Retention is a difficult thing to manage in the NFL. Each and every offseason comes with an inevitable amount of roster turnover. That’s the cross that Browns general manager Andrew Berry must bear in the months ahead, as he embarks on a fifth offseason of roster construction, looking to make a playoff contender even better.
With 24 free agents to be, one of Berry’s first orders of business will be determining who from that list should be brought back for another run. It’s nearly impossible to re-sign everyone in the NFL’s salary cap era. Here are the top five Browns free agents Berry should prioritize retaining.
With Takitaki and Anthony Walker Jr. both set to hit the open market, the Browns could be in for a makeover to their linebacker room if neither are re-signed. Takitaki was an anchor in the middle of the defense and he’s proven that he can handle a starting role in this defense, holding down the fort for Walker Jr. late in the season when he was out due to injury.
Keeping as much of last year’s dominant defensive line intact as possible should be a huge priority for Berry. Harris was a late edition to the roster last year, signing with the team during training camp but quickly established himself as a steady presence next to one of last year’s biggest free agent acquisitions in Dalvin Tomlinson. The former Seahawk registered 28 combined tackles, six tackles for loss, one-and-a-half sacks and three QB hits, while also deflecting five passes and forcing a fumble.
Harris was a late edition to the roster last year, signing with the team during training camp but quickly established himself as a steady presence next to one of last year’s biggest free agent acquisitions in Dalvin Tomlinson.
The former Seahawk registered 28 combined tackles, six tackles for loss, one-and-a-half sacks and three QB hits, while also deflecting five passes and forcing a fumble.
