Browns might’ve quietly nailed this offseason move

The Cleveland Browns' offseason has been filled with non-stop headlines, from the Myles Garrett trade request to mega-extension saga, to the quarterback acquisitions, and everything else in between. Heading into free agency, the Browns had some wiggle room to make moves, but were never going to be players for any of the top players on the market like Milton Williams.

While they couldn't throw massive amounts of money at the top available options, they were still well within their means to upgrade around the margins. None of these moves will get the coverage of most other offseason moves, but they could absolutely pay dividends this season. One of the under-the-radar signings that stands out the most from free agency was the addition of defensive tackle Maliek Collins to a two-year deal.

Browns might’ve quietly nailed Maliek Collins' signing

Collins spent the 2024 season with the 49ers but was released before he could play out the final year of his two-year extension to save cap space in an offseason where San Francisco gave out big extensions to quarterback Brock Purdy and tight end George Kittle. He quickly landed with the Browns on a two-year, $20 million deal to help add veteran talent to a team that moved on from Dalvin Tomlinson for cap purposes.

Heading into year 10 and his age-30 season, Collins has a very established reputation as one of the better interior pass rushers in the NFL. He has posted a 70 or better PFF pass rush grade each of the last four seasons, which was good for at least the top 25 percent every year. On top of that, he also put up the seventh-best pass rush win rate of any interior defensive lineman in 2024.

When Collins defends the run at an average rate, he produces as a clear-cut every-down player in the middle of the defensive line. He has not had much success against the run the last two years, putting up grades in the low 40s that rank near the bottom of the league. However, the transition to Jim Schwartz's defense that gets him playing more north to south immediately, along with the additional talent on the defensive line, could help his run defense production.

The defensive line group is going to be the strength of this team, much like it was back in 2023, and Collins has a great chance to be a reason why. First-round pick Mason Graham will slot in as an every-down three technique who can defend both the run and pass, while Collins can be inserted in pass-obvious situations to wreak complete havoc on the quarterback alongside Garrett and Graham. This isn't the flashiest move by any means, but it has the potential to provide a positive impact on the Browns in 2025.