What is the state of the Cleveland Browns’ free agents so far?

What free agents make sense to bring back

The Cleveland Browns could see 17 of their former players leave in free agency to go elsewhere, or just end up un-signed. Yet, the Browns should be conscious of what they have, what they need, and what they can bring in.

The team needs depth at running back and linebacker badly. They’re also dealing with some inconsistencies at the offensive line. Ethan Pocic is a good run blocker but an iffy pass-blocker. Jedrick Wills is likely in the last year with the team as he’s been a disappointment, and Jack Conklin may not even play half the season in 2023 if his past few years of injuries are any sign of things to come.

Not only that, but a healthy secondary is a deep secondary, so it makes sense to bring back these five players.

RB D’Ernest Johnson

Kareem Hunt is on the Browns’ radar still, but I’d rather go with Johnson, a more affordable option that has better tape compared to Hunt.

LB Reggie Ragland

When looking at what the team needs, run-stoppers are arguably the biggest of them. Reggie Ragland was beyond good at this in 2022, and while he isn’t much of a coverage guy, his strength and impact against the running game would be a huge boon in 2023.

LB Jordan Kunaszyk

When talking about Jordan Kunaszyk, he didn’t get a lot of opportunities to play defense for the Browns, but he did show up on special teams. He’s the kind of guy who could really galvanize a unit, as Larry Izzo did for the Patriots back in the day. He was a three-time Pro Bowler just due to his impact on special teams and Kunaszyk could be that kind of player. Not as successful but good enough to keep around.

OT Chris Hubbard

With the inconsistent play of Jedrick Wills, the injuries to Jack Conklin, and the declining depth on the offensive line, Chris Hubbard still has value to this squad even at his age.