One Veteran Free Agent the Browns Must Sign Immediately After the NFL Draft

After a great NFL draft addressing several needs, there is still one veteran free agent the Cleveland Browns could really benefit from.

Feb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

During the NFL draft the Cleveland Browns managed to address the majority of the positions of need, including the offensive line and the wide receivers.

One area that didn’t get addressed was the cornerback depth. Now that the draft is over, the Browns could go check with some free agents to try and fill that role.

One veteran that really stands out for the Browns would be L’Jarius Sneed. He would provide some serious firepower to the Browns depth this season, and would be a great pickup before the start of camps.

Sneed’s career

Sneed began his career with the Kansas City Chiefs, where he managed to establish himself as a top corner in the league and a certified winner.

He had 10 interceptions in four years and over 300 tackles. He was a dominant coverage corner and became the corner piece of the Chiefs secondary for two Super Bowls and several more playoff runs.

Then Sneed’s career came to a halt in 2024. Instead of paying him, the Chiefs sent him out to the Tennessee Titans. Sneed began to become injury prone, playing just 12 games in two years.

During those two seasons Sneed really struggled when on the field. He had just over 40 tackles, no forced turnovers and became a serious liability for a Titans team that was desperate for offensive help.

This offseason the Titans opted to finally release Sneed and make him a free agent. No team has signed Sneed yet, making him a perfect target for Cleveland.

Why the Browns need him

One of the biggest issues on the Browns defense heading into the season is depth at the corner position.

Denzel Ward has been injury prone throughout his career, and Cleveland is one Tyson Campbell injury away from completely collapsing in the secondary.

Right now Myles Harden is the backup in Cleveland with any real experience. He spent most of last season at the nickel corner but filled in for Ward during his injuries. Harden struggled at times and showed he couldn’t be a consistent starter.

The Browns also signed Tre Avery and D’Angelo Ross, but both of those players are much better special teams contributors than real corner depth. Cleveland did bring in Emmanuel McNeil-Warren in the NFL draft who can help play the nickel spot. He wouldn’t be useful in the boundary though, making Cleveland still have the need.

Sneed is in desperate need for some new scenery. Cleveland would be the perfect place as he would be behind to standout corners, keeping him healthy for the season, but would still see the field often enough to regain confidence and try to become that elite corner once again.

He also brings a winning mentality to the Browns. That’s something the city doesn’t get to see too often.

Sneed would be the perfect candidate to really finish off the defensive unit this year, preparing for the inevitable injuries and providing some talented depth for cheap.