This article is a good starting point to look at free agency.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles...-position-groups-of-2024-nfl-free-agency

Receiver is a need.

However, if I am going to spend money in free agency I would rather spend it on a DT.

Christian Wilkins is good enough and young enough to invest in. He would really help the defense all over the field.

This draft looks loaded in receivers and it looks like we could get a good running back in the third.

I would like a vet receiver but I am leary of spending money on older FA receivers. If there is a guy that fits I am all for it. Maybe a trade would work better for a vet receiver.

Watching the post season once again pass rush is a must to win. We are close with our defense so I am all in on becoming dominant by continuing to build the Dline.

Speaking of trading for a WR. I've heard it suggested that the Browns try to make a trade for Chargers WR Mike Williams and reunite him with Deshaun Watson. They played together at Clemson. I'm not promoting the idea and have no idea what the Browns may have to give up to get him but the idea is being bantered around quite a bit. He had a torn ACL in 2023 but had pretty good numbers otherwise.

WR is awfully thin after the top 6-8 names at the top in FA ... Mike Williams is a decent option, but he's 30 and injured frequently

Now that WR has been addressed, I'm hoping Berry looks next to the DL rotation, Chubb's contract, a backup QB, LB depth (perhaps including a JOK extension) during the FA period beginning tomorrow at Noon.

I'm also curious to see if anything is done with Greg Newsome that will either address the needs mentioned above or add draft capital for the 2024 draft.

Also, I'd be curious to see if Berry adds another RB at some point. If so, it may indicate the team's view of the rehab progress of Chubb heading into the beginning of the season. I'm still bullish on Ford, but they may think it would be better to add another vet RB to the room. He didn't have that good of a season as many people expected after Elliot was released, but someone like Tony Pollard could come cheap enough the serve as a safety valve. I suppose Derrick Henry would be an option but not sure Berry and the FO would pay for what I expect would be a lot for an RB with his age and number of carries in his career. Devin Singletary might be another option if Houston pursues someone like Saquon Barkley. Also think Ekeler might come at too high a price.

A couple of FA running backs I'm interesting in seeing where he lands is JK Dobbins and D'Andre Swift. He has had a tough go of it with injuries and wonder if someone might take a flyer on him at 25 and limited carries as a result of his injury history. Swift is also someone that has not met expectations but is young and can produce after having a nice 2023 season.


Lots of RB options out there this FA period.

There is nothing I want more than for Nick to return like nothing happened.

However, the Browns cannot rely on that.

Ford is a backup and nothing more.

Now with the trade for Jeudy in place. IMO the Browns should draft the best running back they can find. I like Trey Benson but I don't know all the backs in the draft.

I do think the Browns need more than what they have at running back.

I am a firm believer in BPA. Unless you scout a guy who you really rank high and it starts to look like he is in a range that you can make happen.

Don't be afraid to go get a guy.

In most all cases take the BPA if the value is there. If not try to trade back.

Where we are now going into free agency.

I hope the Browns go all in with Christian Wilkins.

Rookie receivers drafted out of the top 20 picks rarely do much. As evidenced by the signing of Jeudy, we want impact day one. I suspect we will draft a receiver in one of rounds 4-6

I don't think the Browns go after him, but we'll see. I think the Jeudy trade makes that even less likely.

I'd like to steal Gus Edwards (RB) from the Rats...that guy runs hard and is a tough football player.

My interest free agent interest is defense specifically the defensive line.

My goal is to get the best pass rush in football. Have Schwartz look at the available free agents and decide who would fit best to accomplish that goal.

I have no problem signing ZaDarius. IMO we need a pass rush 3 tech guy to be the DL rotation. Tomlinson, Hurst, and Harris are fine. Elliott needs to go.

Wilkins would be great but I don't know if we will spend what Wilkins would go for?

There are options. Let Schwartz bring in who he wants within reason.

I am in agreement with you that the DL is the group I'm most interested in seeing addressed in FA. Of the guys you mentioned on the interior, only Tomlinson is under contract. And who knows what will happen with Zadarius Smith although I think there is a good chance he comes back. If so, I like the edge rotation of Garrett, Smith, Obi, Alex Wright. The interior needs to firm up it's rotation. I hope Hurst comes back but will cost more, I'd imagine, after last season. Someone like DJ Reader could be a realistic option that might not cost as much as the top end DI free agents.

Overall, we need a solid rotation of guys on the outside and inside and I think this is always a priority for the FO so I have no doubt they'll address it both in FA and the draft.

I'm not sure I'm a fan of a potential DJ Reader signing. If we were definitely paying for past peak performance, it'd be great. Unfortunately, in FA what you're actually getting is future performance, and a guy his size (~330 lbs) coming off another major injury and soon to be 30 (on July 1st) is worrisome to me. He tore his right quad in week 15 this past year after having torn the left one back in 2020. Also only played 10 games in 2022, missing 6 with a knee injury.

