Browns: PFF predicts Cleveland will sign only one Top 200 free agent

To be clear, there is a difference between “sign” and “re-sign”, as the Browns are expected to bring back two of their players in the Top 200.

The Cleveland Browns aren’t expected to be that active in the free-agent market in 2021 according to PFF. This despite having oodles and oodles of cash. The Browns were big-time spenders in 2020 and to be fair, PFF absolutely whiffed in their 2020 predictions. So it’s fair to say they might be wrong about a lot of this but it’s still worth pointing out what some experts foresee for Cleveland

That’s not to say Cleveland isn’t expected to sign people in their top-200 free agents. The Browns are currently predicted to sign former Bengals and Lions wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr. That said, they have Cleveland signing him to a three-year deal and he’s going to be 31. That isn’t too bad, but his predicted $27 million price tag is.

The Browns are also expected to re-sign two of their players from 2020, in cornerback Terrence Mitchell and receiver Rashard Higgins.

Last year, Cleveland signed Jack Conklin and Austin Hooper to pretty big deals. Conklin went on to be an All-Pro player for the Browns and Hooper, at times, wasn’t even the best tight end on the field.

Yet, both men were predicted by PFF in 2020 to sign with their former teams, the Titans and Falcons respectively.

So it’s best to take this as a fun little exercise in possibility, but not in practicality.

Cleveland will probably make a few more moves in free agency than just bringing back Mitchell and Higgins; after all, PFF didn’t predict the Browns to get Conklin or Hooper. It’s very possible the Brownies land Richard Sherman, Marcus Maye, or even J.J. Watt still.

The only difference between the 2020 and 2021 offseason will be what side of the line of scrimmage the big free agents line up on.