Five to watch at five positions
No one should go to the grocery store without a shopping list. If you do, it’s a good way to end up paying for a bunch of things you didn’t really need or want.
The Browns are about to head into this week’s opening of the free agent market with their own list of players they would like to pay to play for them. There are some on their list they’ll end up getting in their cart, and there are others who won’t be on the shelf by the time they get to that aisle.
What is known is there are a minimum of five aisles the Browns are at least going to peruse in order to bolster their roster. It’s not a surprise that most of them are on the defensive side of the football.
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The following is an educated guess at who will be on those list, at least among the potential free agents. It doesn’t include potential trade targets, which is why the likes of Daron Payne, DeForest Buckner, Brandin Cooks and DeAndre Hopkins aren’t listed.
Also, the five under each of the five position groups are listed in alphabetical order, not necessarily in terms of order of potential interest. However, all five certainly would fit with what the Browns need.
The legal tampering period starts at noon Monday. By the time teams can actually sign free agents or make trades, which is at 4 pm. Wednesday, many of these players will at least have some idea of their futures.
A few of those very well could be in Cleveland.
Defensive end
![Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Arden Key (49) pressured Tennessee Titans quarterback Joshua Dobbs (11) with teammate linebacker Josh Allen (41) during the fourth quarter of an NFL football regular season matchup AFC South division title game Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023 at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville. The Jacksonville Jaguars held off the Tennessee Titans 20-16. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2023/01/08/NFTU/58d6ceea-5223-4556-a519-39d8b9515a69-JKI_230106_TITANS_JAGS_CP_42.jpg?width=660&height=440&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
- Marcus Davenport
- Samson Ebukam
- Leonard Floyd
- Arden Key
- Yannick Ngakoue
Davenport has battled injuries during his time with the New Orleans Saints, but when healthy is outstanding against both the pass and the run. … Ebukam may be the perfect end to line up opposite Myles Garrett, having thrived the last two years opposite Nick Bosa with the San Francisco 49ers. … Floyd may be a touch older than what would be ideal at 30, but the production is still there after being released by the Los Angeles Rams. …Key did for the Jacksonville Jaguars what the Browns hoped they were getting from ex-Jaguar Taven Bryan, a change-of-scenery bump that resulted in a solid season. … Ngakoue still finds a way to get to the quarterback, even if his run defense isn’t necessarily stellar and some of the advanced metrics don’t necessarily like him as much as others.
Defensive tackle
- Zach Allen
- Fletcher Cox
- Dre’Mont Jones
- Javon Hargraves
- Dalvin Tomlinson
Allen’s season suffered due to a hand injury, but that didn’t prevent him from posting strong numbers that will help draw market interest. … Cox and Hargraves would be the ideal kind of signing for the Browns, bringing production and experience in new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz’s system while he was with the Philadelphia Eagles. … Jones, the St. Ignatius High School and Ohio State product, may end up being one of the most sought-after interior defensive linemen this season after a solid season in Denver, which may push the price a little too high. … Tomlinson is a vacuum cleaner when it comes to making tackles, rarely missing them when he’s had a chance to make them with the Minnesota Vikings.
Linebacker
- T.J. Edwards
- Eric Kendricks
- David Long
- E.J. Speed
- Drue Tranquill
Edwards was a rookie in Schwartz’s last season with the Eagles, and is coming off a strong season as an off-ball linebacker for the NFC champions. … Kendricks, who was released by the Vikings last week, is someone Browns coach Kevin Stefanski should be familiar with from their time together in Minnesota. … Schwartz got a good view of Long’s growth into one of the better middle linebackers in the game over the last two seasons in Tennessee. … Speed would be another one who could find his way to the Browns thanks to a connection to the coaching staff, in this case, newly hired assistant head coach/special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone, who knew him well in Indianapolis. … Tranquill blew up as a full-time starter for the Los Angeles Chargers last season, recording 144 total tackles, five sacks and 15 quarterback pressures.
Safety
- Jessie Bates III
- Marcus Epps
- C.J. Gardner-Johnson
- Jordan Poyer
- Juan Thornhill
Bates is first on this list because it’s in alphabetical order, but he may also be first on the list of a lot of teams after a strong start to his career with the Cincinnati Bengals. … Epps was just coming into his own in Philadelphia in Schwartz’s final year there, but has steadily grown into a quality starting safety with some experience playing free safety. … Gardner-Johnson is the rare Eagles player with no real connection to anyone now with the Browns, having been acquired by Philadelphia from the Saints prior to last season. However, his versatility is something that would appeal to just about anyone. … Poyer’s been with the Browns before, but has battled some injuries recently after going up the Lake Erie shoreline to Buffalo. … Thornhill may be the perfect target for the Browns at this…
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