The Browns tied up one loose end with their specialists Friday, and it didn't come as much of a surprise.
Spencer Lanning, who thrived from start to finish in 2014, will be back after agreeing on a deal that will keep him in Cleveland for 2015. So, too, will kicker Garrett Hartley, who joined the Browns late in the 2014 after Billy Cundiff's series of misses and an injury led to his release. Two young kickers, Travis Coons and Carey Spear, were added to the roster shortly after the season to pad some depth.
No, this isn't a position group that garners many headlines during this time of year, and the Browns don't appear to have a ton of glaring needs here just a few days before the start of free agency.
Still, if there's an opportunity to elevate competition at any position, the Browns will pounce.
Here's a look at the landscape.
Who's coming back? (2014 stats)
K Garrett Hartley - 3-of-3, long of 43; 2-of-2 XPs
P Spencer Lanning - 93 punts, 44.3 average, 25 inside 20
LS Christian Yount
LS Charley Hughlett
K Travis Coons
K Carey Spear
2014 rankings of note
Field goal percentage - 78.1 - 28th
Net Punting - 39.2 yards per punt - 17th
Opponents' punt return average - 6.7 - 5th
Opponents' kickoff return average - 21.6 - 6th
Opponents' average starting field position - 20.2 - 2nd
Top free agent punters
Brett Kern (Tennessee)
Chris Jones (Dallas)
Marquette King (Oakland)
Jordan Gay (Buffalo)
Mat McBriar (San Diego)
Top free agent kickers
Mike Nugent (Cincinnati)
Ryan Succop (Tennessee)
Justin Tucker (Baltimore)
Kai Forbath (Washington)
Matt Prater (Detroit)
Jay Feely (Chicago)
This article is part of the Road to the Draft series, driven by Liberty Ford.
