Faced with a glaring need for reinforcements across the defense, the Cleveland Browns have a lot of options in the pending free agent market. But if they wish to jump ahead of the market, a familiar face is freshly available.
The Chicago Bears cut cornerback Buster Skrine on Monday in a salary cap dump. He has been Chicago’s primary nickel back for the last two years and played reasonably well. Skrine logged 64 total tackles and three pass breakups in 12 games before missing the final four regular-season games and Chicago’s playoff loss with a concussion.
Skrine, now 31, played his first four seasons with the Browns from 2011-2014. He’s emerged as a relatively reliable slot corner with a nose for run defense and solid short-area coverage. With Kevin Johnson and Terrance Mitchell both set to hit free agency, Skrine could be an inexpensive veteran replacement option. Signing Skrine would not end the Browns’ need for a long-term solution at CB, however.
