The Cleveland Browns off-season started with a bang, signing star defensive end Myles Garrett to an extension. This may have caught the local and national media by surprise, but if you’ve followed my writings and my podcast, you knew already the extension was going to happen. For now, Garrett is the highest paid non-quarterback in the league. All is well in the world. When free agency actually began, the Browns started to fill some key positions. Here’s who they signed.

Cornelius Lucas, OT

Lucas is a veteran swing tackle who will bring depth to both tackle positions. He has 54 starts in eleven seasons with 129 game appearances. He spent the last five seasons with Washington and started seven games. With the uncertainty of offensive tackle Dawand Jones health and right tackle Jack Conklin’s injury history, this a nice pickup.

Joe Tyron-Shoyinka, DE

Tyron-Shoyinka was a first-round draft pick of the Buccaneers in 2021. He was signed as a rotational player to provide depth at the end position. In 2024 he registered 539 snaps, with 24 pressures (win rate of 8.7%). His pass rush win rate was 8.9% and in passing situations it increased to 13%. While these numbers aren’t great, he’s only 26 years old and might be just about to hit his prime.

Maliek Collins, DT

Collins was released by the 49ers at the start of the new league year and was immediately signed by the Browns. The 29-year-old is a ten-year veteran in the league. He’s predominantly a three-tech tackle. but can play over the guard. Collins is the type of interior defensive lineman defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz loves. In 2024 with San Fransico, Collins registered a 12% pass rush win rate, which increased to 16.3 in passing situations. He had 45 pressures with a win rate of 10.3%.

Devin Bush, LB

This is a great resigning. Bush is a key special teamer and provided linebacker depth after the injury to Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. According to Pro Football Focus he had an 86.4 rate versus the run.

Restructure:

Jack Conklin, OT

Basically, the Browns converted non-guaranteed money into $9 million guaranteed with incentives of $2 million. Conklin also now becomes a free agent in 2026 instead of 2027. This tells me the Browns will have to draft a tackle. The true cap savings will be known when the contract is known.

Trade:

The Browns acquired quarterback Kenny Pickett form Philadelphia for a fifth-round pick and quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson. At first this was a little bit of head scratcher to me. But after further investigation it’s starting to make sense. He’s going to compete for the starting job but is more likely going to be the number two quarterback. He’s definitely better than Thompson-Robinson and this is a signal that Deshaun Watson will never see the field again as a Brown. DTR was drafted to run the same offense as Watson as his backup. No DTR, no Watson.

As the team heads into the second week of the league year, they still need to address the quarterback, safety and wide receiver positions. QB Russell Wilson visited on Friday and the Browns are still somehow connected to Kirk Cousins. Carson Wentz and Joe Flacco have both be mentioned. As for trades, Cleveland has tried to acquire both Saints wide receiver Chris Olave and Raiders tight end Michael Mayers. Both the Saints and the Raiders have told the Browns they want to retain the players, for now. I’ve been told, there might be more movement later this week in the quarterback decision and the signing of a veteran safety.