Browns left in the dust with latest NFL free agency news and they can’t sit on their hands any longer

Legal tampering began at noon ET on Monday around the NFL and teams are currently allowed to agree to terms on new contracts with free agents verbally.

The Cleveland Browns got a big one out of the way on Sunday when they extended Myles Garrett and ended his trade request.

Cleveland’s only move in free agency on the first day was bringing in OT Cornelius Lucas, which is a good addition for the tackle depth. The Browns had been linked to one of the bigger fish in free agency, but it isn’t going to happen. 

Browns miss out on Pro Bowl free agent DT Javon Hargrave after cutting Dalvin Tomlinson

Cleveland tried very hard to sign Hargrave when he was a free agent back in 2023. Hargrave signed a four-year deal worth $81 million with the San Francisco 49ers but spent two seasons with the team before he was released. Hargrave was a Pro Bowler for the second time in 2023 with 44 tackles and seven sacks in 16 games. However, Hargrave was only able to play in three games in 2024 due to a torn triceps.

Cleveland was in on Hargrave this time around as well, per multiple reports. Hargrave was a Pro Bowl player in two of the previous three seasons before he was released and had 24.5 sacks in those three years. After spending his first four seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Hargrave played with the Philadelphia Eagles for three seasons. Hargrave has recorded at least four sacks in six out of nine seasons in the NFL.

Cleveland’s decision to cut DT Dalvin Tomlinson now leaves them with a hole that they must fill quick. Cleveland of course has second-year DT Mike Hall Jr., but he was only on the field for eight games. A suspension and injuries kept Hall out for nine games and he suffered a season-ending knee injury in the final game of the regular season.

Though Hall was a good player when he was on the field, the Browns can’t trust that he can stay on it just yet. Signing Hargrave would have given Browns a really good player to pair with Hall, who has proven to be a good interior pass rusher when on the field.

Cleveland needs more security on the interior of the defensive line and the resources are going to dry up if they wait too long.