Improving the defensive position has been a spotlight of the Browns since earlier than final season was completed.
That didn’t change on the primary day of free company.
The Browns reached an settlement with sort out Dalvin Tomlinson, a league supply confirmed to The Chronicle-Telegram on Monday. He ought to go a good distance in fixing their issues within the inside. They had earlier agreed to a three-year cope with finish Ogbonnia Okoronkwo.
Notes: Center Ethan Pocic returning on 3-year deal
The cope with Tomlinson, who spent the final two years with the Vikings, got here after 11 p.m. and capped an eventful first day of free company. It started at midday with the beginning of a two-day negotiating interval. The league 12 months begins Wednesday at 4 p.m., when the contracts agreed upon Monday and Tuesday may be formally signed.
Landing Tomlinson, 29, got here after tackles Javon Hargrave and Dre’Mont Jones had signed elsewhere and stuffed their most urgent want.
Tomlinson’s deal is for 4 years and $57 million with $27.5 million assured.
Deshaun Watson’s contract restructured, clears about $36 million in wage cap house
Tomlinson (6-foot-3, 325 kilos) ought to assist a run protection that was terrible final 12 months and contributed to coordinator Joe Woods being fired after the season. Tomlinson began all 13 video games he performed for the Vikings in 2022, totaling 42 tackles, three for loss, a pressured fumble and a fumble restoration. He has some go rush skill, as he had 2.5 sacks and 10 quarterback hits.
The transfer got here after Hargrave picked San Francisco and a four-year, $84 million deal, together with $40 million assured. He was thought-about the highest sort out and maybe the No. 1 total free agent in the marketplace.
Jones, a St. Ignatius and Ohio State alum, was regarded as one other sturdy possibility however agreed to a cope with the Seahawks.
Berry discovered a No. 2 finish to play reverse Pro Bowler Myles Garrett, one other vital want.
Five questions going through Browns heading into free company
Okoronkwo agreed to a three-year deal, a league supply confirmed to The Chronicle-Telegram. The deal is value $19 million with the possibility to succeed in $22 million, together with $12.5 million assured, in response to a number of reviews.
“To the Land!!!!!,” he tweeted. “Super Bowl ring #2 loading.”
To The Land!!!!
— Ogbo Okoronkwo (@OgboOkoronkwo) March 14, 2023
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
— Ogbo Okoronkwo (@OgboOkoronkwo) March 14, 2023
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
The Browns wanted somebody to exchange Jadeveon Clowney, who’s a free agent and received’t return after registering two sacks and publicly criticizing the entrance workplace and training employees. Okoronkwo, who will flip 28 in April, is a participant the Browns consider has a variety of untapped potential.
Okoronkwo (6-foot-1, 253 kilos) was a fifth-round pick of Oklahoma in 2018. He has 9.5 sacks in 50 profession video games however is coming off his finest season.
Zone Coverage podcast
After three years as an outdoor linebacker within the Rams’ 3-4 scheme, he performed finish in Houston’s 4-3 system in 2022. He performed all 17 video games and made the primary eight begins of his profession — the ultimate eight video games — compiling 5 sacks, 9 tackles for loss, 11 quarterback hits, two passes defensed and a pressured fumble. He performed 518 defensive snaps, almost half his profession whole of 1,046.
DE Ogbonnia Okoronkwo to the #Browns…
Pass rush upside — taking part in reverse of Myles Garrett in CLE. First-step quicks. Counters. There’s disruptive skill right here on the tape. pic.twitter.com/Ok4udve2t4
— Matt Bowen (@MattBowen41) March 13, 2023
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
He got here on sturdy after coming into the beginning lineup, together with his 88.5 go dashing grade after Week 7 the sixth-best mark amongst edge defenders, in response to Pro Football Focus. The Browns noticed his enchancment firsthand, as he had a sack and 4 tackles in Cleveland’s victory in Houston on Dec. 4 in quarterback Deshaun Watson’s return from suspension.
Okoronkwo signed a one-year, $3.25 million contract with the Texans for 2022 and recorded the third-highest strain fee (16.4 precent) amongst defenders with at the very least 200 pas rushes, per Next Gen Stats, and set a profession excessive with 39 pressures. PFF graded him twenty ninth amongst edge rushers with a 75.1 total grade, 81.9 as a go rusher and 61.5 as a run defender.
Okoronkwo’s profession bought off to a tough begin as he missed his rookie season following foot surgical procedure. He was sidelined for six video games in the course of the 2020 season following elbow surgical procedure.
He received a Super Bowl with the Rams after the 2021 season, taking part in in all 4 playoff video games. He performed 10 snaps on protection, with one sort out, and 13 on particular groups within the Super Bowl win over the Bengals.
Cleveland’s defensive position will look so much totally different from 2022. Besides Okoronkwo and at the very least one big-name sort out to be added, backup finish Chase Winovich will be part of Clowney and certain sort out Taven Bryan to go elsewhere.
Winovich will signal with the Texans on a one-year deal value as much as $2.75 million, in response to Houston reporter Aaron Wilson.
Winovich, 27, was acquired from the Patriots final offseason in a commerce for linebacker Mack Wilson. Winovich suffered a hamstring harm within the preseason and one other through the 12 months, limiting him to eight video games, together with two begins. He had 20 tackles, a sack, a go defensed, a sort out for loss and three quarterback hits.
“I don’t owe my twitter family and supporters anything but the truth – I whole heartedly loved Cleveland and my teammates there so much.” Winovich tweeted. “Thank you to whole @Browns org – the Haslam family, management, and all the coaches for believing me and for all the love and opportunities!
“As well as all the support staff! Top to bottom the whole org is filled with ppl that are invested in seeing their players succeed and I am so so so grateful
“Zeus and I will always cherish our time here in Cleveland and all the amazing relationships that we’ve made! THANK YOU CLEVELAND!”
