The Cleveland Browns haven't been quick in adding players via free agency this offseason. They didn't have the funds due to Deshaun Watson's monster contract and have seen multiple players leave town.
Defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson is someone who found a home elsewhere over the last couple of months. He was designated a post-June 1 release by Cleveland in March and landed a two-year, $29 million deal with the Arizona Cardinals, which included $15 million guaranteed.
Tomlinson spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons with Cleveland and gave them a run-stuffing presence on the inside. In 32 career games with the Browns, he finished with 54 total tackles, 30 QB hits, 10 TFLs, and six sacks.
According to PFF, he posted a 67.4 overall grade (42nd among 219 graded defensive linemen) and a 64.2 run defense grade (40th among 219 graded defensive linemen) last season. That was a step up from his 2023 campaign with Cleveland, where he had a 52.1 run-defense grade (118th among 215 graded defensive linemen).
The Cardinals have an out after 2025 if things don't pan out, as he's slated to have a $16.2 million cap hit in 2026. That's a pretty penny, and Tomlinson looks to showcase that he's worth that money.
Despite using his size to his advantage throughout his career, Tomlinson wasn't a game-changer for the Browns. He finished with lower than a 60 overall grade on PFF seven times last season. In addition, he also had seven games with a 60 or lower run defense grade.
That type of production isn't good enough when you're making $10-plus million. Whether or not he can elevate his game with the Cards remains to be seen, but Tomlinson was inconsistent in his two years with the Browns.
The Browns released Tomlinson in order to save $6.4 million, and there's a reason for that. They didn't believe he was worth it, but he was able to re-up with Arizona. However, they may end up regretting that decision when the season rolls around.