Looking forward to 2019, Browns Free Agency/Trades

Please help me list the strongest candidates at position of needs here. The more info we get, the more informed conversations we can have leading up to free agency.

Important dates pertaining to Free Agency:
December 31, 2018 -- Earliest permissible date for clubs to renegotiate or extend the rookie contract of a drafted rookie who was selected in any round of the 2015 NFL Draft. Any permissible renegotiated or extended player contract will not be considered a rookie contract, and will not be subject to the rules that limit rookie contracts.

December 31, 2018 -- Option exercise period begins for Fifth-Year Option for First- Round Selections from the 2015 NFL Draft. To exercise the option, the club must give written notice to the player on or after December 1, 2018, but prior to May 3, 2019.

February 19 -- First day for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players.

March 5 -- Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, deadline for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players.

March 11-13 -- During the period beginning at 12 noon, New York time, on March 11th and ending at 3:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 13th, clubs are permitted to contact, and enter into contract negotiations with, the certified agents of players who will become Unrestricted Free Agents upon the expiration of their 2018 player contracts at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 13. However, a contract cannot be executed with a new club until 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 13.

During the above two-day negotiating period, a prospective unrestricted free agents who is not represented by an NFLPA Certified Contract Advisor is permitted to communicate directly with a new club's front office officials (excluding the head coach and other members of the club's coaching staff) regarding contract negotiations.

March 13 -- The 2019 League Year and Free Agency period begin at 4:00 p.m., New York time.

The first day of the 2019 League Year will end at 11:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 13. Clubs will receive a personnel notice that will include all transactions submitted to the League office during the period between 4:00 p.m., New York time, and 11:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 13.

March 13 -- Trading period for 2019 begins at 4:00 p.m., New York time, after expiration of all 2018 contracts.

April 19 -- Deadline for Restricted Free Agents to sign Offer Sheets.

April 24 -- Deadline for prior club to exercise right of first refusal to restricted free agents.

With the playoffs beginning Saturday, free agency will be just around the corner...

 

I don't think we are making any "splash" moves in 2019. I do believe they will be active in trying to upgrade the roster by filling with players that have specific strengths and those that could improve out depth.

Sheldon Richardson, I think he would improve our run defense from day one. It's not a splash signing, but a necessary one imho.
Jadaveon Clowney/Dee Ford, This is a pipe dream. As I already mentioned, I don't think we will make a big time signing and this would definitely be big time. I also think the Texans retain him.
Bryce Callahan I believe would be an upgrade on our staff worth paying.. He's going to bring $7-7.5M per year, but he is just a solid player that does his job, coming off a broken foot injury. He is the equivalent to Boddy-Calhoun, if we can't retain him...with preference to re-signing Briean

Who you got Browns Nation?

 

Not really sure how these two differ from one another.

The Browns won't be in a better position to spend money than they are right now. Franchise QB and several impact players on rookie deals, not having a top 10 draft pick for the upcoming year, and plenty of money to spend in the bank. Spend that money on the best possible players that you can, so that you can capitalize on the coming few years. This team should be the biggest player in free agency, strictly based on the team's ability to do so.

 

Re: Excess Salary Cap.

Yes, the Browns could spend a shitload on free agents now, but I don't think they will. They're going to need almost every penny they have when this core group of players reach the tail end of their rookie contracts. To that end, I think they will continue to roll it over to give them best opportunity to resign these guys BEFORE they hit the free agent market.

 

I'm certainly not a salary cap expert, but can't you only roll over excess cap room for a year / at a percentage? Someone please correct me, if inaccurate.

I understand that you'll need to re-sign the most valuable players on the team in a few years. However, you know for a fact that you have them, in some cases. Why not take advantage of having a premier pass rusher and franchise QB on their rookie deals? The two most expensive positions in football, the Browns have stars on the cheap. And while you may be in love with the development prospects of some players, the reality is that they might not improve / continue to play at a given level. So, some guys might look like no-brainer re-signs when their rookie deals are up, right now, but they might end up not being the contributors you want them to. However, it seems like you've got QB, DE, and potentially a few other positions with top players on rookie deals. What else are you doing with that cash if not immediately improving weaknesses and making a serious run at a division title / playoff run now?

