Thursday, August 10, 2023

Browns sign Shelby Harris

    A move that I would have supported in the off-season came to pass for the Cleveland Browns after injuries smacked the Browns defensive line hard early in training camp as Cleveland signed defensive lineman Shelby Harris.

Harris signed a one-year contract worth 5.25 million after playing for Seattle in fifteen games last season, finishing with 44 tackles (24 solo) and two sacks after being acquired by the Seahawks as part of the trade that sent Russell Wilson to Denver in the 2022 off-season.

Harris played on forty-nine percent of the Seahawk's defensive snaps last season before his release in the off-season.

Harris played five seasons in Denver following his first two seasons with the then-Oakland Raiders, who drafted him in the seventh round from Illinois State in the 2014 draft.

Harris is lauded for his skills against the run but collected twenty-one and a half sacks in his five years as a Bronco and twice finished seasons with six sacks (2019 and 2021).

Harris can play end or tackle but the Browns are likely going to use him more often as a defensive tackle.

Cleveland lost two second-year linemen already in camp as 2022 third-rounder Alex Wright and 2022 seventh-rounder Isaiah Thomas have both suffered injuries that will keep them off the field into the start of the regular season, so while Harris could plug in and see a lot of playing time at the very least, Harris bulks up the depth of a line with that had improved in the off-season but still had questions entering the year.

Other than Dalvin Tomlinson, the Browns have only disappointing returnees Jordan Elliott and Tommy Togiai, third-round choice Siaki Ika, and veteran free agent signings Trysten Hill and Maurice Hurst at defensive tackle, so signing Shelby Harris will have to help relieve the pressure on those players as the Browns won't have to rely on any of those linemen with Harris on the roster.

At thirty-two, Shelby Harris certainly doesn't solve issues for the long-term but considering Harris as an August signing, Harris should be a solution that helps the Browns for 2023 and could help Harris if he hits the free agent market next season.

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