The Cleveland Browns cannot afford for these three players to leave for unsigned free agents when NFL free agency begins next month.
After the Cleveland Browns were ousted from the playoffs about a month ago, the fan base turned its attention to the offseason. The Browns’ fans are curious about what lies ahead in the upcoming months after a strong season that saw them in the playoffs for the first time since 2020, especially with free agency opening on March 15.
While some fans are more interested in the outside aid the Browns might bring in this season, others are more interested in the team’s own free agents. Cleveland has 26 pending free agents on the roster, according to Spotrac. While certain players’ departures may be tolerated by supporters, others must be retained at any costs.
The Browns can’t afford to let these three pending free agents go to other teams.
DE Za’Darius Smith, first
With Za’Darius Smith leading the way, the Browns boasted one of the top pass rushes in the NFL in 2023.
The three-time Pro Bowl defender was a terror for opposing quarterbacks, and the Browns acquired him via trade from the Minnesota Vikings in May of last year. Despite having his lowest number of sacks since 2017, he nevertheless finished with 60 total pressures (40 hurries, 14 hits, and 6 sacks), according to Pro Football Focus. Among edge rushers, he had the ninth-best pass rushing (86.8) and 16th-best defence (83.1) ratings.
According to Spotrac, the Browns are almost $20.6 million over the salary cap, so it might be challenging to re-sign Smith. Nevertheless, he looked fantastic with Myles Garrett, so ending that combination after just one season might have been a mistake. General manager Andrew Berry should try to find a way to put No. 99 on the books by releasing some cap space through trades, contract re-structuring, etc.
If not, the pass rush for the Browns can significantly deteriorate the next season.