I had this conversation with a lot of people, when the Raiders were looking to move Mack. "Is he worth it? That's so much money for a non-QB...". In retrospect, all clearly nonsense. Being conservative isn't going to get this team to greatness. This team is missing a legitimate WR, for example. Even though it's the position I maybe feel least comfortable with paying big money for, it's also a glaring weakness that can be improved immediately. Sign one or more legitimate WR's to, say, three year deals, and be done with them if needed by the time you have to pay your other stars.

I don't think any other team in the league is confident in saying that they have their franchise passer and a top DE on rookie deals, with years left. I don't think any team can also say that they've got a potential franchise CB on a rookie deal, on top of that. I don't think any team has the type of money that the Browns do, with all of those rookie deals in tow. I don't see how the team doesn't put it to use now.

 

I'm not implying that the Browns ignore bringing in top notch free agents. I just suggested in another thread targeting CJ Mosely. All I'm saying is that they need to be extremely prudent in spending for the right guy(s).

 

There is a difference in signing top free agents, and getting into a bidding war for the absolute top free agents.

there are certain players on the free-agent market that are going to demand the top salaries at their positions even if they do not deserve them, that is what I believe the Browns will avoid.

 

Dee Ford.

Drafted by Dorsey in Kansas City, Ford has 30.5 sacks in five season. 29.0 of his sacks came in 41 starts (he was a back-up early on). He posted 13.0 this year and 10.0 in 2016 (he missed a lot of time in 2017 with injury). He plays a true EDGE spot, much like Genard Avery.

I think our pass rush was seriously exposed as a weakness in 2018, and pressuring the QB would be my #1 offseason priority.

Signing Ford allows the Browns to move Ogbah inside (where he played more as the year wore on) and you get the option to rotate Ford/Avery at RDE, Myles and Smith at LDE, and your DT rotation is Ogunjobi/Ogbah/Jones (R1 rookie) in my ideal scenario.

 

^^^^^

Dee Ford's overall grade from PFF.com:



(Myles Garrett, for comparison sake):

 

Of course. You always want to spend money on the right guys. What I'm suggesting is that the Browns are in the best position they or any other team will be in taking as many swings as possible. Don't let conservatism or worry keep you from a player that will put the team over the top. Might you strike out? Absolutely. But this team is well-positioned to deal with that. However, if you nail, say, 3 of 4 top free agent signings, you can forget the money you wasted, and enjoy the trophies that the rest of the money helped you bring in.

Browns fans should want this team to take as many swings as possible. Should they be made with sound judgement? Absolutely. Any signing should. But it shouldn't prevent you from swinging.

 

I don't think taking a called third strike is in Dorsey's DNA.

 

Well, good. I'm not sure what we're disagreeing about here, then.

Simply put, this team should be spending money like crazy on the best talent it can identify. It could not be in a better position to do so.

 

I disagree with the idea of spending because you have, just to spend, if it means you are overpaying.

It doesn't take long to find examples of why this is a bad idea (Suh and Haynesworth are probably the easiest to remember).

Plus, at some point the Browns will need to pay the talent they have acquired in the draft.

 

I'm not sure who ever suggested the Browns need to spend money in free agency?

The floor requires them to spend 90% of the salary cap, but that's a rolling four-year figure (currently through 2020), so the Browns can roll over ALL THE CAP SPACE now without penalty. That would seem to be a prudent move right now with a glut of contracts expiring around the 2020/2021 season.

Sign: Dee Ford.

Re-sign: Greg Robinson, Rashard Higgins, Breshad Perriman, and Briean Boddy-Calhoun.

Reserve: rookie contracts.

Roll-forward: everything else.

 

Also... I've found this as a useful tool for tracking, especially free agency stuff:

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/free-agents/

 

Won't be cheap...

 

I would contend that that's covered under the "making sound judgements" caveat. However, even if, for example, the team missed on a player with a large contract, would it really be crippling? You're right that the team has to pay its own draft-acquired talent - but the biggest of those contracts won't be written for at least two years, right (thereabouts)? In the meantime, the team has money available - sign a player to a contract with money being spent in that interim, with minimal dead money due at the time that you'd have to be paying your star DE or QB.

