Deal or No Deal: Will The Browns Sign Their Impending Free Agents?

S Tashaun Gipson
DEAL
The Browns are void of talent on this team. They have to retain their best players. Gipson is the best player the Browns have set to hit free agency. Gipson was a Pro Bowler last year recording six interceptions in just six games. Injuries have hampered him a little bit over the last couple years, he played in eleven last year and thirteen this year. When you compare his numbers over the last few seasons with other top safeties like Jairus Byrd and Earl Thomas, they are almost identical. Previously when the Browns had a young Pro Bowl safety set to hit free agency, they let TJ Ward walk to sign Donte Whitner for more money. The Browns can’t make the same mistake this time. Gipson was not the reason why the pass defense has been so bad. He can only cover so much ground and the corners have to be able to cover their man.

WR Travis Benjamin
DEAL (IF THE PRICE IS RIGHT)
Benjamin is a tricky signing if you ask me. The reason is he’s a one year wonder. Coming into this season, he only had 41 receptions in his previous three seasons. There have been some questions about his return ability with the amount of punts he has muffed especially in 2014. There are also the size and durability questions. At 5’10” 175 pounds he does not have the size you want from a receiver that can be durable taking some of the hits he might have to take going over the middle or down the field. Watching him this season, he was clearly the best receiver the Browns had. With the questions around Josh Gordon, the Browns need to have somebody next year at receiver. If they can get him around five maybe six million a year you do it. That would put him in the Golden Tate and Marques Colston type pay for comparison. If he starts demanding anything more than that you let him walk.

OT Mitchell Schwartz
NO DEAL
Schwartz has been good and bad over his time in Cleveland. There were questions going into the season whether he should move to guard because he does not have the ability to block some of the better pass rushers in the NFL. I think that concern was confirmed during this season. Schwartz has to rank towards the top five in the NFL in sacks allowed this season on a team that allowed the third most sacks in the NFL. He’s still better than most at run blocking, but on a team that averaged less than 100 yards a game who wanted to be a running team the Browns can look to draft or bring in somebody new who’s better adept.

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