Cleveland Browns got the fireworks started before free agency when they acquired Jerry Jeudy from the Denver Broncos.

Since then, things have been steadily busy for Cleveland over the first two days of free agency and they’ve been active as expected.

Today teams can officially sign players to deals that they have verbally agreed to during the legal tampering period. With the first couple of waves of free agency already over, there is no better time to back and grade the signings.

Players that the Cleveland Browns re-signed in free agency.

EDGE Za’Darius Smith

Grade: A

Cleveland bringing back Smith made a bunch of sense with how the market was going. A two-year deal gives the Browns some consistency across from Myles Garrett and a player who put up 60 pressures last season. It was a no-brainer to make happen.

DT Maurice Hurst

Grade: B

Another player that I believe that the Browns bring back here. Hurst was one of the better rotational defensive tackles in the NFL last year. When he can stay he’s jerky and that is something he’s struggled with in his career, he’s a good player.

DT Shelby Harris

Grade: B+

Much like Hurst, Harris was a solid rotational price in the middle during the 2023 season. He is a plus player against both the run and pass. A one-year deal this early in free agency I didn’t see Harris doing, but Cleveland will take it.

OL Michael Dunn

Grade: A

Offensive line depth is key and Dunn has been giving Cleveland that for a few years now. He’s played in 40 games over the past four seasons for the Browns and about half each have been split between guard and tackle. The last couple of seasons he’s only filled in as a guard and he’s always been solid.

New players that the Cleveland Browns are set to sign in free agency

LB Jordan Hicks

Grade: B

Hicks was the first player from the outside that the Browns agreed to sign and it came after a report broke that Anthony Walker Jr. was heading to the Miami Dolphins. Throughout his career, Hicks has been a solid starting linebacker. It’s unclear if the Browns view him as their SAM or MIKE, he could help at either.

QB Jameis Winston

Grade: B

When news broke that the Browns signed Winston I was worried that he had too much money guaranteed of the $8.7 million that he received for one year. It turns out that it’s just $4 million and the rest would be incentives. Winston replaces Flacco and is a better fit for the offense. He’s won in the past despite being a quarterback who will let it rip at times for better or worse.

RB Nyheim Hines

Grade: C

Hines didn’t play in 2023 due to an ACL injury and that makes two running backs now recovering from a significant injury. Hines is one of the better-receiving backs when healthy and has the return-man ability. He’s a nice player to throw in on third down, but I would have liked to see them sign a back that is more of a running threat. It’s not known when Nick Chubb will be back and they have to be ready for that.

OL Hakeem Adeniji

Grade: C+

Adeniji is versatile and that seems to be his best calling card for his game. Not a player that is going to give you consistent starts or anything like that, he hasn’t been that for a couple of years, and even when he did in Cincinnati it was shaky. A good athlete along the offensive line. 

Browns looked to have already learned from last year’s nightmare scenario with latest free agency move

An addition for the Browns.