The team paid $15 mil per to Landry, with almost $50 mil guaranteed. If they can spend that kind of money on other deserving players, why not? Again, if they structure deals properly, even a miss won't kill the team. Meanwhile, successes will help the team capitalize on the time during which they're not paying meda-deals to their drafted stars.

I'm not familiar enough with the salary cap rollover to determine exactly what amount of money is prudent to spend vs saving to roll over for upcoming renewals. But this is the time, if ever there's any, to spend money on worthy free agents.

Tim, would you say that the money Chicago spent on Mack was worth it? I ask only because I see similar scenarios - two teams with locked-in QB's on rookie deals, and the ability to acquire proven NFL talent with the money they're saving. If Chicago had played conservative, as many advocated, they wouldn't be in the position they are. The team signed numerous offensive weapons, as well. I see a prime opportunity for Cleveland to take advantage now, and make similar moves for proven NFL talent with the money they have available.

 

You're adding in a lot of 'ifs' to the original premise.

It takes two to tango so free agents would need to be willing to sign off on deals that are structured team friendly with front loaded bonus/cap structures that prevent a long term headache in money down the road.

Using Mack as an example reinforces your point, the same as using Suh points the opposite direction. Each signing is a monster onto its own that can have a huge impact both positive and negative.

Spending just to spend would not be my approach to free agency for the Browns (or most likely any roster) and I wouldn't throw cash at 'hope' in an effort to maybe improve the roster.

A miss can hurt the franchise if the deal is structured poorly, but there are a lot of other issues that can come up as well. Going back to your Mack reference - what if Khalil suffered a hamstring injury in week one that lasted the entire season, limiting his impact and rendering him useful for less than 40% of all Bears' defensive snaps?

If I were handling the Browns free agent acquisitions I would look to add some role players in the receiving room and in the DB group. I might look to add a player like Ronald Darby to avoid going back to the well at CB earlier in the draft (dependent on health and likely less of a contract number from the injury) and along the exact same lines, I would probably take a look at Kwon Alexander. Keeping with a similar theme, I might kick the tires on David Irving.

The one thing I would be sure of is bringing in guys with a bit of something to prove and an eagerness to do it, and that kind of goes against giving a player a huge career setting contract. The Browns are in a spot of rapid growth with a lot of youth. I would continue building around that nucleus by adding in the draft and retaining the players that are already part of the existing build before going out on a spending frenzy. Jarvis Landry fits this mold because of his perceived disrespect in Miami. The Browns made the move for him, told him they believed he was the player he views himself as and put the money on the table for him to prove it.

This is more about a philosophy for a certain situation than it is a 'right or wrong', so this is just my opinion on how Cleveland should approach free agency (with some of this being based on my early thoughts for how the Browns should approach days 1 and 2 of the draft).

 

I don't disagree with you on any of that. I don't think I was ever necessarily advocating for one massive, career signing. I meant that, as an approach to this offseason, the Browns should be fine opening up the purse. I also said that sound judgement in selecting those players should be used - whether that's your reasoning of hungry players, etc., still fits that premise.

If Mack had gotten injured and not played most of the season, I would have been fine with the team taking that swing. You spend top money on the best player at a position of need, and hope it works for you. If it doesn't, your massive QB contract on the horizon is still far enough off. Again, Cleveland is in a position to do the same. I'm not saying it has to be on one specific player, but the team should be willing to spend a sizable portion of their available cap space on players they feel adequately upgrade the roster. If they miss, the team has time to account for it.

I get what you mean - that players have to be agreeable to signing contracts that have team-friendly terms. But that would be my goal - swing with sound judgement, but swing. If Baker is the guy, and this team has the kind of talent that its fans believe, why would they be too far off for the right upgrades to put them over the top?

I think there's a misconception that I meant for the team to overpay, or to pay for one major signing. I meant that the team shouldn't be afraid to spend money, or be conservative with their cap room.

 

I get that you're not suggesting some over the top deal, and I'm not suggesting they should be conservative either.

I just don't see the necessity in spilling blood to round out this roster. I'd rather see them continue to build along the same course as they have rather than try to overachieve now with a room full of mercs that can hamstring the current process through not only financial obligations but conflict of temperament and the possibility of regressing the current team chemistry.

Like I said, all in all I don't necessarily disagree with you and there is no right or wrong. I'm just giving my opinion on my personal preference for how the Browns treat the 2019 off-season.