Getty Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns sacks Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals in October 2022.
The middle of the Cleveland Browns defensive line was arguably its most disappointing roster unit in 2022, but that shouldn’t be the case next season.
Cleveland has already invested heavily in upgrades, headlined by the $57 million signing of defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson and the addition of breakout edge rusher Ogbonnia Okoronkwo to replace disgruntled and departed defensive end Jadeveon Clowney.
The Browns defensive front appeared more or less set until 2022 fourth-round draft pick Perrion Winfrey was arrested on Monday, April 17, on a charge of misdemeanor assault, per Cleveland.com. Court records indicate he is accused of causing physical harm to a female acquaintance, according to the outlet.
With the Browns’ level of depth at the defensive tackle position now in question, the franchise could look to fill the gap by way of free agency or perhaps the NFL draft at the end of the month.
Should the Browns land on the first option, among the top candidates is free agent Poona Ford, most recently of the Seattle Seahawks.
Poona Ford Offers Browns Quality Run Defense to Complement Pass Rush
GettyDefensive tackle Poona Ford of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates after recording a sack against the Las Vegas Raiders at Lumen Field on November 27, 2022.
Ford has been an incredibly reliable player over the course of his five-year NFL career, missing just one regular season game in the last four seasons. He will play most of his sixth campaign at the age of 28 and, based on his statistical trajectory, Ford is still on the rise.
The defensive tackle is an unrestricted free agent after playing out a two-year contract worth $12.35 million in Seattle last season. Maurice Moton of Bleacher Report predicted on April 7 that Ford would ink a new two-year deal in the neighborhood of $15 million with approximately $7 million guaranteed.
“Ford isn’t a young player … though his production has trended up in recent years. In each of the previous three seasons, he’s registered six or more tackles for loss with at least a couple of sacks,” Moton wrote. “Ford will do most of his damage on early downs as a run defender, though defensive coordinators should be intrigued by the number of plays he’s made in the backfield since 2020.”
Short-term deals favor the franchise over the player in the NFL, which creates the best scenario for a cap-strapped team in Cleveland with $7.1 million in 2023 in salary cap space currently available. Ford offers value alongside Tomlinson up the middle, while the Browns rush off the edge looks to be as formidable as usual with Okoronkwo on one side and All-Pro Myles Garrett on the other.
Poona Ford Best Option of Several for Browns at Defensive Tackle
GettyDefensive tackle Poona Ford of the Seattle Seahawks looks on before a game against the Los Angeles Rams in October 2021.
Ford is arguably the Browns’ best free free agent option at defensive tackle, but he’s certainly not the only one.
Matthew Ioannidis is available after a one-year stint with the Carolina Panthers in 2022. Trade suggestions linking Ioannidis to the Browns surfaced last offseason when he was still a member of the Washington Commanders, though never came to fruition.
Another option for Cleveland is defensive tackle Al Woods who, like Ford, was most recently a member of the Seahawks. The Browns met with Woods earlier this month, though no contract offer was immediately extended. However, considering Winfrey’s circumstances, Cleveland’s priorities at the position may have changed significantly over the last 48 hours.