Browns sign Adrian Clayborn

Sometimes in life, you may want something and not purchase it, only to have a chance to pick it up down the road.
Many times when that occurs, you realize that you could live without it or the task that you truly needed it for wasn't needed as much as it once was and it was a small disappointment.

The Cleveland Browns signing of veteran defensive end Adrian Clayborn made me think of that situation as a search of the site saw Clayborn as a "player of interest' when he entered the league via the draft and one off-season as a preferred free-agent target.
Clayborn signed a two-year contract with a value of 5.75 million over the contract but could make more than double that number by hitting his incentives in the contract.

Clayborn was a first-round selection by Tampa Bay in 2011, left for Atlanta via free agency in 2015 and played three seasons with the Falcons before signing with New England in 2018 and returning to Atlanta last season.
Clayborn's numbers have dropped in the last two seasons since his career-high with the Falcons in 2017 with nine and a half sacks, but as a situational player, Clayborn should have enough left to help the Browns, who seem to be leaning towards keeping Olivier Vernon rather than release him at the defensive end opposite Myles Garrett.
Clayborn started one game for Atlanta last season and finished with four and a half sacks with two forced fumbles for the Falcons, who missed the playoffs for the second season in a row.
Clayborn is the second free agent that the Browns have signed in the off-season as they signed defensive tackle Andrew Billings from the Bengals earlier in the period.

I like the signing of Clayborn for the specialist role and the Browns do need depth at defensive end as Olivier Vernon has struggled with injuries over the last three seasons (two of those seasons with the Giants), but Clayborn isn't the type of player that will rack up more numbers with more playing time.
Clayborn turns 32 during training camp and he'll wear down if the Browns are forced to use him too often.
While the Browns aren't exactly loaded at defensive end with Garrett, Vernon, Clayborn, and Chad Thomas, they aren't the worst team in the league off the edge either.
I wouldn't argue if the Browns decided to draft an end or even another veteran if one can be signed at a reasonable rate as they'll be relying on two veterans that have seen their games slip in recent campaigns.

Back later with more from the inbox.