Cleveland Browns rumors: Team to spend big money on offensive line
The Cleveland Browns will supposedly let free agent Joe Schobert walk, and the front office will use the newfound money to pursue offensive line talent.
The latest Cleveland Browns rumors suggest the new front office will heavily invest Jimmy Haslam’s money in upgrading the offensive line.
This nugget comes from Cleveland.com’s May Kay Cay Cabot, who was writing about Joe Schobert leaving town when she informed us as to where the team might spend the money that could’ve been used to sign the former Pro Bowl linebacker.
Cabot added that Olivier Vernon, the highest paid player on the team at $15.25 million, is also likely to get the boot. The Browns entered the offseason with around $50 million in cap space. This is down considerably when compared to the past, but even before the decision to part ways with Schobert, the sum was enough to make a dent on the market.
Talk radio will have you believe the Browns are targeting Jack Conklin in free agency, and that may or may not be true. I’ve advocated for Anthony Castanzo. Kevin Stefanski is going to employ the same zone blocking scheme made successful by former Browns’ offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan.
Whomever Cleveland targets, the individual is likely going to be an athletic body who with stellar footwork.
Finding a lineman, combined with losing a good player through free agency makes you wish the Browns had another free agent the team let walk: Mitchell Schwartz. Schwartz excelled playing for Shanahan, but was basically told “Thanks, but no thanks” in the First Era of Analytics under Sashi Brown.
It doesn’t come as a surprise that the Browns are looking to make some noise on the line via free agent. The team basically needs two tackles, and it’s impossible to remedy that problem in the draft. You can find a starter in the first round, and maybe the second. But after that, you’re probably looking at prospects that need some time to develop.
Next. 3 players the Browns should pursue via trade. dark
The Browns get their shot at patching the o-line on March 18, which is the first day of free agency.