The cap casualties just keep on rolling in. This time it’s the Browns getting in on the action, with Cleveland announcing they’ve released veteran defensive end Adrian Clayborn.
The team will save about $3MM in cap space for 2021 with the move. The 20th overall pick of the 2011 draft, Clayborn had just spent his first season with the Browns. He signed a two-year, $6MM contract with Cleveland in April of last year. He started two games and appeared in 15 in 2020, racking up 3.5 sacks, three tackles for loss, and a forced fumble.
Clayborn started his career with the Bucs, then went to Atlanta in 2015. He had his best season with the Falcons in 2017, when he had 9.5 sacks. He went to New England the following year, and won Super Bowl LIII with the team, before returning to Atlanta in 2019.
The Browns obviously have Myles Garrett, but they’ve indicated their looking to upgrade their pass-rush opposite him, most recently showing interest in J.J. Watt. We heard last month they were likely to sign a big name pass-rusher in free agency, and the release of Clayborn is helping clear the way for that.
Clayborn is set to turn 33 in July and hasn’t been overly productive the past few years, but should be able latch on somewhere on a cheap deal with a team in need of edge rushing help.
This assures a free agent end addition and a day one or two draft pick as well. Time to sign a proven, wrong side-of-30 edge, such as Carlos Dunlap, to a one year contract and then draft his replacement in one of the first two rounds of the draft.
The Browns should and will pursue Carl Lawson. He’d be good opposite Garrett. Draft a LB #1 and sign a veteran corner and safety. I think this draft should be focused on defense entirely with the exception of a speed WR
Lawson is my top choice too. He doesn’t have high sack numbers so he won’t get paid like a top-end rusher (but he’ll still get paid well), but his pressure rates are above average and I like the idea of him getting a lot of single teams on the other end of Myles.
I don’t see this regime using a top pick on a linebacker, but I’m really starting to love Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and I’d gladly take him if he’s on the board. They play a lot of 1 and 2 linebacker sets, and he could easily cover a lot of ground. Other than that, I totally agree; go entirely defense other than a receiver to take the top off of a defense.
I was hoping they’d keep him because they aren’t up against the cap yet and $3 million for a solid depth end really isn’t bad. I’d imagine Gustin and even Curtis Weaver are going to see more snaps backing up whoever they get to play on the other side of Garrett.