Getty Images Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski.
The Cleveland Browns continued working once the NFL draft wrapped up and landed coveted undrafted defensive tackle Marvin Wilson.
The Browns won the “bidding war” for the Flordia State product, giving him a $30,000 signing bonus plus $162,000 of his base salary guaranteed, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
The #Browns are signing former Florida State DT Marvin Wilson to a huge rookie free-agent deal that includes a $30,000 signing bonus plus $162,000 in guaranteed base salary, per source. Cleveland won a swift bidding war for Wilson, one of the top players to go undrafted.
Wilson comes with concerns both on and off the field, which allowed him to slide off draft boards. He had a public spat with his head coach Mike Norvell at Florida State and comes with some injury issues. Wilson missed seven games over his final two seasons with the Seminoles with hand and leg injuries.
Wilson came in at 6-foot-3 and 303 pounds at his Florida State Pro Day. He ran a 5.12-second 40-yard dash with 23 bench-press reps. He’s a big man, but also slippery on the interior of the line. Wilson notched 9.5 sacks during his college career, including five in nine games in 2019.
The Browns released veteran Sheldon Richardson this offseason in a cap-saving move and are looking to get younger. Along with Wilson, the Browns drafted former Ohio State standout Tommy Togiai in the fourth round
Browns Have History of Paying for Undrafted Players
It’s the second year that the Browns have splurged on an undrafted rookie. Last year Cleveland signed Oklahoma State cornerback AJ Green to an undrafted free agent deal that included $145,000 guaranteed.
Green started three seasons for the Cowboys, getting the nod as a second-team Big 12 defender twice. He had six interceptions and 147 total tackles over his career with Oklahoma State.
He suited up for two games last season but did not record any stats.
Browns Bulk Up Defense Through the Draft
The Browns draft was met with much praise, snagging players to fill key holes on the roster.
Here’s how the Browns draft shook out:
Round 1: No. 26 – Greg Newsome II, CB, Northwestern
Round 2: No. 52 – Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame
Round 3: No. 91 – Anthony Schwartz, WR, Auburn
Round 4: No. 110 – James Hudson, OT, Cincinnati
Round 4: No. 132 – Tommy Togiai, DT, Ohio State
Round 5: No. 153 – Tony Fields II, LB, West Virginia
Round 5: No. 169 – Richard LeCounte, S, Georgia
Round 6: No. 211 – Demetric Felton, WR, UCLA
The Browns could have as many as nine new starters on the defensive side of the ball next season, the holdovers being Myles Garrett and Denzel Ward. Browns executive vice president of football operations and general manager Andrew Berry said he’s looking to create a competitive environment within the team.
“Our hope is certainly the level of competition, not just on defense but offense and the kicking game, is at a high level really across the roster,” Berry said. “We really do believe in breeding competition in every position room.
“This year is a little bit unique in that we did have more turnover on the defensive side of the ball than on offense. We had a number of unrestricted free agents, and many of them were on that side of the ball. We love the guys we brought in this offseason and we are optimistic that they are going to be very capable producers, but I think turnover is pretty typical.”
The stacked draft class comes after a busy free agency period that saw the Browns sign former No. 1 overall pick Jadeveon Clowney, cornerback Troy Hill, safety John Johnson, defensive end Takkarist McKinley, linebacker Anthony Harris and defensive tackle Malik Jackson.
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