There are just a few weeks left before training camps get underway, which means that everyone's getting their last "bargain bin free agent options" content in. There's never been a better time to speculate than right now – anyone could go anywhere! Team and positional fit is for the birds. Get those guesses in now, while no one's on the internet.
Bleacher Report is on it, of course, with their latest coming on Monday and titled '10 Bargain-Bin NFL Free Agents Who Can Still Help NFL Teams in 2024.' There's a lot going on in there, so I'll do my best to simply summarize what you're hear for: the Browns signing Donovan Smith. Who knows if it'll actually happen (Bleacher Report knows), but it's at least interesting to day dream about. Here's their reasoning.
Browns named potential landing spot for former Super Bowl champion
Left tackles who have won multiple Super Bowls aren't usually available at a below-market rate. However, Donovan Smith is a bit of an anomaly ... Despite winning championships with both the Chiefs and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in recent years, the 31-year-old Smith has never been an elite player. Over the past two seasons, Smith was responsible for 21 penalties and allowed eight sacks, according to Pro Football Focus.
Given their injury uncertainty at the tackle position, the Cleveland Browns should also have a level of interest in Smith. In Cleveland, he could reunite with former Buccaneers teammate and current backup quarterback Jameis Winston.
Signing a guy so he can reunite with the backup quarterback is certainly one way to approach team building. But otherwise, BR isn't totally wrong – the Browns' left tackle situation isn't solid enough to ignore high-upside options that are still out there. Jedrick Wills hasn't had the strongest start to his career, and even with a strong rest of the line, getting a slightly-more-proven left tackle to compete in camp wouldn't be the worst idea in the world.
Then again, there's a reason why the Chiefs didn't resign him this offseason. But if you're still looking for left tackles in early July, beggars can't be choosers.
