Vee-Rex
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Personally I think Berry likes to make a big FA splash (signing or trade) and will spend the cap to do it. The team evaluates a huge need and attacks it. We saw it with Hooper in 2020 (even though it was a mishap), Jadeveon Clowney and JJ3 in 2021, Deshaun Watson in 2022, etc...I know people don't want to hear it but Daron Payne will not be a Cleveland Brown next year.. Why?
1). There's a good chance Payne doesn't even hit the market.. They'll have the cap space to make it work and good chance they work out a contractor or tag him before he becomes a UFA..
2). He would be too expensive even if he hit the open market.. Spotrac has Payne's estimated contract being 5yrs, $97.4M ($19.4M AAV) -- there's no way Berry would pay that.. Not for what he's getting and for all the holes they need filled..
3). He may not even be worth it... PFF has Payne only grading above 70 for one season (2020) in his four year career.. The past two years he's graded out as the 41st and 72nd best iDL in the league.. Not to mention, his run defense grades have been subpar the last two years -- Taven Bryan has graded out better this year vs the run...
Similar to reasons #1 and #2, I don't see Hargrave hitting the open market or being a realistic target..
Berry's history seems to suggest he prefers a one-year veteran and a high pick to address iDL.. Whether or not he pivots based on need and past strategy, we'll see this offseason... If he doesn't, it would lend credence to a Fletcher Cox (or maybe Suh reunion?) and Day 2 draft pick to address the iDL spot then Payne or Hargrave..
I will say, if the Browns to spend big I think Dalvin Tomlinson is the guy they do it on.. Also watching what happens with Teair Tart in Tennessee..
If we have 36-40 million in cap space and DT is a huge need on defense and is emphasized in Schwartz's scheme, I don't doubt for one second he'd pursue someone like Daron Payne or another guy in a trade even at 20 million AAV. It wouldn't be terrible given that he's only 25 years old. Cap manipulation would soften the blow for the 2023 year, and I wouldn't be shocked if Berry double-dipped and added on a cheaper but proven vet at 3-5 million AAV. Adding pro bowl level talent is only going to have a cascading effect on the rest of the d-line.
This is it - fail and the front office could be gone. I think Berry aggressively address our need with cap space in FA... make those DTs stout, perhaps a look at EDGE and safety as well. O-line depth and WR will also be something we keep our eye on both in FA and in the draft.