The Cleveland Browns, in another confusing move, have decided to release their top veteran linebacker Karlos Dansby. While Dansby only had a $5 million base salary in 2016 and could have easily be retained, the Browns appear to want to head in another direction.
Dansby was only seemingly upset that he was not released earlier so he would've had time to hit the free agent market with a little more force. The Browns were nowhere near close to winning a Super Bowl and have a long rebuilding process that they will implement in the coming seasons. At 34 years old, Dansby appreciates his release, stating that it "gives me a chance to win."
The linebacker was very cognizant of what the Browns were doing with a lot of their veteran players and the mistakes happening all over the roster. Dansby implied that he would love to go to a contender given the amount of time he probably has left to make an impact for a team. Currently, the San Francisco 49ers, New York Giants, Oakland Raiders, Detroit Lions, Atlanta Falcons, Green Bay Packers, Denver Broncos and Cincinnati Bengals all have a need at inside linebacker, and Dansby could be the perfect complement for one of these contenders.
The Packers, Broncos, Raiders and Bengals all fit the bill for a team that Dansby should want to go to. They will all be contenders, except for, potentially, the Broncos after they lost Brock Osweiler, Peyton Manning and Malik Jackson this offseason. The Raiders are up and coming, and the addition of Dansby could be the factor that pushes them to brand new heights.
The Raiders only went 7-9 last year, so with the amount of free agent additions already added, that should be enough to push that team into playoff contention. The Packers would easily be the safest bet for Dansby, as they have Aaron Rodgers and a fairly steady defense.
The Packers may need to retool a few things on offense, but Green Bay could welcome Dansby with open arms. Finally, the Bengals currently share the state of Ohio with the Browns, so it wouldn't be that far of a commute for Dansby. The Bengals have also been pretty decent these last few seasons and could use some leadership and discipline on the defensive side of the ball. If the Bengals are interested, this could be an excellent fit.
