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Each Thursday for the remainder of the season I plan to release an article looking at another one of the Cleveland Browns position rooms and how it will most likely shape up for the 2025 season.
I will add the links to previous articles as the series goes along: Quarterback, Running Back, Wide Receiver, Tight End, Tackle, Guard, Center, Edge Defender, Defensive Tackle, Linebacker, Cornerback, Safety and Special Teams.
We will look at the current players and their contract statuses, what their future might be and then what route the potential additions will come from. This offseason is set for more dramatic change than the last few years as most players don't have guarantees and there is the opportunity to move on. There are only eight players on the roster with 2025 guarantees, read more here.
With offseason articles people try to look at the draft and then work backwards, the league doesn't work that way unless you have the number one pick. You need to build a 53 man roster you are happy with by the end of free agency and then see what happens in the draft as you never know how the board will fall.
We will start by looking at how Andrew Berry's position room has been built to start the season each year:
2020 - Richardson, Ogunjobi, Elliott, Taylor
2021 - Jackson, Billings, Elliott, McDowell, Togiai
2022 - Bryan, Elliott, Winfrey, Togiai
2023 - Tomlinson, Harris, Elliott, Hurst, Ika
2024 - Tomlinson, Harris, Jefferson, Hurst, Hall
How Many Defensive Tackles
Here is a look at how many players are on the 53 man roster and practice squad week one of every season under Andrew Berry.
The Cleveland Browns are likely to head into the 2025 season with five defensive tackles on the final 53-man roster and two on the practice squad.
There are most likely to have three defensive linemen on the practice squad, it will depend on the talent which position the third player plays. It could be a hybrid like Kamara who can play in both positions if needed.
They would have had five defensive tackles on the 53 man roster this season if Hall wouldn't have been suspended.
Cash Spending
There are two VIP articles here which will be of interest:
Cleveland Browns Cash Spending By Player 2020 to 2024
How Much Is The Cleveland Browns 2025 Budget To Extend & Sign Players?
Here is the edge defender spend for each year:
2020 - $16,365,036
2021 - $10,065,709
2022 - $7,792,727
2023 - $24,062,512
2024 - $24,641,692
They attempted to have two years where they went cheaper with the position, this had successfully been done with the linebacker room. Unfortunately when they tried to do this at defensive tackle it failed, now they have spent more over the last two years.
Dalvin Tomlinson
Dalvin Tomlinson
(Photo: © Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports, USA TODAY Sports)
Contract
2024 - $11,585,000 (fully guaranteed)
2025 - $14,500,000 (no guarantees)
2026 - $14,500,000 (no guarantees)
It goes without saying that Tomlinson is the Cleveland Browns most talented defensive tackle currently. The question comes down to how much is his play worth, $14.5m is a significant amount of money to spend, if they keep him for 2025 then he is likely taking up 60% of the budget leaving around $10m to spend on the other four players in the group. For me that is not a good use of the budget and they should be on the lookout for more talent at a better value.
Shelby Harris
Cleveland Browns Shelby Harris tackles Arizona Cardinals Rondale Moore
Cleveland Browns Shelby Harris tackles Arizona Cardinals Rondale Moore
Contract
2024 - $4,500,000 ($3.99m guaranteed)
2025 - $4,500,000 (no guarantees)
He played 40% of snaps in 2023 and did a good job, when they extended him it was a nice move but it felt like he had a ceiling of 40%, he has smashed those expectation in 2024 playing around 60% and sometimes above that. I believe he will need to reduce this number down next season closer to 50% and with that his pressure rate will increase slightly towards 10% again. He will turn 34 at the start of next season so there is likely to be some level of decline. Since he is giving you close to Tomlinson production at less than a third of the price he is a good option to keep.
Mike Hall
(Photo: Albert Cesare/The Enquirer)
Contract
2024 - $2,756,692 ($1,961,692 guaranteed)
2025 - $1,116,356 (no guarantees)
2026 - $1,437,712 (no guarantees)
2027 - $1,759,068 (no guarantees)
The injury to Hall was incredibly unfortunate, he had shown promise in the four games he played in, playing just over 40% of snaps and looking like he could be a 50-60% contributor next season. Getting Dalvin Tomlinson level production for just over $1m compared to $14.5m is a big plus for the team. They would have felt safer moving off of of Tomlinson if they had seen a 10+ game sample of great play from Hall. This will mean they need to project what he will be in 2025 which is a challenging exercise.
