Cleveland Browns: Grading the Browns' Offseason Moves so Far

The Cleveland Browns have been the most active team in the AFC North in free agency thus far, but to what end?

They've made some additions—mostly on the defensive side of the ball—but have ignored glaring holes in their offensive line and running back corps that can't all be filled adequately in the draft.

Let's take a look at everything the Browns have done (or have had done to them) in the past week of free agency and see how they've fared.

Additions: DE Frostee Rucker, DE Juqua Parker

The Browns missed out on (or never wanted in on) the hunt for right tackle Eric Winston, easily their most egregious slip of free agency. In fact, they have yet to land a player from the open market on the offensive side of the ball, period. Instead, they brought on a pair of defensive ends: Frostee Rucker (most recently of the Cincinnati Bengals), who will start in 2012, and former Philadelphia Eagle Juqua Parker, who will primarily serve as veteran depth behind second-year Jabaal Sheard.

Most of the Browns' most intelligent roster moves in recent seasons have been on defense, and the result is a unit that is close to rivaling those fielded by division-mates Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens.

But now they need to move to the other side of the ball and match their offensive talent with the kind of players they have on defense.

It's hard to give a standard grade to these additions. On the one hand, adding a new starting defensive end to replace a player who was underperforming is always a smart move, as is bringing in veteran depth. On the other hand, however, these additions don't occur in a vacuum, and to see just these two moves come on defense makes one wonder what the Browns' approach to this offseason really is.

Final Grade: B- (Rucker and Parker are good additions, but the neglect shown to the offense is disturbing)

Re-Signings: LB D'Qwell Jackson, K Phil Dawson (Franchise Tag), OG John Greco, OT Oniel Cousins, CB Dimitri Patterson, TE Alex Smith, WR Jordan Norwood, DT Brian Schaefering

For the re-signing of linebacker D'Qwell Jackson alone, the Browns deserve an A+. A player of his talent could have easily moved on to another team without looking back, but Jackson chose to stick around with the Browns.

The Browns also chose to give the franchise tag to kicker Phil Dawson for the second year in a row, re-signed offensive tackle Oniel Cousins (who is far better at run-blocking than pass protection) and signed Dimitri Patterson to a three-year deal that will have him moving to starting corner from nickel.

All in all, the Browns will benefit from the continuity provided from re-signing this many of their own free agents.

Though not all of them were the smartest (Cousins, for example, but the Browns can't afford to lose more offensive linemen), a team can't just let every one of their free agents go unsigned when there's cap space to keep them.

Final Grade: C

Cuts and Free Agents Signed Elsewhere: Cuts—RT Tony Pashos, P Richmond McGee, OG Eric Steinbach, DE Jayme Mitchell; Moved On—RB Peyton Hillis (Kansas City Chiefs), S Mike Adams (Denver Broncos), OG Artis Hicks (Miami Dolphins), G/C Steve Vallos (Philadelphia Eagles)

The four players that the Cleveland Browns released outright were smart moves.

Right tackle Tony Pashos played 12 games in 2011 with torn ligaments in his foot and ankle that required surgery that would have seen him miss the entirety of the upcoming season, his final year of his contract.

Offensive guard Eric Steinbach ended 2011 on injured reserve, and defensive end Jayme Mitchell was the team's worst defensive lineman. He has now been replaced by free agent Frostee Rucker, so releasing those two players clearly makes sense as well.

While the fate of running back Peyton Hillis was the top free agency storyline for the Browns, it's no surprise that he's no longer with the team. Hillis brought more headaches to the Cleveland locker room in 2011 than he did benefits to the offense, and despite his 2010 production, the team chose to move on.

Of course, the prospect of drafting Trent Richardson No. 4 overall this April likely made that decision easier. Hillis reportedly received no counter offer from the Browns when the Kansas City Chiefs came calling, and he's their problem now.

The Browns also lost safety Mike Adams to the Denver Broncos, which is a blow to their otherwise strong secondary. They''ll need to find his replacement in the draft. Hybrid guard/center Steve Vallos went to the Philadelphia Eagles after playing in just one game for the Browns in 2011.

Final Grade: A-

Remaining Free Agents on the Open Market: LB Titus Brown, P Brad Maynard

Follow @FBALL_Andrea