The Cleveland Browns experienced a quiet start to the week, opting not to sign anyone when the NFL's free agency tampering window opened on Monday. General manager Andrew Berry changed his approach on Tuesday, signing veteran left tackle Cornelius Lucas to a two-year, $10 million contract.
Adding Lucas wasn't the Browns' only Day 2 signing, though, as GM Berry finally addressed the defensive side of the ball.
Browns Sign OLB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka on Day 2 of Free Agency
NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports that the Browns signed outside linebacker Joe Tryon-Shoyinka to a one-year, $4.75 million contract on Tuesday. It's a big change for the former Washington product after spending his entire career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who drafted him 32nd overall in 2021.
Tryon-Shoyinka, 25, has been a frequent contributor to the Buccaneers' defense, starting in 45 of 66 (68.2%) appearances across the last four seasons. The Renton, WA native has proven that he can make some noise as a pass rusher and run defender, having tallied 87 solo tackles, 15.0 sacks, eight broken-up passes, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery throughout his career.
Nevertheless, Tryon-Shoyinka is heading to Cleveland, looking to bounce back from an underwhelming 2024 performance. Although his Pro Football Focus tackling (52.4) and coverage (63.3) grades were improvements from the previous season, his efforts as a run stopper (50.2) and pass rusher (56.7) were the worst since his rookie year.
The current offseason isn't the first time the Browns showed interest in Tryon-Shoyinka. The ex-first-round pick was linked to Cleveland ahead of the 2021 NFL draft and had a scheduled pre-draft meeting with the franchise.
Four years later, Tryon-Shoyinka will finally get to find out how it feels to wear a Browns jersey. Hopefully, he will adjust quickly to his new surroundings to help Cleveland return to the playoffs following a disappointing three-win performance in 2024.