Browns Free Agency: Projecting Contract Offers for Cleveland

The Cleveland Browns will once again have a ton of money to spend in free agency, and I expect them to use it. They won’t spend to the point it hurts them in the future, but they are set up to bring in a marquee free agent and some depth at other positions. According to OverTheCap.com, the Browns have the second-most cap space entering the 2015 offseason.

Last season, the Browns made splashes at inside linebacker and safety. They used their money to bring in guys they felt would have a positive influence in the locker room and could make an impact on the field. While they will still pursue players that “play like a Brown,” I expect them to go after some big production guys this year.

There are quite a few marquee names that might hit the market but just like any other year, most of them will remain with their current team. The Browns will be one of the top contenders for anybody they choose to chase this offseason, and that could result in at least one starter joining the team.

Here are a few potential targets and the type of contract that it might take to get them to sign.

N'damukong Suh

Tony Gutierrez/Associated Press

The Browns should be waiting outside defensive lineman N’Damukong Suh’s house the second they are allowed to court free agents. He will be the top target on the market and will have plenty of suitors.

His attitude and the way he conducts himself is always a concern, but his effort and production is not. Suh is the most dominant force in the NFL this side of Houston’s J.J. Watt. He just turned 28 years old and has 36 sacks in five seasons.

That type of production at that age is hard to find. He doesn’t just log sacks, however, he also clogs running lanes. That is something the Browns desperately need.

If they want to get Suh, it will take the largest defensive contract in the NFL. Just about every analyst—including NFL.com’s Chris Wesseling—thinks he will earn a larger payday than Watt last September. "Because it would take a whopping $26.7 million to wield the franchise tag, the Lions are willing to let Suh explore free agency even if he notches a third All-Pro selection," he said.

The Browns are a destination that many think Suh could be headed toward. They need a player like him, have a lack of nasty on their roster and have plenty of money to spend.

ESPN.com’s Field Yates says the Browns are a fit financially as much as anyone else in the NFL:

"Much like Oakland, the Browns have an estimated $50 million-plus in cap space for next season."

This is the home run that would not only make waves in March, but also next September when the season starts. Suh changes the way teams have to attack on offense and could propel the Browns into one of the top defenses in the NFL.

Projected offer: Four years, $68 million with $35 million guaranteed

Pernell McPhee

Nick Wass/Associated Press

Back in 2012, the Browns signed a part-time pass-rusher from the Baltimore Ravens thinking he would be one of the cornerstones of their defense. In 2014, Paul Kruger blossomed into a top-tier outside linebacker with 11 sacks and 36 tackles.

They can bolster the other side of the linebacking group by bringing in another Baltimore rotation guy in Pernell McPhee. He had 27 tackles and 7.5 sacks this season in his breakout year. He is 26 years old and set to cash in on a huge payday if he hits the open market.

The offer to McPhee would have to be very similar to what the Browns gave Kruger back in 2012. In Kruger’s last season in Baltimore, he had 30 tackles and nine sacks. He was also 26 years old.

Even the players in Baltimore’s locker room know it is going to take some cash to bring McPhee back to the team. Ryan Mink from BalimoreRavens.com said that after the Ravens lost to New England, there were already players going to bat for McPhee’s next contract: "As outside linebacker Pernell McPhee took questions from reporters following Saturday’s loss in New England, defensive end Chris Canty called out, 'Pay the man!'"

The Browns should seriously consider paying the man because he would be an instant upgrade over Barkevious Mingo in not only pass rushing, but also against the run.

Projected offer: Five years, $40.5 million, $13 million guaranteed

Bryan Bulaga

Gary Wiepert/Associated Press

As soon as the Browns’ season ended, I have been trumpeting the horn to bring in another right tackle. It’s not that Mitchell Schwartz is awful; it's just that he is not great. General managers have to improve any position they can whenever they have the chance.

The Green Bay Packers might have just lost in the NFC Championship Game, but right tackle Bryan Bulaga is a Super Bowl-caliber right tackle. His injury history makes him a slightly risky investment, but he did play 14 games this season and performed at a very high level.

Pete Dougherty of PackersNews.com lays out just how the reward of signing Bulaga could certainly outweigh the risk. He is only 25 years old and has a ton of career ahead of him. He is also the type of guy who could develop into a replacement for let tackle Joe Thomas when he finally calls it quits:

"

This year Bulaga has helped his case by staying mostly healthy and playing good football, especially later in the season. He missed 1.5 games because of a knee injury early in the season and was unable to finish three weeks ago at Buffalo because of a concussion. Before leaving that Buffalo game he basically neutralized defensive end Mario Williams, who was voted to this year's Pro Bowl.

"

Bulaga combines the power of a run-blocker with the speed and technique of an elite pass-blocker. Signing him would save the Browns a high draft pick this year as well.

Projected offer: Five years, $33 million, $13 million guaranteed

Akeem Ayers

Steven Senne/Associated Press

If the Browns cannot land Pernell McPhee or he does not hit the market at all, then a much cheaper alternative would be Akeem Ayers. He was traded halfway through the 2014 season to the New England Patriots and ended up with four total sacks.

The number might not be too impressive, but the former second-round draft pick was a part-time player in Tennessee before getting some major minutes with the Pats. ESPN.com’s Paul Kuharsky laid out how a change in scenery might have been exactly what the doctor ordered:

"

Ayers didn’t win a starting spot with the Titans and he didn’t react the way coach Ken Whisenhunt, defensive coordinator Ray Horton and linebacker coach Lou Spanos wanted him to once the lineup was set. Rather than fighting to prove worthy of a role, he moped and symbolically became a player the team felt it needed to part with as it looks to shift a bad culture that is undergoing a restart.

Plugged into a team with a longstanding healthy, winning culture and given a fresh opportunity, Ayers woke up and has, so far, done well to take advantage and make a contribution.

"

An attitude issue is a red flag, but he is still just 25 years old. If the Browns feel a taste of success will change his perspective, then he could be worth pursuing. That is especially true now that he is headed to the Super Bowl. Hopefully the change in culture will allow him to carry some of that over to the Browns.

There is a very real chance that the Patriots will try to retain his services, but if the Browns can snag him, they will add a quality player to their pass-rushing rotation.

Projected offer: Four years, $20 million, $7 million guaranteed