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The Cleveland Browns have the worst defensive tackle room in the NFL. It was apparent during training camp, and it derailed their season as teams routinely gutted the Browns on the ground. And now as the offseason is underway in Cleveland, rookie Perrion Winfrey may be the only name to return to the room in 2023. This means they will have to spend some money in free agency to re-tool this room before the 2023 NFL Draft.
Not every signing will be a big name, but given the urgency in the defensive trenches for the Browns, defensive tackle may be a position they will splurge on. If they do, here are four names that sit at the top of the market for the Browns to highlight.
Daron Payne
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Daron Payne is the white whale.
And with another Crimson Tide alum in the locker room in Cleveland already, maybe Amari Cooper can persuade Payne in the right direction. And that direction is in the Northwest direction from Washington D.C.
His production took a massive leap in 2022, racking up 11.5 sacks from his defensive tackle post, adding 18 tackles for loss and another 20 hits on opposing quarterbacks. It is anticipated that Washington utilizes their franchise tag on him, but if they let him walk expect the Browns to be top competitors for his services.
Javon Hargrave
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A big reason for the defensive success of the Philadelphia Eagles can be attributed to defensive tackle Javon Hargrave. As they capture the top seed in the NFC and look to make a run at a Super Bowl, Hargrave is experiencing a massive breakout campaign of his own.
After setting a career mark with 7.5 sacks and nine tackles for loss a year ago with the Eagles, Hargrave further topped those numbers this year with 11 sacks and 10 tackles behind the line of scrimmage. Entering free agency at the age of 30, Hargrave is going to cash in again. And it might just be the Browns who get him.
Their competition, however? General manager Andrew Berry’s mentor Howie Roseman, who has proven extremely capable of manipulating the cap to keep his significant contributors.
Dre'Mont Jones
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A former Ohio State Buckeye, the Browns could try to lure Dre’Mont Jones back to the state of Ohio this offseason. As the Broncos go through a weird transition where they have the guy they presume to be a franchise quarterback, but are about to hire their second head coach in as many years, they could be willing to let some valuable players walk.
A former third rounder in the 2019 NFL Draft, Jones has stacked up three consecutive and consistent seasons of at least 5.5 sacks from the interior, seven tackles for loss, 40 pressures (in the last two seasons), and 10 hits on the quarterback. Just 26 years old, Jones would give an instant boost to the defensive line in Cleveland.
Dalvin Tomlinson
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While he is not as much of a pass rusher as the three who came before him on the list, he is a plug that the Browns are desperately missing. Dalvin Tomlinson provides so much relief for his linebackers in Minnesota due to his ability to consistently take on double teams along the defensive interior.
The linebackers in Cleveland are not as bad as the public perceives them to be, but they get no help from their defensive tackles to keep them clean. We truly have no idea what these linebackers would look like with a stout nose tackle like Tomlinson because they have never had one in three years under Joe Woods.