Cleveland Browns: Skip the free agent running backs

There are a number of free agent running backs available the Cleveland Browns could pursue, but they should bypass all of them for the NFL Draft.

The Cleveland Browns are all but guaranteed to lose Isaiah Crowell in free agency. A divorce that has been in the making last summer when the two sides didn’t come together on a contract extension, Crowell wasn’t exactly thrilled to play on a second round tender. Duke Johnson is the only viable back on the current roster, leaving a lot of potential room on the roster for help and carries, but free agency is not the way to go.

Chris Ivory is the latest free agent to be connected to the Browns as he took a visit to Berea after being released by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Ivory is a perfectly credible, no nonsense power back that does some damage between the tackles, but he’s nothing special, running for just 3.4 yards per carry this past season.

The more concerning free agent is Jeremy Hill, formerly with the Cincinnati Bengals, who Hue Jackson is obviously familiar. After a promising rookie season, he has been awful. A laundry list of off field concerns coming out of college and mediocre results on the field in addition to a ton of fumbles, this is an easy connection and a bad one.

And there may be some with dreams of Le’Veon Bell making the decision to let the Browns show up with a dump truck full of money, but that’s as far it’s getting. Not only do the Pittsburgh Steelers seem willing to franchise Bell again, there are plenty of better situations that are loaded with cap room that appear preferable for the 26-year old Bell. Bell has had some drug related suspensions and then skipped walkthrough ahead of the team’s AFC Divisional game against the Jacksonville Jaguars last month in attempt to send a message about his contract; not a great look.

The Browns should look to the draft for running back help and it shouldn’t come with either of their top four picks. Not only should the Browns look to tape into a talented class, but they should grab two of them. It’s not about cost so much as it’s about talent. There are a ton of really good backs in this class and the NFL does a pretty sketchy job evaluating the position, allowing teams to score big in the middle and late rounds in addition to grabbing undrafted free agents.

Last year, the Browns grabbed Matt Dayes in Round 7. He’ll certainly be someone who should come to camp and compete. If Darius Jackson is healthy, he’s in the mix too. One of the failures of the 2017 season was not having a legitimate backup option for Crowell when he struggled in the first half of the year.

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Duke Johnson is a nice player, but he’s not someone who should is really equipped to take 25 touches per game. And even if he’s getting close to 20, 25 to 50 percent of them should come in the passing game. His versatility is what makes him so dangerous.

Johnson should be remain a big part of the offense, but there are plenty of carries to go around to three backs if they have the talent to justify it. Worried about touches? Be a productive offense. More production means more plays which means more touches to go around. The Philadelphia Eagles are a team that utilized three different backs on their way to a Super Bowl.

If someone is dominant, keep feeding them, but the ability to change looks, challenge defenses in different ways and have consistently fresh legs is incredibly advantageous. And the Browns have been extremely fortunate when it has come to injuries the past couple seasons at running back. Johnson might hobble off the field once per game, but he’d always come back in and Crowell never got hurt. Depth at running back is critical.

The combine will help a lot in terms of sorting out this running back class. After the duo of Saquon Barkley and Derrius Guice, its’ a free for all and there are plenty who don’t even agree about the top two. Big schools to small schools, big backs to small backs and everything in between, this class has it all. It’s just a question of preference.

29 running backs were invited to participate in this year’s scouting combine, eight of which are from the SEC. 26 running backs were drafted in the 2017 NFL Draft. 22 were picked in 2016. It’s doubtful that every back that participates in the combine will be picked and that doesn’t include the talented guys that didn’t get invited this year who could end up being drafted.

The veteran mentor concept is slightly overrated when it comes to the running back position. It’s a position that tends to have so much impact instantly that it’s less necessary than with other positions and Johnson should be able to handle that part of the job. It’s simply a matter of finding backs that fit what the Browns want to do and can do it, adding talent and depth to the running back room.

Next: NFL Free Agency: Top 50 players, signing predictions

The Cleveland Browns have had a rough go of it when it comes to veteran running backs coming in via free agency. Peyton Hillis and Jamal Lewis are the last two that really did much of anything and while they were great for a year each, it fell off quickly. The veteran option sounds better than it is and if the draft comes and goes and the Browns didn’t do enough to address that spot, add one at that point, but their focus right now should be on addressing that position strictly through the draft.

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