Cleveland has been low-key in free agency, but how do the national sites grade the moves?
The Cleveland Browns have been a bit low-key during the opening days of the NFL free agency period.
That is not all that surprising given that the team is not flush with salary cap room, which leaves general manager Andrew Berry having to show patience as he selectively picks through some of the lesser names to strategically fill holes along the roster.
Related: Grading the Kenny Pickett trade
Players were still signed, or reported to be signed, and grades must be handed out apparently, so let’s run through what some national sites have to say about Cleveland’s latest free agent class.
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Offensive tackle Cornelius Lucas (DBN Profile):
A to Z Sports: Lucas is the best signing of free agency so far for the Browns. Cleveland watched their swing tackle James Hudson sign a deal that will pay him more than $6 million a year over two years. That price point didn’t make sense for the Browns and it was a surprise to many that he received that payday.
Soon after Hudson was signed by the Giants, the Browns signed Lucas to a two-year deal worth up to $10 million. Lucas is a proven veteran tackle with a boatload of experience heading into year No. 12. Lucas gave up just one sack in 14 games and seven were starts. Lucas is a better player than Hudson and gives the Browns a player who can step in and start if needed. Grade: B+
PFF: This is a nice addition for the Browns, giving them a player who can step in at either tackle spot if necessary. Lucas has played 400 or more snaps in five of the past six seasons, earning a PFF overall grade above 65.0 in all five of those years. Grade: Above Average
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Defensive end Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (DBN Profile):
A to Z Sports: Cleveland to no surprise has added a pass rusher and it won’t be the last one they add this offseason. Tryon-Shoyinka joins Myles Garrett, Alex Wright, Ogbo Okoronkwo, and Isaiah McGuire as pass rushers on the roster. The former first-round pick is the latest reclamation project for Andrew Berry. Tryon-Shoyinka has never been able to put out a bunch of production with 15 sacks in four seasons.
Tryon-Shoyinka was dropped into coverage a bunch in 2024 and he had just two sacks in 15 games (11 starts). The Browns aren’t bringing in the former Washington standout to be a start, but that is best best-case scenario if the Browns can bring out the untapped potential. The price at $4.75 million is a non-issue, but now it comes down to whether or not Cleveland can get more out of him than Tampa Bay did. Grade: C
PFF: Tryon-Shoyinka hasn’t quite lived up to his first-round status, but at just 25 years old, he still offers some upside for the Browns. With 135 total pressures on 1,416 pass-rushing snaps, he has the potential to be a solid rotational piece in Cleveland’s defense. Grade: Average
The 33rd Team: Even with Myles Garrett coming back, the Cleveland Browns decided to bolster their pass rush with an interesting one-year flier. Joe Tryon Shoyinka signs a one-year, $4.5 million deal to go to Cleveland. He’s been a consistently productive pass rusher for Tampa Bay over the last few seasons, generating 15 sacks and 135 pressures over the last four years. That’s the kind of rotational pass rusher that seems like great value on such a cheap short-term deal. Grade: A
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Linebacker Devin Bush (DBN Profile):
A to Z Sports: Cleveland’s third move during the legal tampering period was to bring back one of their own. Bush was solid for the Browns last season when they took a shot on him after injuries derailed his career early a bit. Bush ended up starting 10 games for the Browns and stepped up big when Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah suffered a neck injury.
Bush had his second-best season during year No. 6 for him in 2024. The former Michigan standout had 76 tackles and a sack for the Browns. Ideally, Bush can be the team’s depth option and on the field when they’re playing three linebackers at times. It is a cheap deal for the Browns at $3.25 million, this was a no-brainer. Cleveland just needs him to stay on the field, which he has done as of late. Grade: B-
PFF: Bush played a valuable role in Cleveland’s defense, particularly after Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah suffered a season-ending injury. He set a career high and placed ninth among qualified linebackers with an 86.4 PFF run-defense grade across 273 such snaps. Bush will be just 27 years old heading into next season, so he could earn a larger paycheck if he proves himself similarly valuable in 2025. Grade: Above Average
The 33rd Team: Devin Bush started playing some of the best football of his career at the tail end of last season for the Cleveland Browns, so they want to see if he can run that version of himself back in 2025. It’s only a one-year, $3.25 million deal for Bush to see if he has unlocked something in Cleveland to potentially earn an even bigger payday next offseason. Grade: A
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Defensive tackle Maliek Collins (DBN Profile):
A to Z Sports: Cleveland let Dalvin Tomlinson go earlier in the week and had a need that they needed to address. Bringing in Collins gives the Browns a better fit for their defense with his ability to get after the passer. Collins had five sacks for the San Francisco 49ers last season and recorded the same amount with the Houston Texans the year before.
Collins had 45 pressures last season at a 10.3 pressure rate. Jim Schwartz wants defensibe tackles who can get after the passer at a high rate, but at least capable in the run game. Collins fills just that. Cleveland was able to save money with the move and Collins was only given $20 million over two seasons. Grade: A-
PFF: Collins’ tenure in San Francisco is over after one season, and the Browns swooped in and signed him to a two-year deal. He remains at his best when rushing the passer, recording six sacks, 51 quarterback pressures and a 12.6% pass-rush win rate in 2024. Grade: Average
The 33rd Team: The Cleveland Browns get even more pass-rush help with a sneaky-good signing for veteran DL Maliek Collins. Collins will be 30 years old for the 2025 season, but continues to be an effective interior pass rusher, generating 45 pressures last season. He’s an ideal pairing up front with Myles Garrett and Cleveland’s other defenders to give them some extra disruptiveness on passing downs, even if it’s on the more expensive side on a two-year, $20 million deal. Grade: B
How would you grade what the Browns have done so far in free agency? Have your say in the comments!