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Browns could land a $1.8 million reclamation project hiding in plain sight
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- Browns could land a $1.8 million reclamation project hiding in plain sight
Cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
As expected, the Cleveland Browns used most of their draft capital to fix their offense. Overall, they spent eight of their 10 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft on offensive players, even doubling down on wide receivers, offensive tackles, and tight ends.
The offense has plenty of catching up to do with its strong defense. But even though the starting lineup is pretty much set, they could still use some depth pieces, particularly in the secondary.
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Considering that, Zachary Pereles of CBS Sports pointed to an overlooked option at a reasonable price. In his latest column, he claimed that former Tennessee Titans CB Jalyn Armour-Davis could be a nice fit for Mike Rutenberg's defense.
"The defense should be excellent, but there's little depth at outside cornerback after Denzel Ward and Tyson Campbell ," Pereles wrote . "I'm not quite ready to give up on Armour-Davis, a former fourth-round pick, and he's only 27, which could fit the Browns' timeline if he proves helpful."
Why Jalyn Armour-Davis could be a worthwhile gamble for the Browns
While not the most prominent guy in free agency, Spotrac projects his next contract to be for just one year and $1.8 million. The Browns have $21.1 million in available cap space, per Over the Cap, so they should have plenty of flexibility to make additional moves after signing their rookie class.
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Admittedly, Armour-Davis hasn't been much of a star in his four years in the league. He began his career in the AFC North with the Baltimore Ravens , but they waived him after three years. He spent the previous season with the struggling Tennessee Titans.
Armour-Davis has made 30 appearances (13 starts), registering 54 total tackles (30 solo), two tackles for loss, and four passes defensed. Notably, the bulk of that production came in 11 games last season.
Still, with Martin Emerson Jr. leaving in free agency and little-to-no depth behind the starters, the Browns could do a whole lot worse than to roll the dice on a 27-year-old who's 6-foot-1 and can hold his own in press-man coverage.
In an ideal scenario, Armour-Davis would be a rotational piece for Rutenberg's secondary, with Denzel Ward, Tyson Campbell, Myles Harden , and maybe even Emmanuel McNeil-Warren rotating at outside cornerback and nickel. But you can never have too much depth at those positions.
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The Browns have struck gold with reclamation projects in the past, with linebacker Devin Bush the latest example. Jim Schwartz is no longer in the building, but Rutenberg has an extensive background working with defensive backs.
This could be Armour-Davis' lone shot to salvage his career with a one-year, "prove it" deal. For the Browns, he's worth the gamble at that low projected price.
This article was originally published on www.dawgpounddaily.com as Browns could land a $1.8 million reclamation project hiding in plain sight .
