Grading the Cleveland Browns Free-Agency Moves so Far
Though free agency is still underway and will remain that way for months, the Cleveland Browns have already made enough significant moves to take a look at all of them and see how they fared.
Grading may not make sense at this time, considering it will take until Week 8 of the upcoming season—at the earliest—to really see if these additions paid off. However, we can grade them upon how they appear to immediately impact the Browns.
So, here are the grades for the Browns' free-agency moves so far.
Browns Sign WR Brian Hartline
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The Browns' first major signing of free agency was wide receiver Brian Hartline, formerly of the Miami Dolphins. Hartline brings with him six seasons of NFL experience and the ability to stretch the field, as evidenced by his two straight 1,000-plus-yard receiving seasons in 2012 and 2013.
That production fell off in 2014, mainly because the Dolphins changed their offensive philosophy, which required less downfield passing. As such, Hartline caught just 39 passes on 63 targets, for 474 yards and two touchdowns in 2014.
Hartline signed a two-year deal worth $6 million, a low-risk contract that won't cost the Browns much in salary-cap space if he doesn't work out—or if whoever throws him the football cannot build a downfield rapport. He doesn't entirely fill the void of the suspended Josh Gordon, in that Hartline is more of a No. 2, possession-style receiver; however, he at least adds experience to an otherwise young receiving corps.
Grade: C+
Browns Sign CB Tramon Williams
2 of 10
The Browns announced Monday that they signed coveted veteran cornerback Tramon Williams. The NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that he accepted a three-year, $21 million deal.
Williams spent eight years with the Green Bay Packers and was a 16-game starter for the past three. He amassed 395 career tackles in Green Bay, along with 28 interceptions, 114 passes defensed and 4.5 sacks. In 2014, he had 14 passes defensed, three interceptions and 65 tackles.
Williams is a key signing for the Browns, who lost starting cornerback Buster Skrine in free agency. Williams can easily step in and start in place of Skrine alongside Joe Haden. Second-year cornerbacks Justin Gilbert, Pierre Desir and K'Waun Williams can then fight it out to be part of the rotation, particularly at nickel corner.
The signing brings a veteran leader who can assist the young players alongside Haden and fills a glaring need that the Browns would otherwise have to address yet again in the draft. Williams might be the best new face the Browns add all year.
Grade: A+
Browns Sign DL Randy Starks
3 of 10
The Browns needed defensive line help this year, not only to help stop the run but also to boost interior pass rushing. Their signing of defensive lineman Randy Starks certainly helps the latter. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports the Browns gave Starks a two-year, $8 million contract.
Starks, an 11-year veteran who played four years with the Tennessee Titans and the last seven with the Miami Dolphins, has a career total of 278 tackles and 41 sacks, along with four interceptions, two forced fumbles and nine fumble recoveries.
Expect Starks to be part of the defensive line rotation on passing downs, providing help with the pass rush. The length and the cost of the deal seem to indicate he'll be a part-time player for the Browns, which makes sense given that he turned 31 years old in December.
Grade: B
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Browns Sign QB Thaddeus Lewis
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In a likely effort to make sure the Browns have enough quarterbacks to install the offense to up to 90 players during OTAs and minicamps, they signed free agent Thaddeus Lewis. It makes sense—the dual-threat quarterback can help the Browns develop the Johnny Manziel-centric offense even if Manziel is not yet ready to return from rehab.
Lewis was with the Browns in 2011 and 2012, before spending 2013 with the Buffalo Bills and 2014 with the Houston Texans. He started one game for the Browns in 2012, completing 22 of his 32 pass attempts for 204 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He also started five games for Buffalo.
Eventually, Lewis may battle it out with Connor Shaw to be the Browns' third-string quarterback. But for now, it appears he's a Manziel-style proxy for the second-year quarterback, a prop to be used to install an offense. And that's a role the Browns needed to fill.
Grade: B
Browns Extend Contract of DL John Hughes
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The Browns extended the contract of defensive lineman John Hughes as part of their free-agency spending. Hughes was a third-round pick in 2012, but the Browns wanted to lock him down for the long term, giving him a four-year extension worth $14.4 million in total value.
Hughes has appeared in 37 games but has just seven starts to his name as a situational run-stuffer. He's totaled 40 tackles in that span along with four sacks. Injuries hindered his 2014 season; he was placed on the injured reserve-recall list and did not return until Week 17.
