The Kansas City Chiefs have used the past couple of weeks to put their Super Bowl 59 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the rearview mirror.
The NFL Scouting Combine will begin this week, with free agency slated to start in March. The offseason is going to pick up rather quickly, but news is already starting to trickle in during a usually slow part of the league year. A former Chiefs starter (and two-time Super Bowl champ) is set to be released already.
The #Browns are releasing veteran S Juan Thornhill, sources say. The team and Thornhill’s camp spoke in recent days and the decision was made to part ways now, giving Thornhill a few weeks before free agency to find his next home.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) February 24, 2025
Thornhill had one year at $7m left on his deal. pic.twitter.com/CcNQpn5jc2
NFL News: Juan Thornhill Set to Hit Free Agency
According to Mike Garafolo, the Cleveland Browns will release safety Juan Thornhill ahead of free agency. Per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, the Browns are using a post-June-1 designation on Thornhill's release.
The 29-year-old came into the league as a second-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. He spent four seasons with the Chiefs (2019-2022), securing Super Bowls LIV and LVII. During those four seasons, he racked up 234 total tackles, five TFLs, 20 pass breakups, and eight interceptions.
He was a steady force in the backend and landed a three-year, $21 million deal with the Browns in March 2023. Since landing with Cleveland, he failed to play an entire season. Injuries limited the Virginia product to 11 games in each of the 2023 and 2024 campaigns.
In those 22 games, Thornhill finished with 103 total tackles, four pass deflections, and zero interceptions. He didn't have the same success in the Browns that he had in Kansas City. In the 2023 season, Thornhill finished with a 67.3 overall grade (60th among 174 eligible defenders) and a 60.9 coverage grade (97th among 174 eligible defenders).
Those numbers didn't improve much in 2024. He logged a 65.5 overall grade (71st among 170 eligible safeties) and a 64.5 coverage grade (54th among 170).
Things didn't work out well for both sides in Cleveland and they decided it was time to move on. Whether or not Thornhill returns to Kansas City remains to be seen but there could be a need to add a safety with Justin Reid hitting free agency.