What are the Cleveland Browns going to do now? They want to return to the NFL playoffs, but have they rebuilt their roster well enough so far during NFL free agency? Who’s left for them to acquire as they prepare for the 2023 regular season? Here we'll look at the 4 best NFL free agents still available to round out the roster of the Browns.
The Browns had a very strange 2022 season, and it's difficult to evaluate them. Keep in mind that Deshaun Watson only played his first game with the Browns in December. They ended up with a 7-10 record, placing last in the AFC North. That was surely not what their fanbase expected. As such, this offseason is crucial for Cleveland as the team moves forward. For sure, they will try to build a team around Watson, who will be their starting quarterback for the entire upcoming season.
Take note also that on the first day of the league year, the Browns finalized several signings. They also released a few players with June 1st designations. Additionally, they added S Juan Thornhill and DT Maurice Hurst to their defensive unit. Will these be enough for the Browns to be competitive in such a tough division, though? We'll see.
Let's look at the best free agents still available to round out the roster of the Browns.
1. Frank Clark
After helping the Kansas City Chiefs win their second Super Bowl in four years, Frank Clark was released by the team to free up $21 million in cap space. The 29-year-old defensive end had signed a five-year, $105 million contract with the team in 2019. He has since been a prolific player with 23.5 sacks and three Pro Bowl appearances. Clark has been especially impressive in the postseason with 10.5 sacks in 12 games for the Chiefs. Of course, he is expected to negotiate for a new contract this offseason.
He may end up being too expensive for the Browns. However, we cannot help but imagine how fun it would be for him to team up with Myles Garrett on defense. It would be scary for the Browns' foes but fun for their fans.
2. Bobby Wagner
The Los Angeles Rams released linebacker Bobby Wagner as a cost-saving measure before the start of NFL free agency. Recall that Wagner had signed a five-year, $50 million contract with the Rams in 2021 after being released by the Seattle Seahawks. In 2022, the 32-year-old linebacker also had a strong season. He recorded 140 tackles, six sacks, and 10 tackles for loss, earning him second-team All-Pro honors. As an eight-time Pro Bowler, Wagner is likely seeking a final significant contract.
That could be with the Browns. Cleveland does need to fill up their linebacker corps, and someone like Wagner can provide the experience needed to shore up that area of Cleveland's defense.
Bobby Wagner's second best tackle of the night
📺: ESPNpic.twitter.com/nJwjKymImT
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) October 4, 2022
3. Poona Ford
In 2022, Poona Ford remained a starter for the Seahawks despite the team transitioning from a 4-3 defense to a hybrid 3-4 system. However, he struggled to adjust to his new role as a two-gapping defensive tackle. That led to a slower start to the season where he only managed seven tackles and three pressures in the first four games.
Now, over the course of the season, Ford managed to accumulate a career-high of three sacks. He also had 23 quarterback pressures and 35 combined tackles in roughly 700 defensive plays across 17 starts. Although his total output was lower compared to the previous year, this was likely due to his athletic abilities not being fully utilized in his new role. After a slow start, Ford's performance improved significantly during a four-game winning run in October and November. That's where he had eight pressures, two sacks, and four tackles for loss. Maybe all he needs is new scenery, and maybe he can find that in northeast Ohio.
4. DJ Chark
Wide receiver DJ Chark signed a one-year contract with the Detroit Lions for $10 million after recovering from an injury. Unfortunately, he suffered injuries again in 2022. That limited him to only 11 games. Towards the end of the season, however, he started to perform well. In fact, he accumulated 404 receiving yards from Weeks 12 to 18. That ranked 23rd among all wide receivers. Overall, he caught 30 passes for 502 yards, averaging 16.7 yards per reception. Now, despite his injury-prone history, Chark has been productive when healthy. This may lead to him receiving another one-year deal with a different team.
DJ Chark may be a good match for the Browns if they want to add to their wide receiver group. He has experienced injury difficulties throughout his career, which might result in a low free agency fee. A healthy Chark would be a valuable asset to this attack. Remember that the Browns still need to improve their receiving corps depth, and maybe Chark can do just that.
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