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This page lists all the 2025 NFL Signings for the Cleveland Browns. I’ve listed all of the NFL Free Agent Signing Grades here, which included the Signings. Because I’ve begun posting polls for the Signings, I thought it would make sense to list just the NFL Signings here, so archiving the voting would be easier.
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- Total Signings: 8
- Average Grade: B- (81.5)
April 2025 – Signings
Browns sign WR Diontae Johnson (1 year): B Grade
signed on 4/28/2025
This doesn’t seem like a great fit for Diontae Johnson. The troubled receiver is very talented, but happens to be a major headache in the locker room. The right spot for him would’ve been a veteran team that wouldn’t have tolerated his BS. There’s a chance Johnson would have been on his best behavior in that situation.
The Browns are not a veteran team, and they certainly tolerate BS, so Johnson seems unlikely to turn around his career in Cleveland. However, there’s always a chance he could, so I don’t mind the Browns taking a shot on him. Cleveland needed help at receiver to go with Jerry Jeudy and Cedric Tillman, so the team might be filling a need by signing him.
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Browns sign QB Joe Flacco (1 year, $4 million): B Grade
signed on 4/11/2025
This move would have made so much sense last spring. Joe Flacco was terrific down the stretch for Cleveland in 2023, leading the team into the playoffs. Flacco, however, regressed last season in Indianapolis. He was so bad that the Colts went back to a lethargic Anthony Richardson, who was also benched. Flacco, now 40, doesn’t have anything left to offer on the playing field.
The one positive with this signing is that Flacco will give the Browns a seasoned veteran in the quarterback room to mentor Kenny Pickett and whomever the front office drafts at the position in a couple of weeks. Outside of that, this signing doesn’t make much sense, but it’s not like the Browns are taking on a big risk with it.
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March 2025 – Signings
Browns sign G Teven Jenkins (1 year, $3 million): A+ Grade
signed on 3/25/2025
This is an incredibly confusing signing. In fact, it should be both an A+ and an “F” at the same time.
This signing is an A+ for the Browns. When they signed Teven Jenkins, I was confused about how they would utilize him because they’re set at guard. I just assumed Jenkins would sign for a deal worth $8 million per year or more, so I wondered why they spent so much money on him. Well, Jenkins didn’t even get half of that. The Browns ended up with a great, incredibly cheap value piece.
Jenkins and his agent deserve an “F” for this signing. Jenkins was the best interior lineman on the market, so he should have been able to sign as a starter for much more than this. Jenkins needs to find himself some new representation.
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Browns sign DT Maliek Collins (2 years, $20 million): D Grade
signed on 3/12/2025
The Browns shouldn’t be making moves like this. I gave the Myles Garrett re-signing a “D,” and I’ll do the same for this transaction. The Browns are a team that is very far away from making a deep run into the playoffs, so there’s no reason they should be giving big contracts to 30-year-olds. Collins is a good interior pass rusher who would do well on other teams, but his talent will be wasted in Cleveland.
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Browns sign OT Cornelius Lucas (2 years, $10 million): B Grade
signed on 3/12/2025
It was believed that the Redskins had a huge liability at left tackle heading into Jayden Daniels’ rookie year, but this turned out not to be the case. Cornelius Lucas was a surprise performer for Washington. He wasn’t great, but he did a solid job protecting the offensive rookie of the year.
Lucas may have a chance to shield another rookie’s blind side in Cleveland with Jedrick Wills leaving the team. I like this move, given that the Browns are getting Lucas at a very reasonable price. The downside is that Lucas is 34, but they could get decent production out of him.
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Browns re-sign ILB Devin Bush (1 year, $3.25 million): A Grade
signed on 3/11/2025
Devin Bush is seen as a bust, given that he was a former first-round pick. If he were a mid-round selection, the consensus was that he had carved out a solid career for himself. Bush had a rocky start to his NFL playing days, but just had his best year as a pro. Bush was stellar as a two-down linebacker, thriving in run support. He was abused in coverage, but Bush was brought back on a cheap contract to continue clamping down on the run.
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Browns sign DE Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (1 year, $4.8 million): B Grade
signed on 3/11/2025
Joe Tryon-Shoyinka has been a major bust. He was chosen with the final pick in the opening round of the 2024 NFL Draft, but barely generated any pressure. He had just two sacks in 2024. However, Tryon-Shoyinka is still young (26), so perhaps he’ll be a late bloomer. It’ll certainly help his cause that Myles Garrett will command tons of attention on the other side. Tryon-Shoyinka could continue to struggle, but the Browns aren’t taking much of a risk with this signing.
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Browns re-sign DE Myles Garrett (4 years, $160 million): D Grade
signed on 3/9/2025
Myles Garrett said that under no circumstances that he was returning to Cleveland. It turns out that he had a price all along, as he did extremely well to negotiate his new contract. This deal makes him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history, exceeding what Maxx Crosby just signed (3 years, $106.5 million).
While this is great news for Garrett, it’s not as promising for Cleveland. Sure, the Browns will be more competitive with Garrett on the field, but at what cost? They now have a worse chance to land the No. 1 overall draft pick when a blue-chip quarterback is available – unlike this year – and by the time the Browns are ready to make a deep run into the playoffs, Garrett will be well into his 30s. Garrett will turn 30 at some point during the 2025 season, so the best course of action would have been trading him for a huge haul that includes at least one first-round pick. Re-signing him has put the Browns on a path where they will just be mediocre at best before plummeting again once Garrett regresses.
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