Maurice Hurst
Contract
2024 - $1,800,000 ($1m guaranteed)
He hasn't been the same player in 2024, after 13 weeks and 71 pass rushes he has generated one pressure. This is a drastic difference from last year where he had 173 pass rushes and 18 pressures on the season. He turns 30 in May and is more likely to be a fifth defensive tackle on a depth chart battling for a roster spot rather than someone given a contract locking them into the 53 man roster. I can see them offering him a veteran minimum deal to return next year with very little guaranteed.
Other Players
Here is a look at the other defensive tackles they currently have:
Sam Kamara
2024 - $985,000 (no guarantees)
2025 - $1,100,000 (no guarantees)
2026 - Restricted Free Agent
2027 - Unrestricted Free Agent
Jowon Briggs2024 - $795,000 (no guarantees)
2025 - Exclusive Rights Free Agent
2026 - Exclusive Rights Free Agent
2027 - Restricted Free Agent
2028 - Unrestricted Free Agent
I don't see either of these players as pieces that will be on the 53 man roster for the Browns, they both have a chance to make the practice squad though.
Defensive Tackle Needs
We have seen two different versions of how Schwartz operates his defensive line room. In 2023 it was Tomlinson playing 60% of snaps and then 40% of snaps for the other three active players. Injuries in 2024 has made it less clear but it appears to be Tomlinson and Harris at 60%, Hall/Jefferson at 40% and then the remaining player around 25%.
This makes it difficult to predict what the 2025 unit might look like, you are looking at around 1.8 defensive tackles per snap so if the top two are taking 60% of snaps each that only leaves 60% of snaps to split between two players.
You could look at making a new equation for 2025 and pair Hall and Harris, each getting 50% of snaps and then bring in two other players to play 40% each. This way you have a rotation which is much fresher, in turn this should boost their pressure efficiency.
There will be a fifth player in the defensive tackle room who will be inactive on game day and is very much a developmental prospect.
Starters
I think they will look to either keep Tomlinson or bring in a new free agent signing to pair with Hall as the two leading players in the rotation. Schwartz wants to keep sustained pressure on the quarterback and that will need pass rushers. I have always want the position of having four legitimate rushers and then given them each 40-50% of snaps. Don't over invest in one player because you have four out there regularly as it is a rotation position, I don't expect this to be the way they go though.
It is currently a large defensive tackle class, if you want to find the players most likely on the radar for Andrew Berry, check their pressure rate. If it is north of 10% then they are the most likely targets for the offseason.
(Photo: Over The Cap)
Rotational Players
They have Harris as one of their rotational players and then they will just need to find one more. If they have invested $14.5m in Tomlinson then there isn't likely to be very much for this fourth player. If they go cheaper in the $6-8m range on the replacement for Tomlinson there is no reason they can't spend the same on this player if they wanted or someone in the $4-6m range. For me this gives them a deadly combination and when injury hits it is realistic to talk about next man up rather than 60% of your defensive tackle budget missing.
Development Prospect
I expect the Cleveland Browns to turn to the draft to add another defensive tackle, this is more likely to be a day three pick in my eyes. Free agency will be a clear tell for where they view this room, the ideal plan is for the draft pick to be ready for 2026 as the Shelby Harris replacement. It is tough for any rookie at defensive tackle, you are playing against much bigger and more talented offensive linemen and at the same time you likely have to play 40% of snaps or inactive, there isn't a soft introduction like wide receivers or other positons can get.
Conclusion
Here is my prediction for the Cleveland Browns 2025 defensive tackle group:
Free Agent - $8m
Mike Hall
Shelby Harris
Free Agent - $4m
Draft Pick - Day Three
This is a dangerous group who can sustain pressure on the quarterback regardless of who is on the field. While being deeper than the 2024 group it is cheaper at the same time. It lacks the star power of a name like Tomlinson but since Harris has been nearly as potent it allows the risk to be spread. I'm not saying Tomlinson can't stay in 2025 but he faces a battle currently to prove his value.
When we get to free agency maybe there is a player that ticks the boxes at $10-12m a year and they go for them instead.
Check back tomorrow when I look at the defensive tackle spending for the 2025 season.