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Free-Agent Setup: Cleveland Browns expect to lose all three UFAs

By Howard Balzer, The Sports Xchange
Cleveland Browns running back Isaiah Crowell (34) runs with the football in the NFL International Series Game against the Minnesota Vikings on October 29, 2017 at Twickenham Stadium in London. Photo by Hugo Philpott/UPI
Cleveland Browns running back Isaiah Crowell (34) runs with the football in the NFL International Series Game against the Minnesota Vikings on October 29, 2017 at Twickenham Stadium in London. Photo by Hugo Philpott/UPI | License Photo

The Cleveland Browns have only three unrestricted free agents - running back Isaiah Crowell, guard Marcus Martin and defensive end Lavar Edwards - and will not use the franchise tag or transition tag.

The Browns are unlikely to re-sign any of them, either, unless they can get any or all of them dirt cheap. The perception around Cleveland is Crowell wants out because he was dissatisfied with the number of carries he got.

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The fact is he carried eight more times in 2017 than in 2016 when he carried 198 times for 852 yards. He carried the ball 206 times in 2017 yet finished with 99 fewer yards than the year before. Crowell will follow the money and sign with whichever team offers him the most.

Unit-by-unit depth chart as of Super Bowl LII. Injured players listed as starters if that was their status when injured.

*Asterisk indicates player ended 2017 season on injured reserve.

QUARTERBACKS (D): Starter - DeShone Kizer. Backups - Kevin Hogan, Cody Kessler.

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RUNNING BACKS (C-plus): Starter - Isaiah Crowell (UFA). Backups - Duke Johnson, Matthew Dayes, *Darius Jackson, FB Dan Vitale.

TIGHT ENDS (C-minus): Starter - Randall Telfer. Backups - David Njoku, Seth DeValve. Addition: TE Gavin Escobar (signed as free agent).

WIDE RECEIVERS (C-minus): Starters - Josh Gordon, Corey Coleman. Backups - Rashard Higgins, Ricardo Louis, Matt Hazel, Sammie Coates.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (B): Starters - LT *Joe Thomas, LG Joel Bitonio, C JC Tretter, RG Kevin Zeitler, RT Shon Coleman. Backups - LT Spencer Drango, LG Marcus Martin (UFA), C Austin Reiter, RG Geoff Gray, RT Zach Banner, G *Chris Barker, LT *Rod Johnson.

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (B-plus): Starters - DLE *Emmanuel Ogbah, DLT Danny Shelton, DRT Trevon Coley, DRE Myles Garrett. Backups - DT *Jamie Meder, DT Larry Ogunjobi, DT Caleb Brantley, DLE Carl Nassib, DRE Nate Orchard, DLE Lavar Edwards (UFA).

LINEBACKERS (C-plus): Starters - WLB Christian Kirksey, MLB Joe Schobert, SLB *Jamie Collins. Backups - SLB James Burgess, MLB B.J. Bello, WLB Josh Keyes, WLB *Dominique Alexander, MLB *Tank Carder.

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DEFENSIVE BACKS (D): Starters - LCB Jason McCourty, RCB Jamar Taylor, SS *Derrick Kindred, FS Jabrill Peppers. Backups - FS Kai Nacua, LCB Briean Boddy-Calhoun, RCB Mike Jordan, RCB C.J. Smith, FS Justin Currie, SS Derron Smith, CB *Reggie Porter, CB *Howard Wilson.

SPECIAL TEAMS (D): K Zane Gonzalez, P Britton Colquitt, KOR Matthew Dayes, PR Jabrill Peppers, LS Charley Hughlett.

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