Meh at best

Early returns on the Browns' early foray into free agency . . . 

Still waiting to get excited. It's been a yawner thus far with General Manager Andrew Berry only marginally strengthening weaknesses along his defensive line.

Still waiting for that WOW! moment. That moment when Berry, who has maneuvered the first two days in sloth-like fashion, convinces a playmaker that Cleveland is the place to continue his National Football League career. A big name. A difference maker. 

Hasn't happened yet and, as it's looking now, most likely won't since a vast majority of the aforementioned have followed the big money and gone elsewhere. Therein lies the problem. The Browns' days of lavishing mounds of money at free agents are, at least temporarily, over.

Too many holes to fill: Defensive line, wide receiver, deep secondary and backup quarterback. And not enough money to take a shot at a tier one free agent at any position. 

Berry has moved through the first two days with meager results, most likely because he's not coming up with the kind of figures that would lure (bribe?) top talent to Cleveland.

He re-signed center Ethan Pocic to a modest three-year contract in what very well could eventually be his best move. Pocic last season was one of the best pivots in the NFL. He proved a solid anchor after taking over last season for the injured Nick Harris while working on only a one-year deal.

Berry also signed returning linebacker Sione Takitaki to an even more modest one-year deal before free agency kicks in Wednesday. Takitaki played his best football in the middle after a series of season-ending injuries all but emptied the linebackers room before a knee injury ended his season in week 13.

Right now, the only new faces belong to defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson (four years, $57 million) and defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo (three years, $19 million). Neither signing moves the needle for me. The only upside with Tomlinson is he's far better than any defensive tackle the Browns employed last season. Consider that a left-handed compliment.

Okoronkwo, a smallish pass rusher at a pinky nail shy of 6-2 and just 253 pounds, is being portrayed as a late comer after a spotty beginning with the Los Angeles Rams and Houston. He recorded five of his career 9.5 career sacks last season with the Texans.

It's difficult to imagine someone so relatively small becoming a top pass rusher with the ability to take pressure off the incomparable Myles Garrett on the other side of the line. Berry's going to have to do a lot better than this to make that happen. Banking on pro sophomores Alex Wright and Isaiah Thomas is pie-in-the-sky stuff.

The Browns reportedly had cast covetous eyes at Denver defensive tackle Dre'Mont Jones, So did the Seattle Seahawks, who signed the former St. Ignatius High School and Ohio State star to a three-year, $51 million contract. Woulda, coulda, shoulda, didn't.

The good ones like Cincinnati safety Jessie Bates III, Philadelphia defensive tackle Jason Hargrave, Buffalo linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, Washington defensive tackle Daron Payne, Arizona defensive end Zach Allen and offensive tackles Mike McGlinchey of Denver and Jacksonville's Jawaan Taylor  dropped off the board quickly. The latter two are far better than Jedrick Wills Jr. 

Perhaps Berry will have better luck in the trade market. It's going to be difficult believing the optimistic vibes that are certain to emerge from Berea when Tomlinson, Okoronkwo, Pocic and Takitaki are officially announced Wednesday. Especially the first two.