Odds and ends

Whilst perusing the dwindling list of National Football League free agents over the weekend, I noticed one in particular who hung on and thought he'd fit in nicely with the Browns' new aggressive approach on defense. 

He fit the profile for the Cleveland secondary from a physical standpoint (5-11, 210 pounds). Starred at an SEC school (Florida). Developed a reputation as a ballhawk with Philadelphia last season (tied for the NFL lead in interceptions, six in only 12 games). Plays with a decided edge.

Thought this 25-year-old free safety was the kind of player Jim Schwartz would love to coach. Yeah, I know the Browns grabbed Kansas City's free safety Juan Thornhill on day two of free agency. So? The Browns like to say you can't have enough cornerbacks. Why not enough free safeties?

C. J. Gardner-Johnson, who spent his first three seasons in New Orleans before being dealt to the Eagles, was still there as of late Saturday. The Browns dawdled. And dawdled. Until the Detroit Lions swooped in and signed him to a one-year contract at the bargain-basement price of $6.5 million with incentives. 

Time to play frivolously with Haslam's billions. With the exception of the bloated contract for defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson, who is past his prime, Cleveland General Manager Andrew Berry has played penuriously, relatively speaking, with that money.

Scrounging up  $6.5 million for at least one season -- I'd have given him $8 million guaranteed -- on a young four-year veteran wouldn't have harmed the salary cap that much, if at all. Besides, Gardner-Johnson is a converted cornerback and it seems to me the Browns practically worship versatility.

He is a baller, a battler. He also has a reputation of owning an abrasive personality. Now it's entirely possible Schwartz, on whom Berry is relying heavily to fix a broken defense, said no. If so, that's an error in judgment. (I know, I know. He's forgotten more about football than I'll ever know. Move on.)

He surely had to notice his new team swiped a paltry 11 passes last season. That's got to change. If the Browns are going to be aggressive this season when the opposition owns the football, that number must climb significantly. 

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The Browns, as you might expect, feel good about their haul thus far. (What else did you expect?) Many fans have latched on to their belief, their enthusiasm. Nothing wrong with that. It's a new year with new faces, new attitude, new hopes. After all, the Browns are currently unbeaten. 

As you might expect, I see it a very different way. 

The most significant signing, actually a resigning, was getting Ethan Pocic back at the pivot on the offensive line. The thought of little Nick Harris over the ball was somewhat frightening. Kudos to Berry for convincing the 6-6 center to stay.

As for the rest of the new group, here's the way I see it. 

They picked up an undersized situational edge rusher (Ogbo Okoronkwo), who had one good half season in his four years as a pro; a free safety (Juan Thornhill) who isn't any better than his predecessor; a tight end (Jordan Akins) hoping to catch some magic reuniting with his former quarterback in Houston; two young defensive tackles (Maurice Hurst and Trysten Hill) who will have trouble making the team; two returning linebackers (Sione Takitaki and Jordan Kunaszyk); cornerback/special teams ace (Mike Ford Jr., the self-proclaimed "best gunner in the league"), who signed Monday for $2.25 million; returning cornerback A. J. Green; and the aforementioned Tomlinson.

That's 11 players, seven of whom will wear Seal Brown and Orange for the first time. It's a group that has garnered high praise throughout the NFL landscape. 

The good folks at Pro Football Focus liked it so much, they awarded the Browns an A-, as did 24/7 Sports; The Sporting News checked in with a straight A; Sportsnaut.com gave it a B-;  Fox Sports lowers the average with a C+; I lower it further with a C-. Still waiting for that WOW! moment; for the needle to move a lot higher. Don't see it happening. Yet.

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Finally . . . With Akins now aboard, shouldn't be long before Harrison Bryant becomes an ex-Brown. It was difficult for the three-year veteran tight end to produce when his head coach/playcaller seemingly refused to throw him the football much -- only 108 targets in 48 games, catching a very respectable 70% of them.. . . It sure looks as though new special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone is in Berry's ear with regard to what his units will look like this season. The return of Green, Takitaki and Kunaszyk, who was cut a few weeks ago, plus the Ford signing sure points in that direction. Takitaki will also get his share of reps at linebacker. . . . The current active roster stands at 66 with 11 more listed as unrestricted free agents, including linebackers Anthony Walker Jr., Deon Jones and Reggie Ragland, running backs Kareem Hunt and D'Ernest Johnson, safety Ronnie Harrison Jr., offensive lineman Chris Hubbard and tight end Jesse James.