The Cleveland Browns entered the offseason with the mission to rebuild their offensive line, and that project is already underway.
On Monday, the team sent a fifth-round pick to the Houston Texans for veteran lineman Tytus Howard. In addition to acquiring Howard, Cleveland signed the right tackle to a three-year extension worth $63 million.
This commitment to land Howard is only a sign of what’s to come for the Browns. Four of Cleveland’s five Week 1 starting offensive linemen are scheduled to hit free agency next month, and the franchise clearly needed to get younger and better up front.
The Browns have started that process with Howard, but it’s fair to assume Cleveland will work to pull off a few more big offensive line moves this offseason.
Browns must remain aggressive as they rebuild the offensive line
After pulling off a trade for a starting right tackle, Cleveland still must address the rest of the offensive line. That process will continue in free agency, as the Browns are expected to be aggressive suitors for the top offensive linemen on the market. That includes guys like Green Bay Packers lineman Rasheed Walker and Baltimore Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum.
Both guys are expected to command north of $20 million a year, and they play different positions than Howard. Walker is a left tackle, which is an important need considering the health of Dawand Jones, and Linderbaum is arguably the best center in the NFL. It’d be incredible if Cleveland could find a way to pay both guys, as that would be a home-run offseason for the franchise.
Of course, current Browns pending free agents Joel Bitonio and Ethan Pocic are a part of the equation as well. Bitonio is openly considering retirement, but Cleveland is trying to convince him to return for one more season.
While it’d be ideal for the Browns to fix the offensive line before the draft, Cleveland will likely invest in the line during the draft, regardless of what happens in free agency. The team’s performance in free agency will ultimately determine how high the Browns select a lineman. If Cleveland misses out on a guy like Walker in free agency, it will likely pivot to a tackle with one of its two first-round selections, No. 6 or No. 24 overall.
So between the veteran options in free agency and top prospects in the draft, the Browns will be aggressively pursuing several more offensive linemen.