Top Free Agents the Cleveland Browns Must Re-Sign

While there are still two games left to play on the season and months until the start of the NFL's offseason, it's not too early to start thinking about free agents and signings. 

The Cleveland Browns have 13 players set to hit free agency in one manner or another, with seven set to be unrestricted free agents. At the same time, the Browns will have as much as 36 million in salary cap room to spend, should they so choose—around $22.1 million carrying over from this year and at least $13.8 million next year assuming a $150 million league-wide salary cap.

So who are the Browns' highest-priority free agents, the ones they must strongly consider re-signing in 2016? Here are the top five.

ILB Craig Robertson

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Browns inside linebacker Craig Robertson is a role-player, but the role he plays is a critical one for Cleveland's defense. Though often a starter, he only plays about half of the team's defensive snaps, according to Pro Football Focus, working most commonly against the run or in coverage.

Robertson is the Browns' sixth-leading tackler this year, with 53 total—28 solo and 25 assists, and he also has three passes defensed and a forced fumble. He's transcended changes in coordinator and scheme and can provide stability on a defense that may see additional changes in the upcoming offseason. 

S Tashaun Gipson

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In 2015, Browns safety Tashaun Gipson played on the second-round restricted free agent tender, worth $2.356 million on the season. In 2016, he will be an unrestricted free agent and a high-priority re-signing for the team.

Gipson's year has not been as phenomenal as his previous two, in which he had a combined 11 interceptions. He has only two picks this year, but he has given up only three touchdowns, according to Pro Football Focus, making him one of the members of Cleveland's secondary least responsible for their struggles this season.

Gipson turns 26 years old in August and is still capable of playing at a high level. The Browns should make retaining Gipson's services for the long term after failing to do so in 2015.

WR Terrelle Pryor

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The Browns brought back wide receiver Terrelle Pryor in December after releasing him in September. But there is a lot of optimism that the former quarterback will soon be able to master his new position. And when (or if) he does, he could be a very powerful weapon for a Browns' passing offense that wasn't all that bad in 2015.

Pryor made his Cleveland regular-season debut in Week 15 against the Seattle Seahawks, taking a Wildcat snap for negative yardage and catching zero passes on two targets. But the slow start was an expected one. With time, and with more offseason work with the likes of Randy Moss and Antonio Brown, his 2016 could be quite promising.

At the very least, the Browns should keep Pryor around on a modest deal, of one or two years in length, just to see where this experiment may take them.

WR Travis Benjamin

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Receiver Travis Benjamin had a bounce-back 2015 season after suffering a torn ACL in 2013 that left him lacking confidence in his skills in 2014.

For much of the season, he was the Browns' leading receiver, only recently being surpassed by tight end Gary Barnidge. He's caught 61 passes on 108 targets thus far for 893 yards and five touchdowns. He's averaging 14.6 yards per reception and has 280 yards after the catch. He's also the team's primary punt returner, with 26 returned for a total of 296 yards and a touchdown.

After Barnidge's new contract was completed in early December, Benjamin said that he and the Browns are "75 to 80 percent," on their way to a new deal. So it's possible that Benjamin gets locked down to a new contract before ever hitting the free agency market.

That's a smart move for the Browns. Benjamin has proven himself a playmaker this year and one who wants to stay in Cleveland for the long term. That's exactly what this offense (and special teams) needs in 2016 and beyond.

RT Mitchell Schwartz

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For all the complaints made about Browns starting right tackle Mitchell Schwartz, few have been warranted. And based on his 2015 performance, there is no reason for the team to not re-sign him to a new deal during the offseason.

This year, Schwartz has allowed just three sacks, eight quarterback hits and 27 hurries and, according to Pro Football Focus, is second only to Joe Thomas as the team's top offensive lineman both in pass protection and run-blocking.

Schwartz took some time to really settle into his role. But now that he has, the Browns should not have to think twice about giving him a second contract in 2016.