Browns beefing up offensive line

The Browns, still unsure what left tackle Joe Thomas has planned for 2018, have reached a three-year agreement with free agent Chris Hubbard of the Steelers.

They aren’t stopping there. The Browns are also signing right offensive tackle Donald Stephenson, who in four years with Kansas City and two with Denver has played in 80 games with 37 starts. Stephenson is signing for one year at $2.5 million, according to NFL Network.

Defensive end Chris Smith played three seasons with the Jaguars before playing 16 games with the Bengals in 2017. He had three sacks and 17 tackles last season. ESPN was first to report he is signing with the Browns.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network was the first to report the Browns are signing Hubbard to a five-year contract. The deal is worth $37.5 million with $18 million guaranteed. He is primarily a right tackle, where he has started 14 of 40 games (10 starts in 2017) but, like many backups, can play anywhere on the offensive line.

Signing Hubbard opens the possibility of moving Shon Coleman from right tackle to left tackle if Thomas retires and the Browns don’t sign Nate Solder, the free agent left tackle from the Patriots.

No players who have agreed to terms can sign new contracts until the league year officially begins at 4 p.m. March 14.

In other Browns-related news, Browns free agent running back Isaiah Crowell will sign a threeyear deal with the Jets, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Trumaine Johnson of the Rams, a corner-