BEREA — President Mike Holmgren and general manager Tom Heckert added experience, versatility and size in their first upgrades to the Browns roster.

Offensive lineman Tony Pashos and linebacker Scott Fujita signed multiyear deals Sunday, the first free agents acquired by the new regime. Free agency started Friday, but Cleveland’s previous moves were restructuring Joshua Cribbs’ contract and trading defensive lineman Corey Williams in a salary dump.

Pashos, who will turn 30 in August, has started 55 games at right tackle in seven years but could switch to right guard. Fujita, who will be 31 in April, has 103 starts in eight seasons and could play inside and outside in the Browns’ flexible 3-4 scheme. Both were unrestricted free agents and began their visits Sunday.

“We are extremely happy that we were able to get Scott and Tony signed so quickly,” Heckert said in a statement. “They are two players we had targeted from the start of free agency. Both are smart, tough and physical — the type of players that the Browns are looking for.”

Fujita is 6-foot-5, 250 pounds, which is excellent size for an inside linebacker and what coach Eric Mangini prefers. The Browns defense played better after David Bowens (6-3, 265) and Jason Trusnik (6-4, 250) moved inside last year.

Fujita was a fifth-round draft choice in 2002 and has played for Kansas City, Dallas and New Orleans.

He spent the last four years with the Saints, starting 54 games, including their Super Bowl win last month.

“Scott possesses tremendous size for a linebacker, and this will allow him to play inside or outside,” Heckert said. “He has been a starter throughout his career, has been exposed to several different defensive schemes and has been successful in all of them. He is a great leader and played a big part in the success that the Saints achieved last year.”

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Fujita’s deal is for three years and $14 million, including $8 million guaranteed.
A broken left shoulder blade limited Pashos (6-6, 325) to five games and one start last year with San Francisco. In the previous three years with Jacksonville and Baltimore, he started 47 games.

“We like the fact that Tony has started a lot of games in this league, and has been a part of some productive offenses with Baltimore and Jacksonville,” Heckert said. “Although he’s started at right tackle, he has the versatility to play inside as well, and he will come in and compete at both tackle and guard with us.”

Pashos, a fifth-round pick of Baltimore in 2003, signed a three-year, $10.3 million contract.

“He wanted to be a part of the rebuilding process,” agent Rick Smith said in an e-mail.

Veteran John St. Clair was the primary starter for the Browns at right tackle last year, but struggled, especially against speed rushers. The running game took off after St. Clair got hurt and Floyd Womack shifted from guard to tackle. Pashos has been a part of productive running attacks with the Ravens and Jaguars.

St. Clair could be released, or he, Womack and Pashos could compete for the two starting spots on the right side. The acquisition of Pashos removes offensive line as an option with the seventh pick in the draft.

Fujita adds to the possibilities at linebacker, as Trusnik and Bowens also have experience inside and outside. Matt Roth and Kamerion Wimbley are expected back outside, but the futures of D’Qwell Jackson and Eric Barton are less certain inside. Jackson was tendered with a second-round pick and could sign elsewhere, while Barton is recovering from neck surgery and is 32 years old.

Fujita has 801 tackles, 19 sacks, five interceptions and nine forced fumbles in his career. He’s started at least eight games in each of his eight seasons. He had 58 tackles, a sack and two forced fumbles in 11 regular-season games in 2009.

He has a master’s degree from Cal, isn’t afraid to express his liberal beliefs and donated half of his $82,000 in playoff earnings to charity, including roughly $20,000 for coastal restoration in Louisiana.

It looks like the Browns will miss out on a couple of other free-agent targets. Quarterback David Carr reportedly has agreed to a deal with San Francisco, and Steelers safety Ryan Clark is visiting Miami with the hope of finalizing a deal.

The Browns continue to work on trades in an attempt to fix their quarterback situation. They also need to add a safety in free agency or the draft.

Contact Scott Petrak at 329-7253 or spetrak@chroniclet.com.

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