AFC North: Ravens get a jump start on NFL free agency by extending WR

Nelson Agholor and Odell Beckham Jr. were set for free agency this offseason

NFL free agency will be hot and heavy when the new league year opens in March despite a lot of deals being handled during the NFL combine next week. On the first Sunday without football since September of last year, we already got reports about two key free agents not likely to be franchise-tagged.

The Cleveland Browns have 26 pending free agents and a flexible salary cap situation going into the 2024 offseason. It is important to note “pending” free agents because the Browns could extend DE Za’Darius Smith, QB Joe Flacco, LB Sione Takitaki (with his new endorsement deal) and DT Shelby Harris, among others, if they could come to agreements before the league year starts.

The Baltimore Ravens did just that with one of their three wide receivers that are pending free agency:

Along with Odell Beckham Jr. and Devin Duvernay, Agholor was a part of half of the Ravens receiver group set for free agency. He played in 52% of the team’s snaps on offense last year while making $3.25 million on a one-year contract.

As Cleveland GM Andrew Berry often does, the Ravens added four void years to Agholor’s contract to minimize the impact on the salary cap. With the extension in place, those years will be adjusted accordingly when the final details become available.

A former first-round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles, Agholor had 35 receptions for 381 yards and four touchdowns last season catching passes from league MVP Lamar Jackson.

Which Browns free agent do you think the team should re-sign immediately? Do you think any get done before the start of the new league year?