USA Today gives Grade A for free agency

USA Today gives Grade AHOUSTON, TX - OCTOBER 01: Jack Conklin #78 of the Tennessee Titans blocks J.J. Watt #99 of the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on October 1, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)

Posted By: County Sports Network April 5, 2020

USA Today gives Grade A for free agency  

By STEVE KING

So, how are the members of the new Browns regime team of Vice President of Football Operations and General Manager Andrew Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski doing thus far?

It’s a small sample size, but, according to most observers, they’re doing pretty well.

In fact, USA Today gives Grade A – NFL Writer Nate Davis thinks they’re doing even better than that. He’s got them down for doing very well, along with the Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints, for the work they all did in free agency.

The recent piece about his grades for all the teams in the NFL, said it clearly with this headline: “Browns, Colts, Saints clear winners.”

Here’s what he wrote about the Browns:

“Impressive haul by GM Andrew Berry, who nicely upgraded the roster for coach Kevin Stefanski – like Berry, a rookie. TE Austin Hooper wasn’t cheap (4 years, $44 million), but RT Jack Conklin (3 years, $42 million) was a virtual bargain by comparison given outlandish deals other blockers raked in. Case Keenum provides a capable backup plan behind starting QB Baker Mayfield and can help teach the offense after spending time with Stefanski in Minnesota. Berry added extensive depth to the defense with team-friendly deals for LB B.J. Goodson, S Karl Joseph, S Andrew Sendejo, CB Kevin Johnson and DT Andrew Billings while letting other teams overpay for departed linebacker Joe Schobert and DB Eric Murray. Berry should be able to solve his left tackle problem in the draft but still has the most available cap space in the league, nearly $50 million, if he wants to pursue other avenues … say, Washington’s Trent Williams.”

The rest of the AFC North also did well. Both the Baltimore Ravens and, believe it not, Cincinnati Bengals received grades of B-plus.

About the Ravens, Davis wrote: “A team that appeared Super Bowl-bound in January before getting trucked by Tennessee in the playoffs added talent, toughness and leadership to a fourth-ranked defense by trading for DL Calais Campbell, who cost a mere fifth-round pick. OLB Matt Judon, who had a career-high 9½ sacks in 2019, remains (for now) on the franchise tag. Did hurt to lose G Marshal Yanda to retirement and to have DL Michael Brockers’ deal fall through.”

And there’s this about the Bengals: “Let’s first give them credit for stepping out of character – which has typically meant sitting on the sidelines during free agency. Cincy won’t be moving a ton of jerseys with its additions – that will happen when QB Joe Burrow drafted – but a defense ranked 29th last season should be greatly improved with DT D.J. Reader, S Vonn Bell and former Vikes Waynes and Alexander. Reader, who commanded a hefty pact (4 years, $53 million), could be an especially astute pick-up. Franchising WR A.J. Green and cutting OT Cordy Glenn were the right calls.”

Davis gave the Pittsburgh Steelers a B-minus with this analysis: “They didn’t have a whole lot of flexibility after tagging OLB Bud Dupree, yet still managed to reel in nice pieces in veteran TE Eric Ebron and OL Stefen Wisniewski. Signing FB Derek Watt to play with brother T.J. was a nice touch. Hargrave will be missed.”

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