The Cleveland Browns have made a lot of additions to their roster this offseason with not a lot of subtractions. Besides the additions via the NFL draft and free agency, the team also is expected to get Andrew Billings and Drew Forbes back after both opted out due to COVID-19 concerns.
Odell Beckham Jr., Greedy Williams and Grant Delpit are expected to return to the team after missing most (OBJ) or all (Williams and Delpit) of last season due to injury.
While Sheldon Richardson was a slightly surprising cut, could other departures be coming?
Chris Hubbard is one name to keep an eye on but the team will want to wait until he is considered healthy to do so. Hubbard tore ligaments in his knee and had a dislocated knee cap that required surgery late in December when the Browns placed him on injured reserve.
Along with the addition of Forbes, the Browns signed Greg Senat and drafted James Hudson to compete on the offensive line. The team was already deep with quality players there despite a constant struggle league-wide to have any depth on the offensive line.
Whenever Hubbard is deemed healthy, the Browns can save just under $4 million by cutting or trading him. Given the dearth of quality offensive linemen in the NFL and Hubbard’s relatively cheap contract, the team should be able to get a day three draft pick in exchange for him.
By the time Hubbard is healthy, depending on which ligaments he tore, the Browns will likely have had a chance to see Forbes, Hudson and the rest of their offensive line group for a little while. If none show the ability to step in if needed, Hubbard is likely to stick around.
If the Browns feel confident in their backup group, adding cap space for future contracts and an additional draft asset could see Hubbard heading out the door.