We are a few days from the start of the NFL’s new fiscal year. By March 9 at 4 p.m. ET, each NFL team will have made their decisions on which potential unrestricted they would like to see back in the fold. So which member of the Cleveland Browns will the club stress to bring back and which performer will hit the Open Market? The first answer is quite obvious and the latter doesn’t have many options when it comes to this club. In any case, this was a team than won a single game this past season. Since returning to the league as an expansion franchise in 1999, the Browns are a combined 88-200.
A year ago, the team watched a lot of familiar faces leave via free agency. In April, Cleveland added 14 players via the draft. They have plenty of picks at their disposal this year as well. But they still have decisions to make on a handful of veterans.
Bring him back
In truth, the Cleveland Browns don’t have a lot of potential unrestricted Free Agents to bring back. Not long ago, the franchise re-signed punter Britton Colquitt to a new contract to keep him off the open market. But when it comes to choosing who else the team should retain, that’s quite easy. It has been quite the transition from quarterback to wide receiver Terrelle Pryor but he has certainly found a home as a pass-catcher. In 2016, he led the Browns with 77 receptions – good for an impressive 1,007 yards and a team-best four receiving touchdowns.
Head coach Hue Jackson did find a way to take advantage of his versatility. He completed 5-of-9 passes for 41 yards and he ran eight times for 21 yards and a score. Pryor appears to be on a lot of team’s radars these days but the Browns would be wise to get a new deal done.
Let him go
Workout warrior/defensive tackle Stephea Paea showed flashes while he was a member of the Chicago Bears, totaling 12 sacks in four seasons.
He would move onto the Washington Redskins in 2015 where he did little in 11 games – making one start. This past season with the Cleveland Browns, he matched those identical numbers in terms of performance. It added up to 12 tackles and a half-sack for the league’s 31st-ranked defense. The youth movement will continue with this franchise.
