Browns Could've Easily Re-Signed Joe Schobert After Learning of His Contract Details With Jaguars

After releasing Christian Kirksey last week, the Cleveland Browns saved $7.5 million in cap space, bringing their total number for 2020 to roughly $68.5 million. This makes their decision to allow linebacker Joe Schobert to walk in free agency baffling, to say the least.

Schobert signed a five-year, $53.75 million deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Tuesday for an average annual value of $10.75 million per year and $22.5 million in guarantees. You're telling us the Browns couldn't have afforded that to keep their stud 26-year-old linebacker who missed just three games over the last four years?

Former #Browns LB Joe Schobert is headed to the #Jaguars on a 5-year, $53.75M deal, source said. He gets an average of $10.75M per year. $12M to sign and $22.5M guaranteed. A new face on that Jax defense.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 17, 2020

Schobert played four years for the Browns totaled 6 interceptions, 8.5 sacks, 408 tackles, 15 tackles for a loss, and 7 forced fumbles.

He will help a lot in Jacksonville, as his experience up the middle will allow Myles Jack to play his more natural outside linebacker position.

Joe Schobert was MLB in @Browns 4-3 defense. Finally, Myles Jack moves back where he belongs.
— Eugene Frenette (@GeneFrenette) March 17, 2020

The Browns had the money to retain Schobert, he obviously proved to be a capable middle linebacker, and they need some help on defense, so why didn't they pull the trigger here?

Maybe the Browns have other plans with their abundance of cap space, but they could find out soon enough that not bringing back Schobert was a mistake.