The Browns clearly see Hughes playing a bigger role in 2015 as they work to improve their last-ranked run defense from 2014. The contract indicates he won't be a bit player moving forward.
Grade: A
Browns Re-Sign OL Ryan Seymour
6 of 10
The day before free agency began, the Browns started making moves, beginning with the re-signing of offensive lineman Ryan Seymour on a one-year contract worth $585,000.
Seymour came to the Browns last year to provide offensive line depth and ultimately played in 11 games, including three starts at center. He worked in relief of Nick McDonald at that position, who took over—disappointingly—for Alex Mack, who suffered a midseason broken leg that landed him on injured reserve.
Seymour can play guard and tackle as well as center, which gives him the kind of versatility that teams covet from a depth offensive lineman. Whether this contract is the start of a longer working relationship between Seymour and the Browns is yet to be seen, but they clearly wanted to keep him around if only as short-term insurance while Mack continues to recover.
Grade: A
Browns Re-Sign RB/ST Shaun Draughn
7 of 10
The Browns did a lot of work to shore up their special teams during the early part of free agency. One such move was to re-sign running back and returner Shaun Draughn.
Draughn first came to the Browns in Week 14 of the 2014 season. He didn't have a single carry, though he did return five kickoffs for 115 yards. In his career, he's totaled 73 carries for 254 yards and two touchdowns, along with 24 receptions for 158 yards. He's also returned 33 career kickoffs for 763 yards, or an average of 23.1 yards per return.
Draughn will likely reprise his role as the kick returner in 2015, though he may also have a role as a third-down, pass-catching running back. His versatility clearly stood out to the Browns enough to bring him back for at least 2015, when he'll earn $660,000.
Grade: B
Browns Re-Sign WR/ST Marlon Moore
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The Browns further bolstered their special teams by re-signing Marlon Moore. Though sometimes employed as a receiver—he has 19 career catches for 306 yards—he didn't catch a pass for the Browns in 2014. Instead, he returned kickoffs and worked on the punt coverage team.
Moore returned 13 kickoffs for the Browns last season for 322 yards, or 24.8 yards per return. He also had 10 special teams tackles. Like Shaun Draughn, the Browns see value in Moore's special teams talents. And it's possible his receiving role could expand, given the value and duration of his contract—three years and $2.85 million.
Grade: B
Browns Re-Sign P Spencer Lanning
9 of 10
To round out the Browns' special teams signings, they brought back punter Spencer Lanning. Contract details are not yet known.
In Lanning's two years in Cleveland, he's totaled 177 punts that have averaged 44.1 yards apiece. In 2014, he punted 93 times, with an average punt of 44.3 yards. He also threw an 11-yard touchdown pass on a fake punt in 2013.
Football is a game of field position, and that begins with punts, kickoffs and returns. The Browns recognized this early in free agency and thus locked down three of their main contributors on special teams. There may be little excitement in giving a contract to a punter, but it's necessary, especially with a punter as relatively accomplished as Lanning has been with the Browns.
Grade: B+
Browns Tender Offers to 4 RFAs
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The Browns tendered offers to four restricted free agents last week: safety Tashaun Gipson, linebacker Craig Robertson, defensive lineman Ishmaa'ily Kitchen and special teamer Johnson Bademosi. Gipson and Robertson were given second-round tenders, while Kitchen and Bademosi both received original-round tenders.
Gipson's offer is likely an entryway to a longer-term contract. He had his career-best season in 2014, totaling 52 tackles, six interceptions, eight passes defensed and a touchdown despite missing the last five games with an injured knee.
Robertson had 92 tackles, two interceptions, a fumble recovery and a touchdown in 2014 while playing in all 16 games with 11 starts. He's an interior run-stopper with plus coverage ability and could also see a long-term contract out of his tender offer.
Kitchen is a rotational nose guard who totaled 43 tackles in 13 games and three starts last season and will remain an important component of the front seven. Bademosi, meanwhile, was a special teams standout. He totaled 15 special teams tackles in 2014, bringing his career total to 44. He is also a backup emergency defensive back.
All four tender offers are reasonable. The Browns can match any offer given to any of the four and, should they lose any of them, receive draft compensation in return—second-rounders in the cases of Robertson and Gipson.
Grade: A
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