the Cleveland Browns are coming off of their best season since returning to the NFL in 1999. Yet, as the new league year gets set to begin, they still have plenty of holes to fill, in the 2021 NFL Draft and far beyond. Before the draft gets here, the open market will strike as teams enter a free agency frenzy.
While the Browns appear to be well over the cap, they are intentionally keeping their money to rollover for future deals. With that being said, do not look for them to be massive spenders this offseason, with the potential extensions of cornerback Denzel Ward, guard Wyatt Teller, and quarterback Baker Mayfield on the horizon. There are some players, however, the Browns may be willing to spend money on, which could alter their draft plans.
What are Browns current team needs?
Looking at the current roster in Cleveland, there are ore than a few glaring holes. Most glaringly, however, is their lack of speed on both sides of the football. This has kept them out of the grasp of victory against AFC powerhouses like the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs. This could open up the possibility that they part ways with slot receiver Jarvis Landry in favor of a much cheaper, more explosive option.
Defensively, the secondary in Cleveland needs an overhaul, and the likes of safety Grant Delpit and Greedy Williams cannot be banked on for the future given the nature of their injuries. The Browns will look to get both Denzel Ward and Ronnie Harrison running mates in the secondary to patch that level of the defense.
However, the defensive line and second level is completely made of glass as well. Every player outside of edge rusher Myles Garrett is replaceable, with now second year players Jacob Phillips and Jordan Elliott looking to take on a bigger role in 2021. Who are some free agents who could change the draft plans in Cleveland?