Cleveland Browns Add Free Agent Defensive Ends Rucker, Parker

If the Cleveland Browns needed an upgrade at starting defensive end, they've surely taken care of it in the last two days.

First, they signed right defensive end Frostee Rucker, formerly of the Cincinnati Bengals, to a five-year, $21 million deal yesterday—and today gave 11-year veteran Juqua Parker a one-year, $3 million deal.

The Browns already had an explosive playmaker at left defensive end, Jabaal Sheard, who is heading into his second season. The addition of Parker gives the team much-needed veteran depth at low risk.

Parker has racked up a total of 36.5 sacks in his career, along with 187 total tackles and had two fumble returns for a touchdown in the 2011 season alone—his final of seven years with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Rucker will be starting at right defensive end this year, according to his comments in a conference call on Thursday.

In Rucker's five seasons with the Bengals, he notched seven sacks (four in 2011) and 33 total tackles. He said in the conference call that he chose the Browns because he'd be guaranteed to be a full-time starter; when with the Bengals, he was a rotational player.

With defensive end locked down, the Browns can thus use even more of their 2012 draft picks in building their offense.

Though Cleveland hasn't had a flashy two days of free-agent spending, they've made some smart decisions on defense that should bolster that side of the ball in 2012 and beyond.

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