The Cleveland Browns' cost-cutting measures to work out of the wreckage caused by Deshaun Watson's contract led to them releasing a solid starter in defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson. It did not take long for the Browns to land on a replacement who could provide similar production, however.
While the 2025 free agent class is looking fairly thin at many of the positions Cleveland needs, defensive tackle is one of the few spots where the Browns could have used their limited financial flexibility to find a new starter. they did just that, finding yet another player who left an NFC contender this offseason.
The Browns have signed veteran defensive tackle Maliek Collins, who spent last season with the San Francisco 49ers, to a two-year contract worth $20 million. Even as he prepares to enter his age-30 season, Collins should be able to play a role in a Myles Garrett-led defense that was far from the problem last year.
Browns sign DT Maliek Collins to two-year contract
Collins is much better at rushing the passer from the interior than stopping the run at this point in his career. His Pro Football Focus pass rush grade of 70.0 ranked 33rd among 219 qualified defensive tackles, but his 42.8 run defense grade put him at a gnarly 168th in the league.
Collins has recorded 10 sacks and 30 quarterback hits in the last two seasons, which were split between Houston and San Francisco. If one of Cleveland's other run-stuffers can evolve into a quality starter to make up for Collins' deficiencies, this defense can cause even experienced offenses some real trouble.
Collins, who has started 129 games in the last nine years with teams like Dallas and Houston, will join Garrett, veteran Shelby Harris, and 2024 second-round pick Mike Hall Jr. on Cleveland's defensive line. Despite the overall poor outlook, this line is still one of the strong spots on this roster.
Collins is likely not going to win or lose the Browns any extra games next season, but the fact they were able to immediately find a cheaper alternative for Tomlinson by bringing a veteran with playoff experience to town is a sign that Andrew Berry still excells when it comes to making less-heralded acquisitions.