DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum What Now Pt. 2

I've thought about your opinion of signing a OT in free agency so I've taken a look at the potential OT's that may be on the FA market if they aren't re-signed by the deadline. Sadly they look like low hanging fruit. I know the bar isn't that high at making marginal improvement on the OL at some positions, the OT spots being two of them, but I'm not seeing anything out there that says "We need to get that guy".

If the Browns only signed one outside free agent this year, I would want it to be Rasheed Walker. That would allow them to target interior and RT in the draft if Jones isn’t going to be ready to move back over to the right side where he has thrived at times.

I don’t see another free agent that will make as much of an impact.

Browns must avoid NFL free agency pitfall of signing Rasheed Walker

https://brownswire.usatoday.com/sto...ency-pitfall-rasheed-walker/88796979007/

Competiton among NFL teams for OT's is fierce. Rarely is a good one let go. If you look at the top 20 rated LT's all but one of them was re-signed last year.

What you will have are teams competing for the services of a less than average LT at top tier LT prices.

He is ranked 41st in overall pass-block grade (70.0) and his 2025 overall PFF grade was 52nd among 89 tackles.

Those are reasons he made it to the FA market to begin with.

First problem is citing PFF. Many of their attributes that make up their player grades are subjective. One glaring grade that isn’t was pass protection, which he had a 93.7% success rate in 2025, 11th best in the league. He has started every down over the past two seasons on a team that ranks 7th in sacks allowed.

You are also citing an article that suggests they not only spend one pick on a left tackle in the 2026 draft, but 2 of their first 3 picks on a left tackle in a draft that many consider to be a draft without a true left tackle with a future starter grade. Were you a big fan of Jedrick Wills? He was a right tackle that the Browns drafted to play left tackle and it showed horrendously. I’m not 100% against drafting an offensive lineman at #6, this was a really bad offensive line, but don’t draft a left tackle there, because there isn’t one to draft. Expect him to play right tackle and move on.

There are only so many players in the NFL that play the position high enough to not be considered every year as a player that needs to be replaced in order to improve.

I don’t think the Packers are going to let go of Walker easily, and we will have to over pay, but I would rather over pay and give Sanders a fighting chance to grow into this offense. If you hire another open gate at the LT position, he will fail before he ever starts. Walker gives him the best chance to succeed, whether it’s a veteran free agent or draft pick. If Bitonio has a relevant LT, he would play at the level we are used to. He had to do so much to cover up inadequate play, that he looked bad for the first time in his career. Draft some of these interior lineman that look like future starters and one of the RTs that might have to step in if Jones isn’t ready to come back.

That’s my two cents

I never at any point suggested the Browns spend two picks to draft a LT. As for stating that he "started every down for the Packers over the past two seasons and only allowed 7 sacks."

That is a convenient stat yet this past season the Packers gave up 29 sacks. What is painfully obvious is the Packers have even weaker players on their OL which their opponents use to exploit to get sacks.

I see you didn't propose any information, facts or statistics to counter the stats I posted. There's a reason for that. Instead you just shot the messenger. A very popular tactic these days.

We both want to see the LT position improved to help whoever it is playing QB. We just disagree that Walker is the answer to do that.

He didn't say you did. Maybe read again.

Me in particular? Or that I'm promoting the idea through my choice of sources? I mean he the went on to attack the source I was using in reference to PFF


As you would say, I guess since it lacks DNA evidence it must not have happened.

It just leads to the credibility of the sources. It is well known, I’m not making it up that many people don’t like PFF as a source because of the naked eye nature of many of the stats used to come up with their grades. I don’t mind eye of the beholder to give there opinions on someone, but just to see a grade based off of those observations loses a little credibility. Breaking down those thoughts are one thing, but give them a rating is quite another.

I also didn’t say he gave up 7 sacks over two years, I said he started every game on a team that RANKED 7th in the NFL in sacks allowed. These are tangible numbers. He stays healthy and his line as a whole performed very well. He personally ranked 11th in pass protection, sacks allowed and pressures allowed. These are tangible numbers that EVERY news source tracks, not formulas made up of personal opinions at PFF.

Regardless, you are right, we both see the need to take a major leap in improving the position. I gave the best option that is actually available to us, unless his home team steps up and keeps him prior to free agency. You cited an article that suggests we don’t get a veteran, but rather draft two rookies in the first two rounds, that has a class that is cited as being very weak at the left tackle position.

It’s my opinion, the veteran who has proven it the past two years is a better option than two guys who have never even practiced at the NfL and their skill sets historically show they will be better off at the right side or on the interior.

You do realize 29 sacks allowed is very low, right?

The Browns gave up 51.

I’m not sure how we got to arguing over the Packers O-line, other than their left tackle is strongly considered the best left tackle available in free agency.


If you don’t agree with the article you cited, what would your path to improving the left tackle position be specifically? What player would you like to see in the roster to protect these young QBs to promote their growth?

Many people don't but most people consider it the #1 source for such information and I'm not making that up either.

You are basing your opinion on the fact of their overall OL play not his play in and of itself. He is ranked 41st in overall pass-block grade (70.0) and his 2025 overall PFF grade was 52nd among 89 tackles.

Those are his individual grades not "Well he played on good OL" stat.

You can take from that what you like. But as I said, we're both after the same outcome we just disagree on how to get there.

