Cleveland Browns sign free agent lineman Germain Ifedi before 2024 NFL Draft

The Cleveland Browns have reportedly signed free agent offensive lineman Germain Ifedi to a one-year deal for the 2024 season. Ifedi spent the 2023 season on the active roster and practice squad for the Buffalo Bills, however, he didn’t see action in their 17 regular season games. He is now off to Cleveland to join his sixth team in his ninth season in the NFL.

Ifedi is a former first-round draft pick out of Texas A&M, spending his first four years in the league with the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks snagged him with the 31st pick in the 2016 NFL Draft after he earned Freshman All-American and second-team All-SEC honors with the Aggies. He started for several seasons in Seattle despite a tumultuous time there.

He has also had stints with the Chicago Bears, the Atlanta Falcons and the Detroit Lions. During his first eight seasons in the league, he has played in 102 career games. He’s made 59 games at right tackle and 24 games at right guard.

Ifedi now has the opportunity to help the Browns offensive line protect starting quarterback Deshaun Watson who is coming off of a season-ending injury from last season. The offensive line as a whole gave up 45 sacks on five different quarterbacks during the 2023 regular season.

After the 2022 season, Ifedi signed one-year deals, first with the Falcons for $1.31 million. He then signed months later with the Lions for one year, $1.165 million.

More on the 2024 NFL offseason, free agency

The NFL 2024 calendar year began at 4 p.m. ET on March 13. At that time, contracts running through 2023 officially ran out, making those players free agents. Prior to the beginning of free agency, teams will had a chance to designate one franchise or transition tag player, starting on Feb. 20 at 4 p.m. ET and ending on March 5. Beginning March 11 through March 13 teams could enter into a legal negotiation with players who would become unrestricted free agents.

In addition to NFL free agency, the new year also marks the beginning of all trades being made official by the league office. April 19 marks the deadline to sign restricted free agents to offer sheets. On April 24, the deadline for teams to match restricted free agent offers sheets hits. Following the restricted free agent deadline follows the 2024 NFL Draft, which runs from April 25-27.