The Cleveland Browns will have a revamped defensive unit with new DC Jim Schwartz arriving in town.
The Browns are prioritizing their defense in the upcoming free agency period, looking to clear the cap space in an attempt to bolster their ranks.
And according to Cleveland.com’s May Kay Cabot, they have some big names on their shortlist for when free agency starts.
Cabot states that the Browns could target Eagles DT Javon Hargrave, who’s expected to fetch something close to $20 million per year.
She explains how Hargrave could revamp the Browns’ front four and allow Myles Garrett to live up to his true potential.
Moreover, Hargrave is already familiar with Schwartz’s style from their days in Philadelphia, so he would be a seamless fit.
Where should the #Browns start in free agency?
"If I'm gonna spend a ton of money, I think I'd rather have someone like Javon Hargrave than Jessie Bates."
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— BIGPLAY Cleveland Show (@BIGPLAYCLEshow) March 9, 2023
Then, Cabot talked about the possibility of pursuing Jessie Bates III, who’d be a perfect replacement for soon-to-be-released John Johnson III.
She predicts that the Bengals star will demand something close to $14 million, citing that the Browns could work their way around the numbers with lower cap hits in the first two seasons.
He shares agents with Deshaun Watson, so there’s that.
The Browns could also look to make a run at Colts DE Yannick Ngakoue, who was close to joining the team in 2020, and would take plenty of pressure off Garrett’s shoulders, especially in run situations.
Dre’Mont Jones is another potential candidate because of his versatility and ability to play multiple positions, albeit the Browns could be scared away by his steep salary.
And last, but not least, Cabot states that the Browns could look to make a run at C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who had seemingly bid the city goodbye in a cryptic message on social media.
Gardner-Johnson is one of the best DBs in the league and has a great nose for the football, not to mention he could play multiple roles on their secondary.
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