DawgTalkers.net Forums Thread Like Summary - 2025 Off Season - Moves?

Welcome to the off season. Before we get into wishes and hopes, Berry has to eliminate a minimum of about 31M in cap cost before March 12th. Of course, that doesn't leave any money or cap room for FA's and the draft, so it'll have to be substantially more than 31M. During this time frame, Berry must also decide which of the Browns 27 current FA's he intends to sign.
Though it goes without saying that the Browns need QB help, a bigger need would be OT where 5 of the 7 rostered are FA's with all of the LT's on that list. The defense technically returns all starters from 2024 where the offense could lose 4 starters in WR Moore, LT Hudson, QB Watson and RB Chubb. Depth is also an issue on th OL with only 1 G-Zinter, 1 C-Wympler, and 1 RT-Jones under contract. The offense also has 4 more starters becoming FA's in '26. A lot of maneuvering needs to be done by Berry. who do you think he should keep or not? There's certainly a lot of holes, which are the most important?

LEGEND
Green - 2025 FA's (27)
White - 2026 FA's (21)
Yellow - Rookies this past season (9)
Orange - Under contract for '25 & '26 excluding PS (18)

OFFENSE
LWR 19 Tillman, Cedric 23/3 - 81 (RFA26) Woods II, Michael 22/6 - 80 (R) Thrash, Jamari 24/5
RWR 3 Jeudy, Jerry T/Den - 11 (UFA) Proche II, James SF23 - 89 (ERFA26) Davis, Kaden SF24
SWR 8 (UFA) Moore, Elijah T/NYJ - 18 (UFA26) Bell, David 22/3
LT 66 (UFA) Hudson III, James 21/4 - 71 (UFA) Wills Jr., Jedrick 20/1 - 65 (UFA) IFEDI, GERMAIN SF24
LG 75 (UFA26) BITONIO, JOEL 14/2 - 68 (UFA) DUNN, MICHAEL SF20
C 55 (UFA26) Pocic, Ethan U/Sea - 56 Wypler, Luke 23/6 - 53 (UFA) Harris, Nick 20/5
RG 77 (UFA26) TELLER, WYATT T/Buf - 70 (R) Zinter, Zak 24/3
RT 78 CONKLIN, JACK U/Ten - 79 Jones, Dawand 23/4 - 74 (UFA) Adeniji, Hakeem U/Min - 72 (UFA) Christian, Geron P/LAR
TE 85 (UFA26) Njoku, David 17/1 - 88 (UFA) AKINS, JORDAN U/Hou - 84 (UFA) SWAIM, GEOFF U/Arz - 86 Whiteheart, Blake SF24 - 82 (R) Bates, Brenden
QB 4 Watson, Deshaun T/Hou - 2 (RFA) Zappe, Bailey P/KC - 17 Thompson-Robinson, Dorian 23/5 - 5 (UFA) WINSTON, JAMEIS U/NO
RB 24 (UFA) Chubb, Nick 18/2 - 34 (UFA26) Ford, Jerome 22/5 - 20 (UFA26) Strong Jr., Pierre T/NE - 27 (UFA) Foreman, D'Onta U/Chi - 22 (UFA) Hines, Nyheim CC/Buf - 42 (ERFA) Kelly Jr., John SF24

