On Thursday morning, the Cleveland Browns announced the addition of offensive lineman Germain Ifedi to the 2024 roster. The signing of the eight-year NFL veteran may delay the need for additional linemen.

The Cleveland Browns likely surprised most people with the signing of NFL free agent Germain Ifedi on Thursday. There have been several free agent signings around the NFL in the past week, yet as the 2024 NFL Draft gets closer, the free agency talk gets a bit more quiet.

There has been anticipation that the Browns will not only select a potential replacement left tackle for the future but also add an offensive guard for depth at some point during the upcoming draft.

The signing of a veteran offensive lineman like Ifedi does not necessarily take either selection completely off the table. What it does do is allow the Browns the opportunity to wait until day three before addressing the offensive guard position.

Germain Ifedi will be entering his ninth season in the NFL this year after spending time with the Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Atlanta Falcons, Detroit Lions and Buffalo Bills. The former first-round offensive lineman has a vast amount of playing experience in the league at both right tackle and right guard. Of his 83 starts with the Seahawks, Bears and Falcons, 59 were at right tackle and 24 were at right guard. Despite spending much of last season on the Bills’ active roster, he did not see any game action.

Whenever a backup offensive lineman has the versatility to play at numerous positions, they make roster construction and game-day decisions that much easier. Ifedi will probably initially slot in as Wyatt Teller’s backup at right guard when the official depth chart gets released this fall.

With the Browns potentially being able to wait on an offensive guard until day three of the draft, they could turn their focus to a variety of other spots on night two. I could see them using their second and third round selections on wide receiver, running back, tight end, defensive tackle or linebacker. Even with the addition of Ifedi, the need for a left tackle is evident and I find it hard to believe that day two would go by without an addition at that spot.

The options are fully open for GM Andrew Berry and the Browns, but the signing of Ifedi right before the draft feels telling as to how the team may be feeling about the top offensive guard prospects this year.