Did the Browns Drop the Ball with Inactivity Early in Free-Agency Period?

Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam and general manager Ray Farmer were both very clear leading up to free agency that the team would not be big spenders, despite possessing over $40 million in salary-cap space. 

Haslam plainly said it in February: "I think you'll see us playing less in free agency."

Farmer, too, said the Browns were not going to spend money just because they have it, adding eight days later:

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Active? Not active? It’s really about being judicious and making smart decisions. That's the one thing we've tried to articulate to [owner Jimmy Haslam] and the rest of our staff. It doesn't mean we're not going to go. It doesn't mean we're not going to play. It doesn't mean we're not going to allocate cap dollars in that regard.

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Both men made it clear that building the roster through April's draft—in which the Browns presently have 10 picks—would be the main priority this year. And it's not a bad idea. Teams do not get better by being the most active in free agency, but rather by how well they evaluate and develop younger talent.

Player	Position	Sign/Re-sign
Josh McCown	QB	Sign
Thaddeus Lewis	QB	Sign
Brian Hartline	WR	Sign
Marlon Moore	ST/WR	Re-Sign
Shaun Draughn	ST/RB	Re-Sign
Tashaun Gipson	S	RFA Tender
Johnson Bademosi	ST	RFA Tender
Craig Robertson	LB	RFA Tender
Ishmaa'ily Kitchen	DL	RFA Tender

Still, given the Browns' many roster holes, it's surprising that they did not behave more aggressively in free agency's early days. They did make additions—most notably quarterback Thaddeus Lewis and wide receiver Brian Hartline. They re-signed special teams contributors Marlon Moore and Shaun Draughn, and also gave tender offers to four restricted free agents. And, of course, there was the early-March signing of quarterback Josh McCown.

The Browns also hosted pass-rusher Trent Cole for two days before Cole ultimately opted to sign with the Indianapolis Colts, and they are expected to meet with transition-tagged Miami Dolphins tight end Charles Clay.

Browns beat writers, such as ESPN's Pat McManamon and 92.3 The Fan's Daryl Ruiter, were pessimistic before the start of free agency that the Browns would be able to re-sign any of their own unrestricted free agents, likely assuming that the greener-seeming pastures of another team would be a stronger draw than the significant cash the Browns were capable of offering. 

That's not an entirely off-base assumption. The Browns are coming off of their best seasons since their 10-6 2007, but they only totaled seven wins. Since 1999, they've had just two seasons above the .500 mark. They've changed head coaches and general managers five times since 2008, meaning that any players who sign won't trust there will be any sense of security from one year to the next.

Oh, and they don't have a starting quarterback—a common problem in Cleveland that has likely scared away a certain level of free-agent talent for years. It could have played a factor into why tight end Jordan Cameron chose the Miami Dolphins over the Browns on Thursday night.

There's a kernel of truth to the idea that Cleveland is not the most desirable destination for a free agent, especially those with enough leverage to land with a multitude of teams. Clearly, any NFL player would prefer to join a team that seems as if it's just one or two years away from the Super Bowl being a very real possibility than one that is constantly reinventing itself like the Browns. 

Jason Miller/Getty Images

That's not to say that the Browns are completely incapable of adding talented free agents. Last year is a prime example, with the signings of safety Donte Whitner and linebacker Karlos Dansby—two well-established veterans from winning football teams dedicated to helping the Browns turn their culture around.

Getting players like that to buy into the Browns was absolutely a positive development, and Whitner and Dansby have been invaluable on and off the field. But there is no correlation to spending big in free agency and winning, either immediately or in the longer term, because of those signings. 

In fact, ESPN Stats & Info crunched the numbers and found that six of the 12 teams that ranked in the top three in free-agency spending since 2011 did not improve their win-loss record a year later, "including all three" of last year's top-three spenders. 

The Browns were wise this year to take a hint from their AFC North counterparts—the Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals—who are never very active in free agency no matter how much cap space they have to spend. All three have committed to building through the draft, and the results—winning records, playoff appearances—speak for themselves.

Spending for spending's sake in free agency's first week is always a gamble, and one that hasn't paid off for most teams that have done so in the last four years. So, the Browns made the smart move by being selective with their free-agency signings, despite their many roster needs. Don't be alarmed: The Browns can't miss out on players they don't even want.