I'd kind of like to add an edge and give Alex Wright more time inside along with bringing back Mo Hurst. Hopefully Ika can progress and be the 4th guy there. Adding Cesaire as DL coach gives me some hope on that (Ika development) actually happening. Hopefully we'll see some progress from McGuire as well.

Maybe just draft someone like Marshawn Kneeland at DE. Maybe bring back Harris at DT, too.

Honestly, I'd be tickled pink if they can just bring back everyone from last year (on the Dline).

I forgot about Reader's injury. He's a good one for Cinci when he's in there.

Javon Kinlaw or A'Shawn Robinson could be interesting at DT. I really hadn't done much FA window shopping/research this year. It kind of snuck up on me, I guess.

Browns interested in Jameis Winston?

https://saintswire.usatoday.com


It’s too early to say that a market is developing for his services, but at least one team is seriously considering Jameis Winston as free agency takes shape: the Cleveland Browns, per the Boston Globe’s senior NFL reporter Ben Volin.

There’s just one thing. Volin reports that the Browns view Winston as a backup for starting quarterback Deshaun Watson, but Winston has been vocal about his desire to start games for a team, which he knows isn’t going to happen with Derek Carr entrenched on the New Orleans Saints.

Watson has strong job security in Cleveland, too, so if the only offers out there are backup gigs then it shouldn’t surprise anyone if Winston stays in New Orleans. Still, Watson missed most of the season with an injured throwing shoulder, and Winston could see this as an opportunity to get on the field if he misses more time.

So it’s something to watch for in the days ahead. Because of the way Winston’s contract is constructed, the Saints will need to release him with a post-June 1 designation if he’s going to leave and join another team, just like with Michael Thomas. If he intends to stay in New Orleans they’ll need to tear up his current deal and write a new contract. There are many moving parts this time of the year so expect more development in the days ahead.

I prefer Flacco to Winston if we're talking as a backup guy - I'm wondering if we're letting Joe decide on his own accord when/if to sign for us

Probably a case of being prepared if the two sides can't come to an agreement for Joe.

Apparently RB revenge games are a theme of the NFL script this season. I wouldn't be surprised if Mixon is on our radar.

I can see how Winston is stylistically similar to Flacco on the field and someone could connect him to the Browns. Not sure about the personality, but maybe it could work.

I certainly hope not. I think he is one of the most overrated RBs in the league right now. I suppose a cheap contract would surely help, but think we can get someone much better for cheaper overall.

No interest in Mixon.

One of the most cowardly acts I have seen was Mixon sucker punching a woman in a fast food place.

It happened in college but I can't forget seeing it.

I dunno, I feel like his biggest problem in Cinci is that when he got rolling in games they randomly decided to stop running him. The Bengals' OL also hasn't been very good.

While not a superstar, I think he's well rounded.

Moss or Edward’s would have been a nice signing.

I’d say no to Mixon but tough to see what the plan is at RB right now.

Also, free agency makes my head spin. 95% of the moves will do nothing to improve the teams making them, many teams are swapping out one player for another almost similar player for reasons unknown, and the money is insane. Meanwhile nothing has changed about the NFL… if you don’t have a QB you have little to no chance.

When it happened, I felt the same. After Watson and Kareem Hunt's off field transgressions, I worry less about the moral high ground.

A drunk teenager responded badly when heckled. It's awful, but it was a long time ago. If I can give Watson and Hunt a chance, ruling him out for that seems inconsistent.

I can see where you are coming from, though.

At this point I would settle for the moral middle ground.

So just a question about Winston then (which I see as a good signing for the Browns). Nice move by Berry:

In 2012, while still at Florida State, Winston was accused of sexual assault by fellow FSU student Erica Kinsman. Winston was never formally charged with a crime, and the state attorney's office declined to pursue a criminal case against him. In 2016, Winston settled a federal lawsuit with Kinsman over the charges.

Florida State agreed to pay Kinsman $950,000 in January to settle a lawsuit she filed against the school for its handling of her Title IX complaint. As part of the settlement, Florida State agreed to commit to five years of sexual assault awareness programs and to publishing annual reports of those programs. Florida State did not admit liability as part of its settlement.

In 2017, Winston was accused of groping a female Uber driver in March of 2016. Winston's accuser did not seek criminal charges, but an NFL investigation of the allegations resulted in a three-game suspension after the league found the accuser's account of the events to be "consistent and credible." Winston would eventually settle a lawsuit with the accuser in this case, as well.

Question: Does this meet your hope for a moral middle ground request? The Browns have an interesting QB room now, talent wise and other.

Deshaun and Jameis can compare notes.

I've found that standing up for morals in regards to the abuse of women is not a popular them around here once a player becomes a Brown. My guess is it has something to do with the uniform.

In addition I think Mixon is done as a full time back.

I am glad we signed someone else.