@flugel said:

That said, why do you think a team in our situation feel so compelled to part with him and his cap friendly salary as well as why did he remain unemployed with humble/cap friendly willingness to sign with anybody as long as he did?

I wish I knew, Flugs. I think Coleman taking over at RT was a factor. As was a determination to go after Zeitler. The two taken together clearly put Paz on the bench. While he ended up a very cheap sign for the Falcons, no telling what he was asking for from us... or other suitors early. After all.. he was a 16 game starter in 2016... at two positions no less. A Bleacher article at the time said about the same:

Granted, no one is going to confuse Pasztor with Joe Thomas anytime soon. But in a season filled with awful for the Browns in 2016, Pasztor was quietly decent. Although he allowed five sacks in about 950 snaps in his first season as a tackle, Pasztor ranked 35th at the position per the graders at Pro Football Focus.

That's a higher grade than Kelvin Beachum, Riley Reiff and Russell Okung, each of whom received big contracts this year in free agency.

Pasztor might not be a world beater, but he's a capable NFL starter who can play both guard and tackle and is just now entering the prime of his career.

Given that, the fact he remains unsigned is one of free agency's bigger surprises two weeks in.

ATL's cut list includes five... yes, 5... OTs. Paz's name is not among them. Looks like a $775,000, backup bargain to me...

@tour2ma said:

Paz had RT issues early, but showed progress thru the season and was playing well down the stretch.

That might be true Tour. That said, why do you think a team in our situation feel so compelled to part with him and his cap friendly salary as well as why did he remain unemployed with humble/cap friendly willingness to sign with anybody as long as he did?  I'm guessing our FO had other ideas than him at OG (which I felt he performed much better at in 2015 especially when pass pro involved bigger girths and slower get offs across the los).  His height, from a leverage standpoint, always looked like he'd be more efficient at tackle against leaner/taller guys.  That said, he had a tendency to look like each foot weighed 100 lbs when it was time to be quick and agile/lateral outside.

You did a lot of quality work for us researching and summarizing how well our line did after every game so do you think consistency was an issue or was this regime just overlooking the silver linings this guy offered at bargain prices?  If ATL cut him (haven't looked) and Johnson is ready for IR - this wouldn't be a bad signing for us at all at this point in terms of him joining us as a backup (like he was in 2015 until injuries promoted him to fill-in starter).

@tour2ma said:

Paz had RT issues early, but showed progress thru the season and was playing well down the stretch.

Promise, Im not going to go on and on with the Paz thing.....but he's better than the guys we have......shoulda kept him.....the end

@gumby73 said:

Austin Pasztor was picked by Atlanta not long ago. Still on roster at this point. Good run blocker but imo he's a human flag machine in pass pro..many holding calls in pass pro.. but he's no Cam-smella either.. 

Thanks Gumbs!  I agree but we're talking about backup duty for a guy with starting experience here as an OG and OT.  My take is I agree he was a good run blocker; and I think  he was much better in pass pro when he filled in at OG here in 2015 than he was as a RT in 2016. 

It's going to get interesting!!!

https://nflspinzone.com/2017/09/01/cleveland-browns-potential-cut-day-targets/amp/

@lbc-mike said:

Victor Cruz is our there

Haha I really liked Victor Cruz but he looked like shit during preseason. No thanks. 

@mudfly said:

Id expect activity to get WR....CB....OL.....and maybe a LB or 2.....

This. Especially receiver