Considering the comments from Andrew Berry just a few days ago this is hardly a surprise. The Cleveland Browns will let Joe Schobert walk in free agency.
The reason? Money. That’s it, because it is impossible to point to a reason on the field that says letting Joe Schobert walk is a good idea. Schobert is the best defender not named Myles Garrett and hardly ever misses a game. In fact, he’s missed only three in his four year career and there was a distinct difference in the defensive performance without him on the field.
One would think that a front office that was part of the group that drafted Joe Schobert would want to keep him around. Instead, Cleveland wants to be cheap and not pay a good player what he deserves, a fair salary.
Joe Schobert is not irreplaceable, very few are. Finding an adequate replacement is not easily done either . In order to get a player who is the same or better as Schobert it will cost just as much, if not more than what Schobert was looking for. Wouldn’t it make sense to keep the guy in town who has said he wants to be here? Andrew Berry and Co. apparently do not think so.
Cleveland drafted Joe Schobert in the 4th round of the 2016 NFL Draft
Drafting Joe Schobert is one of the few success stories the Cleveland Browns have had in recent memory. Hitting on mid and late round picks is how good teams stay good. Drafting and developing players in the later rounds and retaining them is how the best run franchises stay at the top and the Browns are well, the Browns.
The Browns had a good chance to build something sustainable by retiring Schobert. Instead Cleveland is just going to let that walk out the door and give a giant middle finger to everyone in the locker room along the way.
This new regime very well could have already set themselves up for failure before free agency even starts. That might be a new record. Well, anywhere except Cleveland that is.
