Every Cleveland Browns’ Free Agency Move, Ranked From Best to Worst

As the first week of the 2026 free agency period comes to a close, including the legal tampering period, it’s time to look at what the Browns have done over the past few days.

While there are no shocking moves in terms of position, a few of the signings have been a bit of a surprise.

We rank Cleveland’s 10 signings and re-signings so far, from better to worst, after the first wave of free agency for the 2026 NFL offseason:

Elgton Jenins, guard/center

Jenkins is the best move up until now, not only because of the versatility he adds up front, basically able to play any spot along the offensive line, but because he’s the most proven player of the bunch. A two-time Pro Bowler, he was having another superb season in pass blocking last year before a lower injury cut it short.

Quincy Williams, linebacker

Williams valiantly stated “Not to be cocky, but his first thing he did was come and get me. That's the most important thing he did,” upon arriving in Cleveland, referencing Browns’ new defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg.

He’s not wrong, either. Williams, a former first-team All-Pro, will be instrumental in helping Rutenberg get his message across to a defensive unit that is already in a pretty good spot.

Corey Bojorquez, punter

Nobody ever pays too much attention to punter’s, unless they’re a disaster. But keeping Bojorquez is a very good move by Cleveland, especially at that price ($2 million for one season).

He is not an ‘elite’ talent at the position, but fits comfortably within the very next tier of ‘very good’, and that should be enough for a special team’s unit in desperate need of a makeover from a coaching standpoint, one that they’ll receive under new coordinator Byron Storer.

Tytus Howard, offensive tackle

Finding a starter-level tackle, still 29 years old, at the price that the Browns acquired Howard (a fifth-round selection) was a win. Cleveland didn’t want to risk competing in the free agent-market where prices could suddenly balloon far beyond what they wanted to pay.

Again, Howard is not ‘elite’, and he’s not close to what Jack Conklin offered when healthy, but Conklin hasn’t been healthy in a while and his level dropped off dramatically when he did play. Consider Howard’s arrival a two-year commitment, with the possibility of moving him to guard if a new right tackle should pop up in the near future.

Teven Jenkins, guard

This is a nice safety net for the interior of the offensive line. Like at right tackle, Jenkins is nowhere close to what Wyatt Teller offered in his prime, but he’s a lot cheaper and Teller’s prime seems to be in the rearview mirror. Jenkins was already taking snaps from Teller last year, before the latter got injured and missed the last few games of the season.

The Browns need Jenkins to be solid, and they have a backup plan in Howard, maybe, if he’s not up to the task. The financial risk is minimal here.

Kalia Davis, defensive tackle

A very underrated move, for sure, Davis started 17 games for the Niners last season. Ultimately, his role will be that of a rotational player, but he may be called upon as a starter if Maliek Collins isn’t ready by season’s start. His one-year deal worth $3 million should be considered a very good one for Cleveland.

Jake Stoll, tight end

Another very low risk taken by the Browns, Soll in no way will fill the void left by David Njoku. However, he wasn’t signed to do so. Stoll was brought in to complement Harold Fannin Jr., and nothing more. He’s a dependable blocker who will be counted on to open up lanes for the running game, and catch a few balls here and there. Cleveland isn’t betting on Stoll stretching the field.

Tre Avery, cornerback

Purely a roster-depth move, Avery will probably become really relevant only if Myles Harden suffers a serious injury in the slot. He’ll get his minutes, but don’t expect to much of this re-signing.

D’Angelo Ross, cornerback

Much like with Avery, Ross has been brought back for depth purposes, after spending the second half of last season on Cleveland’s roster. He’ll see enough minutes on the field to add some stats, but Cleveland will likely not burden him with a huge load, unless forced by injuries.

Zion Johnson, guard

Johnson may still be riding some of that ‘first-round’ hype, after coming over from the Chargers, who possibly had to endure worse offensive line play last year than the Browns.

He’s played both guard positions, and that helps his case, but three years for almost $50 million, with 32.4 million guaranteed seems excessive when Rasheed Walker could have been signed at left tackle for much, much less (he agreed to a 10 million one-year deal in Carolina).