Browns’ 2024 Free-Agent Big Board, Top Players to Target
The Cleveland Browns will likely do all of their free-agent shopping in the bargain bin.
Cleveland does not have much salary cap space to work with and it only has a few roster holes entering the NFL offseason.
Most of the Browns’ notable impending free agents are on defense, so they could use free agency to shop for low-cost veteran additions.
Joe Flacco will be a free agent, but his services will not be needed anymore in Cleveland with a healthy Deshaun Watson.
Kareem Hunt could depart as well, but that would not hurt the Browns offense if Nick Chubb returns to full strength after his ACL injury to partner Jerome Ford.
Cleveland will likely try to fill some roster holes through the 2024 NFL draft because of its cap situation, but it could be somewhat active depending on which players are available.
Drue Tranquill fits the profile of free agents the Browns should be after.
Tranquill is not expected to land an expensive deal and he comes with experience on playoff teams.
The linebacker signed a one-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs after four seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Tranquill was a half-sack away from matching his career best total in that category and he chipped in with 78 tackles.
A year ago, Tranquill recorded 148 tackles in his final season with the Chargers.
The Browns could use an extra defensive player who can get after the opposing quarterback and also be a reliable tackler. Devin White and Nicholas Morrow fall into that category as well.
Unless the Browns offload a ton of money, they will not chase the top free agents, so they have to navigate the second and third tiers of free agents at certain positions to build up their defensive depth.
Josh Reynolds could be the ideal fit inside the Browns offense.
Cleveland needs a clear-cut No. 2 wide receiver to develop behind Amari Cooper.
Elijah Moore and others took a back seat to David Njoku in pass-game production when Flacco arrived to save the Browns season.
Moore could take the next step in his development in the offseason, but his ceiling might just be as a No. 3 wide receiver.
Reynolds proved to be a nice complementary option to Amon-Ra St. Brown in Detroit, but he may not want to leave because he spent most of his career with Jared Goff as his quarterback.
Reynolds earned 608 receiving yards this season and has eight touchdowns in the last two seasons.
He would be the perfect across-the-middle option to complement Cooper on the outside, but there are two concerns about a potential free-agent deal.
He could display a loyalty to Goff and the Lions, or he could be priced out of the Browns’ range if he puts on a show in the NFC Championship Game and potentially in the Super Bowl.
Leave a Reply