Cleveland Browns Must Be Active In Free Agency

By Ryan Ruiz
Luc Leclerc-USA TODAY Sports

If the Cleveland Browns don’t sign any relevant free agents in the next couple weeks when NFL free agency begins, all hell will break loose in Cleveland and the surrounding areas. The Browns have too many holes to fill with important needs and not enough draft picks to fill them. By default, the Browns must be active when free agency begins.

From fullback to a veteran wide receiver to linebackers to a safety to a kicker to corner backs to a quarterback to even another running back, there are needs on this football team. There are also zero excuses and despite another new regime, any less than eight wins are not acceptable. I don’t care that there is another rookie head coach, the time is now. How this done is by using free agency and the draft wisely.

There are a plethora of free agents that could fill some major needs for the Browns. A very intriguing name is Jarius Byrd, the safety from the Buffalo Bills. Cleveland needs an impact safety to pair with TJ Ward. A pick up like Byrd and a draft pick like Dee Milliner and all of the sudden the Browns’ secondary is no joke. However, it is very possible that the Bills could put the franchise tag on Byrd.

If the season were to start tomorrow, do you have any clue who would be the starting fullback to lead the way for Trent Richardson? I don’t and I hope his first name does not start with the letter “O”. How about stepping up and actually acquiring a veteran wide receiver that can help rising star Josh Gordon? Can you imagine Mike Wallace, Greg Little, Travis Benjamin, and Gordon? The Browns all of the sudden become respectable in that area.

While I love Richardson, he can’t do it all. The Browns need a consistent running back that can take some weight off of TRich’s shoulders. The NFL is a two running back league now, especially in the AFC North division. The Atlanta Falcons just released bowling ball back Michael Turner. Browns fans would rejoice with a Richardson/Turner tandem.

Browns’ CEO Joe Banner and Player Personnel Director Michael Lombardi said that the Browns will not be making a “big splash” in free agency. Let’s hope that is just smoke and mirrors. If the Browns are ever going to stop being made fun of by everyone who’s not a Browns fan, serious impact moves must be made.

With most of the Browns’ needs, grabbing one or two key players changes the whole complexion of the team. The orange and brown need starters, and they need them fast. Behind the Cincinnati Bengals, the Browns hold the second highest cap space. Take a chance like the team on East 9th and Ontario did down the street and spend some money.

Ryan Ruiz – Cleveland Browns Writer

Please Follow Me on Twitter @ryanpruiz24

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