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Tony Dejak/Associated Press

One of the most important issues a team faces every offseason is deciding which of its own free agents to keep and how to keep them. The Cleveland Browns have 19 players whose contracts are expiring this offseason, according to Spotrac.com, and while none of the names are “elite,” there are plenty of major contributors. So what exactly would it cost the Browns to bring these players back?

Teams that covet their own talent too much can overpay for a guy who could have been replaced at a cheaper price. They must also weigh the effect letting a guy walk can have in a locker room too. Players know which teams pay their guys and who is always looking for the bargain. It is a fine line to walk.

The market is set by contracts the prior year and comparing ages and production. Agents don’t care about what is on the film as much as they care about the numbers they can sell. Front offices will do everything they can to minimize what the numbers mean and bring down the asking price. This is NFL negotiating.

The Browns will be in an interesting spot with some of their free agents, as some had career years and others never materialized into the players they envisioned. Let’s take a look at the top five free agents for the Browns and figure out what it might take for Cleveland to keep them if it so chooses.