The Cleveland Browns had a disappointing season in 2012 after going 5-11, but there is hope in Ohio as the team has a new owner in Jimmy Haslam and a front office ready to spend money in free agency, with two of the top targets coming on the defensive side of the ball in Cliff Avril and Paul Kruger.
According to SI.com writer Peter King, Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun reports that the Cleveland Browns and Indianapolis Colts are both very interested in signing Ravens linebacker Paul Kruger. NFL league sources gave Wilson the information and said that the Colts want to reunite Kruger with his old defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano to replace defensive end Dwight Freeney, who the team released last month.
The report also says that the Cleveland Browns are also aggressively going after Detroit Lions defensive end Cliff Avril, who is one of the top free agents on defense this offseason. Avril has had a monster start to his career, recording 30 sacks with 15 hits and 102 pressures from 2010 to 2012. The 27-year-old had 9.5 sacks last season after posting a career-high 11.0 in 2011 and reportedly wants a salary that would pay him around $10 million per year.
Avril has been very consistent over the past two seasons, playing in all 32 games and recording nearly 20 sacks. In his first three seasons he missed seven games, but he increased his sack total each year until this past season's decrease. The Lions may not want to pay Avril too much after having locked up both Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson to large, long-term deals, which could leave the Browns in a favorable position.
Cleveland has a large amount of cap space this offseason and may feel comfortable signing both players, even with the large demands by Avril. Cleveland had one of the worst defenses in the NFL last season and adding Avril to the offensive line will help apply pressure to the quarterback and could help the Browns improve from the 25th ranked passing defense, allowing 245 yards per game.
Kruger likely will not be returning to the Ravens after the team opted to not use the franchise tag on him and since he has the chance to command a $10 million salary on the market, Baltimore will be okay with keeping that off their books. The team is in a tough spot, evidenced by their trade of Anquan Boldin to the 49ers for a second round draft pick after they wanted him to take a pay cut from $6 million.
Kruger had a breakout season in 2012 and was a main contributor to the team in the playoffs, making 4.5 sacks for the Ravens on their way to winning the Super Bowl. Kruger had nine sacks this season and could be the leader in the middle of the defense that Browns have been missing. The report from Peter King said that the Browns planned to have at least one of the players signed to deal "by Tuesday night" and it could be one of the first big splashes of free agency.
The Ravens have a number of free agents that could be leaving the team this offseason, including longtime safety Ed Reed, cornerback Cary Williams and Dannell Ellerbe, who is a priority for the team. Reports from the Sun say that the Ravens could possibly sign James Harrison to help with the loss of Ray Lewis, as the Steelers cut the linebacker earlier this week.
Both Avril and Kruger are considered the top defensive players on the market and could command double-digit salaries on their contracts. Some other teams that could be in play include the Miami Dolphins and the Minnesota Vikings. The Browns also could decide to trade for Flynn, as they may decide to move on from Brandon Weeden after one season since the regime did not draft him themselves.
