KANSAS CITY, MO – JANUARY 17: Kevin Stefanski, head coach of the Cleveland Browns, looks at his playsheet during the third quarter of the AFC Divisional Playoff against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on January 17, 2021 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)
The Browns took a massive step forward in 2020, but they need to add the right free agents this offseason to become Super Bowl contenders.
Kevin Stefanski’s first season in charge of the Browns cannot be considered anything other than a massive success. He molded the team’s talented roster into a cohesive unit capable of challenging all comers. The challenge this offseason for Cleveland is to make the jump from good to great.
The good news for Browns fans is that they can now feel comfortable that Baker Mayfield is the right quarterback to pilot the franchise into the future. That was an open question heading into the 2020 campaign, but his stellar play was a big reason why Cleveland exceeded expectations.
The defense also possesses a number of high-end players that give the unit a chance to be really good for years to come. Myles Garrett is an All-Pro at defensive end. Denzel Ward gives the Browns one corner capable of matching up against any receiver in the league.
Cleveland projects to have somewhere in the neighborhood of $21 million in cap space to spend. Here are five targets for the Browns inf ree agency.
5. Brian Poole
Ward is entrenched as a starter on one side, but both Kevin Johnson and Terrance Mitchell are headed for free agency. Combine that with the fact that Greedy Williams missed almost all of last season due to injury and it’s easy to understand why Cleveland will be looking for help in the secondary.
The most rational course of action for the Browns will be to trust Williams to return and start opposite Ward on the outside. That will allow Cleveland to spend significant money on a high-level starter in the slot. Poole is too small to thrive on the outside but he’s one of the best inside corners in the game. He could be huge for the Browns once the playoffs come around.