Even with their fairly busy offseason, the Cleveland Browns are still looking to upgrade the overall talent on their roster.
The Cleveland Browns may not be done adding talent. That is at least what Andrew Berry said in his conference call Friday.
When questioned specifically on the rumor of Jadeveon Clowney, Berry would say something quite familiar. They are going to be aggressive and always look to add talent to the roster. The have been fairly aggressive with the signings of Austin Hooper, Jack Conklin, and Case Keenum. A few more signings/acquisitions would go a long way. Trading for Jaguars defensive end Yannick Ngakoue would certainly move the needle in this department, but would cost way too much for the Browns to consider at this point.
The Browns still have a fairly lengthy list of needs at this moment in time. Cleveland needs multiple linebackers and at least one safety. Another wide receiver is needed since it is highly unlikely that Rashard Higgins is returning. Defensive line depth would be a great addition considering that this particular area was exposed last season for a variety of reasons. All of these positions can be addressed in the draft, but having to draft a position due to need is not always the best way to go about things. When it comes to the draft, flexibility is key. If a team absolutely needs to draft a certain position high in the draft that sort of backs them into a corner. Being able to go in a route that resembles best player available is almost always the better decision.
There will be free agents who are not signed before the draft, this will give the Browns options
Perhaps Berry is waiting until after the draft to sift through the scraps that remain in free agency. This is the smart way to go about this process and it is worth mentioning that the player pool this time around may be much larger due to players not being able to undergo physicals. If this is the plan of attack, it is hard to complain. While the players may not be superstar caliber, they are at worst sold starters who can be depended on. Acquiring someone who fits this description would raise the overall talent level and eliminate holes on the roster.
