NFL’s free agency period is roughly a week away, and for teams like the Cleveland Browns with little cap space to work with, it’s time to get creative. The Browns have holes on both sides of the ball and need to upgrade the roster to fit new head coach Todd Monken’s vision, and it will be intriguing to see how general manager Andrew Berry does that with such limited flexibility.
It’s important for Berry to find value wherever he can, even if it’s already in the facility. He was able to do that on Wednesday by ensuring six key players are retained on minimum salaries, giving him a bit more clarity and flexibility as he heads into a crucial free-agent period.
Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot shared that the Browns have tendered six exclusive rights free agents, meaning the players can sign one-year deals for the minimum or sit out.
Those six players are Brenden Bates, Malachi Corley, Winston Reid, Rex Sunahara, Andre Szmyt, and Jamari Thrash.
“Browns have tendered 6 exclusive rights free agents,” Cabot posted on X.
#Browns have tendered 6 exclusive rights free agents: pic.twitter.com/gUWqqUbVEQ
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) March 4, 2026
Having to search for a new kicker is never fun, so with so many uncertainties on offense, it will be nice to have Szmyt back after a solid rookie year. Corley and Thrash are also fine depth pieces in a lackluster receiver room, while Bates provides some continuity in an offseason that will see David Njoku flee the coop for greener pastures.
It’s wise to hold on to players like these because on minimum deals, the risk is little to none, and all have the ability to take a step forward in 2026. The Browns have nine draft picks coming up that they can use to bring in competition at some of these positions as well, so the returning young veterans should expect to be pushed and prepared to fight for their jobs.
This transaction may fly under the radar in the grand scheme of things, but it’s not an insignificant one. Depth is important, and hopefully one or two of these guys can make a leap in 2026.
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