However, Clowney has joined the division foe Baltimore Ravens, while Smith will be eligible for free agency in March and will play next season at the age of 32. Rather than re-signing Smith, Cleveland might be better served by pursuing a younger, and presumably cheaper, option at the position. Chase Young of the San Francisco 49ers is one such guy, and he will make his Super Bowl debut this weekend.
On Tuesday, February 6, Irie Harris of Cleveland.com identified three free agents as the Browns’ most potential “low-risk, high-reward” targets. The list began with Ravens running back J.K. Dobbins and progressed to two players who will compete for San Francisco in the Super Bowl.
“The other two alternatives are training for Super Bowl LVIII in San Francisco: linebacker Randy Gregory and edge rusher Chase Young. “Both will be free agents following the big game,” Harris wrote. “Injuries have limited Young since his 2020 Pro Bowl rookie season, but he’s been solid since and tied his career high this season with 7.5 sacks between his games with Washington and San Francisco.”
Chase Young Authored Bounce-Back Year With Commanders and 49ers in 2023.
Young’s career took off quickly as he won the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year Award in 2020 after recording 7.5 sacks and forcing four fumbles. Following that season, the Washington Commanders’ defensive end was also named to the Pro Bowl.
The defensive end missed all but 12 regular-season games over the next two years due to injuries. The Commanders elected not to activate the $17.5 million fifth-year option on Young’s rookie contract for the 2024 season, making him a possible trade deadline target heading into last season.
Young demonstrated his ability to stay healthy and play well during the first half of the season, which led to his trade to the 49ers. According to Pro Football Reference, he completed 2023 with career highs in pressures (25), quarterback hits (15), and sacks (7.5), tying his rookie record in those categories.
Chase Young is likely to offer the Browns and other interested teams a bargain in free agency.
As a former No. 2 pick, Young will have made $34.6 million in his first four professional seasons by the time he enters free agency on March 13. That earnings total may soften the impact for Young, as he may struggle to secure the type of compensation that a player of his calibre would typically want on a second NFL contract.
Despite demonstrating his ability to stay healthy in his comeback 2023 season and outperforming his Pro Bowl rookie year in several significant ways, Young is not expected to make a lot of money this spring.
Spotrac estimates his market value at $13 million over a new one-year contract, which is very comparable to the sum the Minnesota Vikings offered Marcus Davenport in 2023.
A one-year contract to reestablish value makes sense for Browns. Chase Young
Following a five-year stint with the New Orleans Saints, Minnesota signed Davenport to a one-year contract worth $13 million. Davenport, a first-round choice (14th overall in 2018), had a number of standout seasons, including 6 sacks in 2019 and 9 sacks in 2021.
However, Davenport was inconsistent and lost some time due to injury, which resulted in a somewhat lucrative one-year prove-it deal with a Vikings club in need of some pass-rush help. Davenport missed all but four games and finished the season with only two sacks, so the move did not benefit either team.
In Davenport’s case, the huge upside did not materialize, but the risk was modest because Minnesota intends to pursue new opportunities in March. Cleveland, which will face salary cap difficulties in the coming years, is expected to make a similar move with a player like Young in 2024.
Young can play on a one-year contract, after which the Browns can franchise tag him or try to sign him long-term. If he doesn’t live up to his promise, Cleveland still has Ogbonnia Okoronkwo on the defensive end depth chart and can reevaluate its choices at the position in March 2025.
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