Already here in the opening days of March–when NFL transaction rumors begin to morph into reality–the Cleveland Browns have been an active bunch. The team made a trade to firm up the offensive line last week, with a deal that sent a fifth-round pick for Texans veteran Tytus Howard. Everything remains fluid on the line, but the presumption is that Howard will play right tackle. That will make left tackle a priority.
The Browns could leave that spot to be addressed in the NFL draft, but that strategy comes with risk–not only would Cleveland be gambling on a rookie at the most important position on the team’s front, but the Browns would be gambling that the player they want will be on the board at No. 6, when their first pick comes along.
A safer bet is to address the spot in free agency, which has its positives and its negatives. The Browns will almost have to overpay to get a top name–and there are not many on the market–to come to Cleveland, and in doing so, will likely wind up with a so-so- player and a big price tag. It’s in that spirit that ESPN is predicting the Browns to bring in free-agent lineman Rasheed Walker from the Packers.
Browns Badly Need Left Tackle Help
Walker is only 26 and is a massive man–6-foot-6 and 324 pounds. He is a developmental success story for the Packers, who tabbed him as a seventh-round pick in 2022 and had him in the starting lineup by 2023. He has played in every game in the last three seasons, including 48 starts in the last 51 games.
But make no mistake, there is a reason the Packers are willing to let their starting left tackle walk–he is about to be overpaid. Walker was the No. 53 tackle in the NFL last season with a grade of 63.0, per Pro Football Focus, and though PFF’s numbers are not perfect, there are many Packers fans befuddled by the contract numbers being thrown around for a player who was generally an average tackle.
Desperate times call for desperate measures, though, and the Browns–along with a handful of other teams who will drive this market–are desperate.
Browns Would Give $80 Million to Rasheed Walker
Here’s how ESPN sees Walker, whose projected landing spot is the Browns, on what they’re projecting to be a four-year, $80 million contract:
“A three-year starter for the Packers and a proven left tackle who just turned 26, Walker should do very well in a league that’s always looking for good offensive linemen. His 93.8% pass block win rate was 11th among tackles last season. With 2024 first-round pick Jordan Morgan set to take over at left tackle in Green Bay, Walker gets to test the market and should land a deal similar to the one Dan Moore Jr. got from the Titans a year ago.”
Rasheed Walker Must ‘Clean Up Run Blocking’
Of course, the problem for the Browns or any other team looking to fill offensive line spots is that the market is set by whatever teams decide to pay. And though it’s a lot to pay for Walker, that $20 million is the consensus price.
At Spotrac, Walker is projected to get $20.3 million on a four-year deal, for $81 million total. Pro Football Focus rated Walker as the No. 1 tackle on the market, and the No. 33 free agent over all. They’ve got Walker at $84 million over four years, or $21 million.
PFF wrote of Walker: “Walker will need to clean up his run blocking, where he earned no better than 56.3 PFF grade in any of the past three seasons, but the team that signs him (or re-signs him) will look forward to getting a relatively consistent left tackle in pass protection.”
Browns Predicted to Make $80 Million Contract Move on New Starter