Sunday Dawg Chow (3/8): One more sleep until free agency

Good morning, Browns fans! Hope you remembered to set your clocks to the start of Daylight Savings Time.

Today is the final day before free agency takes over the NFL. On Monday at 12 p.m., teams can start working on the contract details with the agents of players who are set to become unrestricted free agents. Then, on Wednesday at 4 p.m., the new league year begins, and all the news about the new deals, along with the inflated contract numbers that will be breathlessly reported, will become official.

These are exciting days to come, but it is important to remember to check those announcements closely, as no one wants to be the sucker caught by a fake Adam Schefter social media post.

Let’s get the day started with the latest edition of the Sunday Dawg Chow.

Dawgs By Nature

• Browns Ronnie Hickman: Options, next steps after 2nd-round tender limits free agency (Jared Mueller) – Cleveland Browns free agency is about to begin with Ronnie Hickman now a restricted free agent on a 2nd-round tender.
• 2026 Browns free agency wish list: Roster choices between top option, backup option (Barry Shuck) – With NFL free agency opening, the Cleveland Browns roster could use some top free agent additions.
• Free agency: Kyler Murray a good fit for the Browns? (Abby Mueller) – The Cleveland Browns could be looking at Kyler Murray to take Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun Watson’s spot in NFL free agency.
• Browns 2-round mock draft fills some key roster holes (Thomas Moore) – Offensive tackle, wide receiver, and a new CB are on the board in Dane Brugler’s mock draft at The Athletic.
• Myles Garrett drama? Not communicating with Browns, reportedly (Jared Mueller) – Could trouble be stirring between Myles Garrett and the Cleveland Browns? Rumors might fly after latest report.
• Browns restructure another deal, adds $99 million void year (Jared Mueller) – Cleveland Browns salary cap news continues with GM Andrew Berry restructuring Denzel Ward’s contract, adding a void year.
• Cleveland Browns fans are excited for free agency, but want more focus on the draft (Chris Pokorny) – Free agency or the draft: which is more essential for Cleveland?

Cleveland Browns

• Why the Browns believe a fresh set of eyes can fix their offense (cleveland.com) – Where does the Browns’ belief their offense can turn around in 2026 come from? Start with how they’ve talked about Jerry Jeudy so far this offseason.
• Who should Browns look to re-sign in free agency? Try these 5 players (Beacon Journal) – Most of the attention when the free agency period opens up will be centered on outside free agents the Cleveland Browns sign. After all, the offseason is about improving the roster. But what about the unrestricted free agents not named Joel Bitonio? Here’s a look at five they should try to re-sign.
• 5 thoughts during week between scouting combine and free agency (Browns Zone) – The NFL world has returned home from Indianapolis after another busy scouting combine. Here are five takeaways with free agency starting next week and the draft in April.
• 9 Cleveland Browns players who could be heading elsewhere in the NFL next week when free agency starts (A to Z Sports) – A look at the most important Cleveland Browns who could be signing elsewhere in free agency next week.

NFL

• 2026 NFL draft QB rankings: Mendoza, Simpson, Nussmeier (ESPN) – We’re inside two months until the 2026 NFL draft, as it kicks off April 23 in Pittsburgh. With the combine recently ending, let’s re-rank the quarterback class to determine who the best passers are on the board.
• Where will Kyler Murray end up this season? (The Ringer) – The Arizona Cardinals reportedly informed Kyle Murray that he’ll be released before the start of the new league year, making him a top QB option on the free agent market. Which teams should try to sign him—and which would be terrible fits?
• Packers trade Colby Wooden for linebacker Zaire Franklin (Green Bay Press-Gazette) – On the verge of free agency, Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst knew rearranging his defensive front was inevitable.
• Maxx Crosby wanted to be a ‘Raider for life,’ but then it all fell apart (The Athletic) – Mark Davis knew it was over; it was really just a matter of giving his blessing. So the Raiders’ owner went to Maxx Crosby’s house two months ago, and the two talked for hours about the pass rusher’s issues with the present state of affairs in Las Vegas. They shared some laughs about the past and then agreed that maybe it was time to have different futures.