BEREA, Ohio — As the Cleveland Browns prepare for the upcoming NFL Draft and free agency period, the team took an important step by tendering six exclusive rights free agents on Wednesday, including their reliable kicker Andre Szmyt. This move ensures the Browns maintain control over these young players as they plan their roster for the next season, reaffirming their commitment to building a competitive squad.
Players Tendered and Szmyt’s Journey Through His Rookie Season
The Browns officially tendered kicker Andre Szmyt, tight end Brenden Bates, wide receivers Malachi Corley and Jamari Thrash, linebacker Winston Reid, and longsnapper Rex Sunahara. Szmyt, who faced early challenges in his NFL debut last season, started the year with missed attempts in Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals, including a missed extra point and a 36-yard field goal in a close loss. However, he quickly rebounded to become a dependable force for the Browns, finishing the season with a 24-for-27 field goal record and 25-for-26 on extra points.
Organizational Confidence in Szmyt Bolstered by Executive Support
Jimmy Haslam, Browns co-owner, highlighted Szmyt as a positive from the previous season and cited his presence as a factor in the organization’s decision to retain general manager Andrew Berry after dismissing head coach Kevin Stefanski. Haslam expressed confidence in Szmyt’s resilience and character, emphasizing the team’s belief in him moving forward.
Andre Szmyt is a great lesson of when you fail, pick yourself up, persevere and good things will happen. And the signing of Andre and bringing him on, holding with him that first week when everybody was saying, ‘You need to cut him, you need a new kicker.’ I think we’ve hopefully solved our place-kicking woes for a long time. Quality person, the team believes in him and we’re glad to have him,
Haslam said.
Longsnapper Rex Sunahara Looks Forward to Another Stint with His Hometown Team
Among those tendered, Rex Sunahara, a native of Bay Village, Ohio, expressed enthusiasm for continuing his career with the Browns. Having played locally, Sunahara reflected on the significance of this opportunity and his connection to the organization as the offseason progresses.
I have the best job in the world. It’s the best job I’ve ever had…I can’t thank this team enough….I can’t thank all of them enough for the opportunity and just to be a part of this is something so special,
Sunahara told News 5 following the 2025 season finale.
Additional Tendered Players and Their Contributions
Tight end Brenden Bates appeared in six games last season, starting in half of them, while linebacker Winston Reid missed the previous year due to a back injury but has appeared in 16 games with three starts during his Browns tenure. The receiving corps talents Malachi Corley and Jamari Thrash were also tendered to remain with the team in 2026.
Corley contributed in 13 games last season, starting five times, accumulating 11 receptions for 79 yards and adding 127 yards on 13 rushing attempts. Special teams coordinator Byron Storer indicated that Corley’s versatility could be a valuable asset in the return game this season, alongside other return specialists.
So, depending on who we have available to us on game day, I’m going to play to our strengths in that way. So without getting the logistics of who’s going to be back there, but if we have a guy that … The two guys that we have now back there, Malachi Corley and Dylan Sampson, and I feel pretty good about those guys. We’re going to get vertical and then we have Gage Larvadain, who’s our punt returner, or was last year. He’s got a full year of experience now, so I expect him to get better,
Storer said.
Jamari Thrash saw action in nine games last year and recorded 10 receptions totaling 107 yards.
Understanding Exclusive Rights Free Agent Tendering in the NFL
The Browns’ tendered players are classified as exclusive rights free agents (ERFAs), which applies to players with less than three accrued NFL seasons whose contracts have expired. By issuing a one-year contract at the league minimum, the Browns prevent these players from negotiating with other teams, thereby retaining their rights and controlling roster decisions during the offseason.
Implications for Browns’ Roster Stability and Future Strategy
By tendering these six players, including Andre Szmyt, the Browns are reinforcing the foundation of their roster as they head into a critical offseason phase. The decision to keep Szmyt reflects the team’s confidence in his ability to provide stability in the kicking game after early setbacks, while retaining young contributors like Corley and Thrash signals an intent to develop homegrown talent. Longsnapper Sunahara’s return also maintains continuity on special teams. These moves suggest the Browns aim to balance experience, potential, and local ties as they seek to improve their standing in the upcoming NFL season.
