-it-all veteran presence on defense.
Whether it's lining up at linebacker or as an additional pass rusher, Van Noy has always been a productive player. He's a proven veteran with 12 years of experience under his belt, and adding him would allow the Browns to take things slowly with promising rookie Justin Jefferson or take some pressure off Verse's shoulders every couple of snaps.
Fortunately, the Browns are still solid at all three levels of the defense, and they don't have any glaring or pressing needs at this point in the offseason, other than depth. With a projected market value of $3.5 million a year, per Spotrac, and his ability to drop in coverage or shut down the run, Van Noy should be a no-brainer pickup.
Let's keep him in the AFC North.
Add us as a preferred source on Google