NFL free agency: DL options to fill 2 Browns roster spots after NFL trade deadline

With Za’Darius Smith, Quinton Jefferson gone, the Browns roster has open spots

The Cleveland Browns are not focused on the rest of 2024 as their 2-7 record and mostly bad quarterback play dooms them to be focused on the future. At the NFL trade deadline, the Browns added a fifth-round pick to their 2025 NFL draft selections when they traded DE Za’Darius Smith.

Cleveland followed that up by releasing DT Quinton Jefferson.

Those two moves not only leave the Browns thin on the defensive line but with two open roster spots. Those two spots could be filled by DE Sam Kamara and DT Jowon Briggs off the practice squad but GM Andrew Berry has the team’s bye week to make some decisions.

Unsurprisingly, the list of defensive linemen left in NFL free agency is very minimal. Given Cleveland’s record, bringing in older veterans doesn’t make sense so players 30 years old or younger are more likely but certain.

Here are a few names that could be added in the next week:

• DE Jeremiah Martin - Was with the Browns in training camp
• DE Kemoko Turay - 2nd round pick in 2018, 12 career sacks
• DT Jordan Phillips - Released by the Dallas Cowboys on Tuesday

Update: Around the time of this post, Phillips seemed to announce that he was returning to the Buffalo Bills:

• DE Myjai Sanders - Undersized speed rusher out of Cincinnati
• DT Ross Blacklock - 44 games, 3 sacks, 40 tackles, 9 QB hits, 5 tackles for loss
• DT Trysten Hill - Was with Cleveland during 2023
• DE Shaq Lawson - 10-year vet with 21 sacks, 54 QB hits, 33 tackles for loss

With the Browns on their bye in Week 10, Berry could wait for a few days before filling the two roster spots available on the team.

Any of the above names interest you to help the Browns for the rest of the year? How do you think they should fill those two roster spots?