The Browns would be wise to go after 3x Pro Bowler Larry Warford

The Saints just released Larry Warford, a consecutive three-time Pro Bowl guard, and the Cleveland Browns would be wise to jump at this shocking release.

There are some who will tell you the Cleveland Browns are fine on the offensive line after acquiring Jack Conklin and Jedrick Wills to fill in gaps at the tackle positions. These people would be wrong. The Browns had inconsistency at both tackle spots and right guard in 2019. While the Browns may have found a possible right guard of the future in rookie Nick Harris. Harris, however, is not considered to be a viable starter as a rookie by many experts. The other options are two players who were part of the problem last year; Wyatt Teller and Chris Hubbard. Neither choice evokes confidence. Now that former Saint Larry Warford is on the market, an opportunity has presented itself.

The Browns have said time and time again that they will constantly be making upgrades to the roster throughout the off-season and even into the regular season. GM Andrew Berry is sly like that. He won’t stand pat and let bad players drag down the team. After watching them play last year and get gobbled up by defensive pass rushers time after time, anyone who can say for certain that Tellar and Hubbard are the guys to go with is selling you something. Berry for sure has his eyes on upgrades. It’s a matter of how much it’ll cost to get them that will weigh on him.

Now that one is available, he should have an interest. Signing one of the best guards in the league, who is fresh off of three consecutive Pro Bowls, and helped keep Drew Brees, Teddy Bridgewater, and Taysum Hill upright is just smart business. Berry went to Harvard. Smart-business was his major. Probably.

As for money, Warford averaged around $3-4 million a year in New Orleans before incentives, and he would probably want somewhere around $8-10 million at least. The team still has $38 million free this season, and even if the Browns sign Warford they’d still have plenty of cap space to go after Everson Griffen or Jadeveon Clowney.

That’s without having to cut or restructure Olivier Vernon’s deal either.

The move would give the Browns a Pro Bowl-caliber player at right guard, right tackle, center, and left guard. The hope is the team goes five-for-five with Wills at left tackle but let’s see how the rookie does in pre-season before we anoint him the next Joe Thomas.