You still haven’t told me your plan. I don’t mean that in a derogatory way, but I did ask. We do not have the personnel on the roster, not even a developmental guy that we could put hope into that this is the year for him to shine. Who would your suggestion be to make a marked improvement? I would argue getting a large improvement at LT is even more important than improving the WR room, but not at the expense of passing on talent in the draft to take a less talented body to put at the hole left by Joe Thomas.

My opinion on Rasheed Walker would be a hard pass, we had a LT here in Jedrick Wills that people wanted replaced and Walker has posted similar numbers and has had similar grades the only difference is that Wills was on a rookie contract and Walker is speculated to get offers of $20 mill a year or more. I'd rather draft a guy like Freeling or re-sign Robinson as a stop gap and address the LT position in 2027 then to over pay for a an average player.

You had up until resign Cam Robinson. I would rather draft our tackles and sign free agent guards. With one of the 1st rounders the Browns have to draft a left tackle Freeling from Georgia, Loma from Utah, or Proctor from Alabama. They can also sign a right tackle earlier in the first and start opposite or 2nd or 3rd round.

Early on the in the analytics revolution in football, PFF was looked at as an industry leader. But I am of the opinion, like many others whether on this board or not, that other organizations have superseded PFF as it relates to more efficient data and analysis. And it is simply for the reason you stated. What they track is collected and rated by people w/o a uniformed process (as far as I understand their process to be). And people opinion's vary on what is deemed a good or bad play. That, and they completely changed their scoring process a couple of years ago to where it makes less sense than what it once did.

I'll reference PFF from time to time, but it in no way is it an industry standard as it was once perceived to be. I think most people realize that is the case (at least at this point in time) for available platforms sharing football data and actionable information.

I would only sign Wallace if it was cheap and it won't be. We can draft a guy that will probably play just as well with upside. Pass on RW.

I can get on board with Monroe Freeling. He is probably the only guy I think has a good chance at succeeding at the NFL level. So... that said, if he is the one true left tackle prospect, where do you think he lands on draft day? We still have evaluations to go through, combine/pro days, etc. But he will be graded the harshest on game film. If you think he is a 2026 starter at LT in the NFL, where does that put him on draft day... Do you want to spend the #6 overall pick on him?

I don't have a plan. That's well above my pay grade. And while I don't mean this in a derogatory way I've seen posters year in and year out come up with "plans" that either did or would have turned out horribly if they had been followed. I include myself on that list. What I do know is that I've seen this very same group of men in charge of the Browns make the decision to reach out of desperation only to come up short time after time. That's a mistake I don't wish to see repeated.


You won't find a second Joe Thomas. For some they didn't know just how valuable he was until he was gone. I don't normally pimp a guy hard in the draft, but I did him. I think you get it too.

I don't disagree with a single word you posted. Our only disagreement seems to be, which I'll repeat for the third time now, we just disagree on whether Rasheed Walker is the answer. The thing is there will be competition for his services. At 26 he will be being offered long term deals. You're not going to get him on some two year try out at 20 mil. a year. If he does fail you're going to have another high $$ albatross of a contract around your neck.

It's really quite simple. I don't share your view that he's the solution at the LT position. I'm not even trying to say that I'm right. We just gathered our own information and afterwords we came to two different conclusions.

I'm a father of a grown daughter. She 's in her 40's now in fact. I never tried to tell her who Mr. Right was. But I always told her who Mr. Wrong was.

We will know more after the combine. I expect him to jump up draft boards if he tests well because he is a left tackle. May end up having to use #6 to get him. If he was available to #24 that would be a huge bonus.

Right now most draft sites have Freeling as a late 1st rnd pick, with a good combine I could see him as mid 1st rnd pick (12-20 range) but it also depends on how college LTs Proctor and Lomu do at the combine and how teams view them.

I don't read too much into online mock drafts or rankings this early. I was more curious where everyone on here has him. If they rate him as a day 1 starter at LT, he is easily a top ten draft pick. I just don't think I could say that. I think he needs to add strength, which could add another 5-10lbs. I think he could step in and do an adequate job as a pass protector, but I think he currently lacks the leverage skills to be the run blocker that I think Monken is going to want. Now, that could be relieved with another Joel Bitonio clone to put beside him. Maybe if the plan is to wait on the WR room and go all in on offensive line.

I could see a trade down to maybe 12-19, get a trade like the Cowboys #12 and #20 in this years draft for #6, #70 and #107 or like Minnesota or Detroit down to 17-18 with a 2027 first and give a little something back.

If the Dallas trade happened, we could easily do one of the stud RT at #12, then come back with Freeling at #20 and hope he develops. Still have #24 for either an IOL or WR.

I just want to fix something.. either double up on WR if we stay at #6, then if Denzel Boston is still there at #24, take him also. Work on the interior of the line in round 2 and try to get a bridge to 2027. We have a lot to fix before adding a QB in 2027. We also definitely need to get a lot of pieces to properly evaluate Sanders, if that is the intention.

As much as we may have other needs .... if Caleb Downs is there at 6, I run his name to the podium.

Love Downs, but that is just too rich for a safety. We have way too many needs on offense, with offensive players rated just as high. I think he would be ANOTHER staple in the defense, but I don't see him lifting this defense higher than they already were in 2025. The offense, well, there is no where to go but up...

Agreed. Downs would be the guy another team will trade up with us for. A team that's a contender and needs a piece like him for the D.