DEFENSE
LDE 95 Garrett, Myles 17/1 - 91 (UFA26) Wright, Alex 22/3 - 99 (UFA26) Thomas, Cameron W/KC
LDT 94 TOMLINSON, DALVIN U/Min - 90 (UFA) Hurst II, Maurice U/SF - 92 (RFA26) Kamara, Sam SF22
RDT 93 (UFA26) HARRIS, SHELBY CC/Sea - 51 (R) Hall Jr., Mike 24/2 - 97 (R) Briggs, Jowon 24/7 - 62 (ERFA) Dwumfour, Michael SF24
RDE 57 McGuire, Isaiah 23/4 - 54 Okoronkwo, Ogbo U/Hou - 96 (RFA) Houston, James W/Det
WLB 6 Owusu-Koramoah, Jeremiah 21/2 - 30 (UFA) Bush, Devin U/Sea - 39 (UFA) Hudson, Khaleke P/NO
MLB 58 (UFA26) HICKS, JORDAN U/Min - 59 (ERFA) Reid, Winston CF24
SLB 43 (RFA26) Diabate, Mohamoud CF23 - 40 (R) Watson, Nathaniel 24/6
LCB 21 Ward, Denzel 18/1 - 31 (UFA) Ford Jr., Mike SF24 - 35 (R)Anusiem, Chigozie P/Was
SS 9 Delpit, Grant 20/2 - 12 (UFA) MCLEOD JR., RODNEY U/Ind - 41 (R) Edmonds, Christopher CF24
FS 1 (UFA26) Thornhill, Juan U/KC - 33 (RFA26) Hickman, Ronnie CF23 - 37 (RFA) Bell, D'Anthony CF22
RCB 23 (UFA26) Emerson Jr., Martin 22/3 - 38 (UFA) Brown II, Tony SF24
NB 0 (UFA26) Newsome II, Greg 21/1 - 29 Mitchell, Cameron 23/5 - 26 (R) Harden, Myles 24/7

SPECIAL TEAMS
PT 13 (UFA26) Bojorquez, Corey U/GB
PK 7 HOPKINS, DUSTIN T/LAC
LS 47 HUGHLETT, CHARLEY P/KC - 50 (ERFA26) Sunahara, Rex SF24
H 13 (UFA26) Bojorquez, Corey U/GB
KO 13 (UFA26) Bojorquez, Corey U/GB
PR 11 (UFA) Proche II, James SF23 - 8 (UFA) Moore, Elijah T/NYJ
KR 34 (UFA26) Ford, Jerome 22/5 - 20 (UFA26) Strong Jr., Pierre T/NE - 89 (ERFA26) Davis, Kaden SF24

RESERVES (PS)
FUT 67 Cohen, Javion OG 28 Dean III, Trey S 98 Haynes, Marcus DE 87 McKitty, Tre' TE 60 Pearl, Julian OT
FUT 61 Mbaeteka, Roy OT 69 Thompson, Lorenzo OT 52 Smith, Elerson DE 10 Szmyt, Andre PK Latham, Brady OG
FUT Holley, Ralph DT Hairston, Troy FB

I mean, Jack Duffin, some Londoner who has oddly adopted the Browns, can foresee the cap moves because he has the time and inclination to play with numbers on Over The Cap and/or Spotrac.

It doesn't take a brilliant mind to know that the Browns are going to sign Garrett to the largest DE contract in the NFL, and end up with a paltry cap hit because Jimmy will pay the majority of the first year in the form of a signing bonus to give the FO cap flexibility.

That is moronic. Nobody made the trade to purposely lose.

Hopefully after a night's sleep you will wake up and realize how stupid that sounds.

And that's the bottom line.

What I feel most people ignored in the decision making or at the very least underestimated the gravity of, and that includes this FO, is all the baggage that came along with DW.

All of the civil suits involving the abuse of women. Not, 1, not 5, not 10, but well over 20. Excuses were made to the point that his victims became the target of fans. The entire thing as it played out on this very board was nothing short of disgusting. Then there's the fact that for some reason which has been disputed as to the exact cause, is that his last season at Houston he didn't even play. Something had manifested itself so deeply that he didn't even see the field for an entire season. Both of these were huge red flags that anyone could see if looking at it objectively.

The numbers and the tape looked impressive. But that was over a season removed from all of the other factors. Some understood why they went after DW. Some felt it was a huge mistake. It seems as those who felt his personal issues weighed heavily and would be near impossible to overcome were right. And they weren't even NFL GM's.

Thanks but I'm quite sure there are others who won't see it that way.

We should sign whomever we can in FA to help us. Use the draft prudently, hopefully, to find players that can help us now and others that have talent that can be developed for the future. Incorporate them into our system and line up and play and do the best we can. As far as Myles I would try and work out a trade as much as it pains me. This team is in a tough situation and it’s going to take a lot of work and effort to get us out of it.