The only addition to the Browns on Thursday was defensive tackle Trysten Hill, who joins Dalvin Tomlinson and Maurice Hurst as newcomers at a Browns position of need.
Browns big spending apparently on hold
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
The conclusion to draw from the first four days of free agency is the Browns have put away their check book and opened up their change purse. Their big-ticket spending might be over, unless …
… unless they lose patience in the trade market and decide to sign a wide receiver in free agency.
A veteran wide receiver in free agency (Kansas City’s Mecole Hardman) or trade (Denver’s Jerry Jeudy or Las Vegas’ Hunter Renfrow) would generate more buzz than GM Andrew Berry’s fourth spending season so far.
Defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson is not only the biggest player added (6-3 and 325 pounds), he also got the biggest payday ($57 million over four years with $27.5 million guaranteed).
On Thursday, the Browns added another body to join the defensive tackle rotation, confirmed the previously reported signing of free safety Juan Thornhill and the re-signing of linebacker Sione Takitaki, and introduced the personable Tomlinson via a Zoom conference.
Agreed to terms with defensive tackle Trysten Hill
Hill, 6-3 and 311 pounds, was a second-round pick of the Dallas Cowboys in the 2019 draft. His 3 1/2 years with the Cowboys were more noted for behavior on the field that resulted in two league fines and a one-game suspension than plays on the field (27 tackles, one-half sack in 18 games).
Hill was waived by the Cowboys in November last year and finished the season with the Arizona Cardinals.
Hill joins free agent signee Maurice Hurst (still not confirmed by the Browns) and Tomlinson as new faces in Jim Schwartz’s tackle rotation, which also features holdovers Jordan Elliott, Perrion Winfrey and Tommy Togiai, among others.
Confirmed the addition of Thornhill
Thornhill replaces departed John Johnson as the deep safety after spending four seasons with the Chiefs (eight interceptions and 20 passes defensed).
“Juan is a talented young player, who brings a ton of experience from a winning environment,” commented coach Kevin Stefanski. “He has great instincts and is always around the ball. He will be a good addition to our defense.”
Confirmed the return of Takitaki
“Taki is a physical player who plays the game hard,” Stefanski said. “He’s a great teammate. He was playing at a high level for us last year prior to his injury and he’s working his tail off to make a full recovery.”
Takitaki probably will begin the season on the physically unable to perform list after having ACL surgery in December. That designation would shelve him for at least the first six games.
Introduced Tomlinson
Tomlinson’s affable personality on his Zoom call recalled that of a tackle the Browns signed in free agency in 2019 and then released after two seasons – Sheldon Richardson. Tomlinson is bigger than Richardson, and comes to them at the same age (29) as when Richardson arrived.
Tomlinson plays four musical instruments – trumpet, drums, xylophone and piano – and earned an academic scholarship to Harvard, but chose to pursue a football career at Alabama.
He is good against the run and may have some better pass-rush opportunities in Schwartz’s wide-9 front four alignment than he did in four years with the Giants and two with the Vikings. He has 13 sacks in 3,661 career snaps on defense.
Asked if playing next to franchise end Myles Garrett would elevate his game, Tomlinson said, “We are both going to demand a lot of attention. Even if we are on the same side, you can’t double-team everybody up front. That is the biggest thing. The more chemistry we are going to build with each other through OTAs, training camp and all of those things and just playing off of each other, I feel like the sky is the limit.”
Say goodbye
Cornerback Greedy Williams agreed to a deal with the Philadelphia Eagles, according to Cleveland.com.
Williams knew he would leave the Browns when they drafted M.J. Emerson last year. The Eagles are a great new home for Williams.
His exit leaves the Browns with four players from the 2018-19 drafts of former GM John Dorsey. They are Denzel Ward, Nick Chubb, Drew Forbes and Takitaki.
