The Cleveland Browns signed 15 undrafted free agents, and these five are good bets to make the final roster during the 2020 NFL season.
The NFL Draft over and the grades for the all seven of the Cleveland Browns’ draft picks are in. Following the draft, the fun part really starts, with armchair scouts across the nation wondering why the player they tagged as this year’s sleeper wasn’t selected.
Mine was Rashod Berry, and the former Buckeye and product of Lorain is going to the New England Patriots. Smart move, as there’s definitely an opportunity there.
As for the Browns, Cleveland signed 15 undrafted free agents. All of the names will probably be unrecognizable by the casual fan.
That said, don’t discount the importance an undrafted free agent can play for your team. Heck, 30 percent of NFL rosters are comprised of these passed-over draft remnants. One of Cleveland’s best players since 1999, happens to be an UFA. I’m talking about Josh Cribbs. That may be an indictment on how bad the Browns were, but that said, Cribbs was an amazing talent and could’ve played for anybody.
So, how’d the Browns do in in the UFA market. Our own Chad Porto took a look at every signee, however, look for these five players to make the final roster.
1. A.J. Green
A.J. Green, a cornerback from Oklahoma State, was a defender the Browns were speculated to want badly. Well, they got their man, and it didn’t even cost Andrew Berry a draft pick.
Cleveland coveted this prospect so much that they paid Green like a sixth-round pick, coughing up $145,00 guaranteed–this includes a $15,000 signing bonus. This nugget was pointed out by Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski.
The draft consists of 254 picks, yet Pro Football Focus’ Mike Renner had Green as the 222nd ranked player on his big board.
At corner, the Browns have Greedy Williams and Denzel Ward, but after that, it’s a conglomeration of guys who were inherited by Andrew Berry and Kevin Stefanski. Kevin Johnson was signed in free agency, but only to a one year deal.
Terrance Mitchell is still on the roster, but it remains unclear as to how the Browns will move forward with the veteran.
That said, if Mitchell and Johnson are only here for one season, Green will have some time to develop on the bottom of the depth chart.
Green, who actually intercepted Baker Mayfield in college, seems to be the best bet when trying to figure out which of these undrafted free agents will make the roster.
2. Benny LeMay
The Browns running back room may be the strongest part of the team with Nick Chubb at the top, and Kareem Hunt reminding us all how it wasn’t too long ago that he was a rushing champ.
Dontrell Hilliard is still the third back, but with a new GM and coaching staff in place, you’ve got to wonder if they’re thinking about tweaking the position with one of “their guys.”
Benny LeMay, listed at 5-foot-8, 221 pounds, played for UNC Charlotte, the alma mater of Larry Ogunjobi. The guy was a straight-up cannon ball during his college days, rushing for 2,300 yards and 20 touchdowns in his last two seasons of college ball.
LeMay also exhibited an ability to catch the ball, as he caught 40 passes for 525 yards in that same time frame. Being a dual threat only promises to improve LeMay’s shot of making the final roster.
Hilliard’s a fine player, but it probably showed, particularly during the Seattle game, that he’s an interchangeable part.
3. Kevin Davidson
Browns fans no quarterbacks and Cleveland fans will recognize its new signal caller hails from Princeton. Classic analytics move.
Kevin Davidson joins a Berry and Paul DePodesta (Harvard) and Stefanski, who went to Penn.
Davidson’s got a shot because the same reasoning that applies to Dontrell Hilliard can be directed toward Garrett Gilbert.
The Browns’ backup didn’t have to play all that much after joining the Browns following the collapse of AAF. Most notably, he attended high school as the same time as Baker Mayfield, as he was a senior when Mayfield was a freshman.
With Mayfield and Case Keenum locking up the top two spots, there’s no guarantee Gilbert’s safe with a new GM and coach on board.
As for Davidson, there wasn’t a ton of buzz surrounding his stock coming out of high school. He played for Marcus Peters’ father, Michael Peters for McClymonds High School in West Oakland, Calif. He transferred from Ramon Valley High.
He started four games for Peters, all of which, he won, but then he was found ineligible by the California’s governing board, because they deemed the transfer to be only about athletics.
His offers came down to the Ivy League and UC Davis. With a nudge from his father, eastward he went.
Davidson was downright elite in-conference, posting a 91.3 grade. As you’d suspect, he’s regarded as a tremendous decision maker. On the downside, he doesn’t do much when the pocket collapses, as he completed just 13 passes on 41 attempts on plays not designed to leave the pocket.
4. JaMarcus Bradley
JaMarcus Bradley can flat out run. Now, Browns fans know better. Speed alone doesn’t make for a viable NFL receiver. He’s got to catch the ball, too. However, if Bradley can impress the coaches in what looks to see a preseason limited because of COVID-19, he’s got a great shot to make the team.
The Browns added Donovan Peoples-Jones in the sixth round, but even with the addition of the Wolverine, the depth chart isn’t set in stone.
Damion Ratley goes back to the Hue Jackson days. Kha’darel Hodge had some moments, but it still very unproven. The team didn’t re-sign Rashard Higgins and if you’ recall, the organization parted ways with Antonio Callaway.
Bradley saved his best for last as a senior, hauling in 60 receptions for 906 yards and 10 touchdowns. In his career, he had 160 and 2,359 catches. He also totaled 10 touchdowns as a junior.
It’s probably a stretch to see Bradley on the final roster, but this is someone who produced in the college ranks. The practice squad is a definite possibility.
5. Alex Taylor, OL
Mekhi Becton was though to be the “Giant” of this year’s lineman class. That may well be the case, but new Browns’ undrafted free agent Alex Taylor is no Mini Me.
Taylor, a 6-foot-8, 310-pound behemoth said his relationship with new offensive line coach Bill Callahan was a big reason he decided to join the Browns.
Interestingly, Taylor didn’t start playing football until his junior year of high school. He started playing collegiately for Appalachian State for two years, before transferring to South Carolina State.
More than a few prognosticators had Taylor going on the third day of the draft. When it didn’t happen, the Browns were reportedly called him with minutes of the draft concluding.
It feels like the Browns go about 14-lineman deep. We know that’s not true and we know that you can never have enough lineman.
Obviously, the unit was a big priority for the Browns, evidenced by signing Jack Conklin and then making Jedrick Wills the 10th overall pick.
The Browns then made a move for the future, drafting center Nick Harris. Doubt you’ll see much of him this year, rather, the Browns had the opportunity to draft a center that can play the run-zone scheme.
Not every center can do that, so the Browns treated themselves to someone who can help in the future.