Cleveland Browns

Browns special teams ranked near the bottom of the league

Fri Jan 21 2022 16:37:46 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Cleveland Browns had a variety of issues in 2021 leading to the team missing the playoffs despite a muddled AFC. While much of the blame can be placed on injuries, COVID-19 issues, QB Baker Mayfield’s injury and play and some coaching decisions, the failure on special teams was a big problem as well.

According to a report, the team’s assistant special teams coach is already gone from the team which could be the start of changes on the unit.

Chase McLaughlin struggled to make kicks, Jamie Gillan struggled to get distance on punts and downing them inside the 20 and the return game was close to non-existent. While those struggles may not have cost the team as many games as the others noted, they were impactful quite often.

While other positions will need to be addressed with high draft picks or significant contract offers in free agency, special teams will also need to be addressed this offseason.

Rick Gosselin ranked the team’s special teams as the third-worst in the league. Gosselin has focused on special teams for years. In 2021, he has Cleveland’s field goal unit as the worst in the league. This includes their own ability to kick field goals as well as their ability to impact opposing kicks.

GM Andrew Berry would not eliminate drafting a kicker this offseason. Given their place compared to the rest of the league, it should not be ruled out. A punter and designated kick returner could also be targeted either in free agency, the NFL draft or in an undrafted player signing.

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Vikings announce interview with Browns exec Glenn Cook completed

Fri Jan 21 2022 16:19:04 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Cleveland Browns have a couple of front office executives that are in high demand for interviews this offseason. With the success of GM Andrew Berry, teams are interested in replicating what has gone well in Cleveland over the last two seasons.

Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Glenn Cook have had multiple interviews over the last two weeks. Adofo-Mensah interviewed with Carolina last season and was seen as a sleeper candidate for jobs this year. Cook’s name had not been mentioned in many circles but has drawn the interest of the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings, along with Adofo-Mensah.

Cook was promoted to VP of Player Personnel when Berry took over in 2020. Previously, Cook was Assistant Director of Pro Scouting with the team. He has been with Cleveland since 2016.

The Vikings announced that they have completed their interview with Cook on Thursday:

We have completed an interview with Browns Vice President of Player Personnel Glenn Cook for our open General Manager position.

: https://t.co/bakWYi0E93 pic.twitter.com/teLhZixoo2

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) January 20, 2022

In their write-up, the Vikings highlighted Cook’s four years as a linebacker with the Miami Hurricanes and being drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 2009.

With this being his first chance to interview for the top front-office position, Cook may be a long shot to take over a team in 2021 but would likely be a more likely candidate in 2022.

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Cleveland Browns: Things I've Thought As Offseason Decisions Loom

Fri Jan 21 2022 11:38:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Who to keep, who to let walk, and a brilliant proposal for The Shrine Game, all in this week's Journey Without A Destination from @BrownsMockDraft.

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Cleveland Browns News and Rumors 1/21: Ordinary Teams, Sackings, and Continuity

Fri Jan 21 2022 11:33:17 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Good morning Cleveland Browns fans! The most agonizing problem you can have when you lead people is when someone isn’t living up to expectations or, worse, is simply

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Houston-born Keke is homebound after being claimed off waivers by Texans

Fri Jan 21 2022 00:16:50 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The situation between Kingsley Keke and the Green Bay Packers -- or whatever you'd refer to it as -- came to a head on Wednesday when he was waived. It didn't take long for

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Report: A Browns special teams coach no longer on staff

Thu Jan 20 2022 23:39:09 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Cleveland Browns have a lot of big decisions to make this offseason. Between free agency, trades and the NFL draft, the roster could look quite different in 2022.

There are some who are hopeful that there will be some changes related to coaching as well. The possibility exists that Kevin Stefanski will hand over play-calling duties to Alex Van Pelt. Both defensive line coaches have already moved on with Chris Kiffin joining his brother and Jeremy Garrett headed to Liberty University.

Change on special teams is reportedly in the air but, at this point, not the big change that fans have been calling for. According to Field Yates, Cleveland’s assistant special teams coach is no longer on staff:

A change amongst the Browns’ assistant coaching staff, as assistant special teams coach Doug Colman is no longer on the staff. He had just finished his third season in Cleveland.

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) January 20, 2022

The report has not been verified by the team and Colman is still listed on the team’s coaches page alongside Mike Priefer as the special teams coordinator.

The Browns special teams play struggled in 2021 with poor kicking in both phases, regular penalties and minimal explosive plays out of the return game. It is possible, like what happened with the defensive line coaches, that the assistant is first out the door with Priefer to follow but there has been no inclination of such.

We will keep you up to date on Colman’s official future and all Browns news, here on Browns Wire.

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Vikings complete interview with Glenn Cook for G.M.

Thu Jan 20 2022 20:33:41 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Vikings have completed another meeting for their G.M. vacancy. Minnesota announced the team interviewed Browns vice president of player personnel Glenn Cook on Thursday. Cook has worked for the Browns since 2016 first as the team’s assistant director of pro scouting. He was promoted to his current position in 2020. He also spent time [more]

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Malik McDowell's mentor says Cleveland Browns defensive lineman remembers nothing from arrest

Thu Jan 20 2022 19:59:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

...

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Which Browns Players On Offense Are Worth Keeping In 2022?

Thu Jan 20 2022 19:48:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Checking out the roster quality of the Browns looking forward to 2022.

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Browns bring back RB John Kelly on reserve/futures deal

Thu Jan 20 2022 16:02:40 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Cleveland Browns continue bringing back some of their key practice squad players from the 2021 season on reserve/futures deals.

Over the last couple of weeks, the team has brought back a number of players including eight at once including Alex Taylor and Curtis Weaver. Three more were added a few days later before Herb Miller was also signed to a reserve/futures deal.

This week, the team announced that they had signed RB John Kelly as well. Kelly played in four games for the Browns in 2021 before injuring his ankle late in the season. Kelly’s contract with the team had expired last week.

The reserve/future deals are allowed for teams eliminated from post-season to start preparing their offseason roster. Only players who were on a practice squad or free agents at the end of the year are eligible for this kind of contract at this time.

Kelly will join the rest of the reserve/futures deals for offseason activities and training camp in 2022 with Cleveland. He can also rehab his ankle with the team if needed or desired now that he signed his contract.

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Top CFL players the Browns should check out

Thu Jan 20 2022 15:49:08 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Canadian Football League season ended on December 12th when the Winnipeg Blue Bombers won in overtime against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and as is tradition every season there is always a few CFL studs that will get a shot in the NFL.

It is not unheard of for former players that shined north of the border earning starting gigs in the NFL. Everyone knows the obvious stars like Warren Moon, Doug Flutie and Joe Theismann and that may not be an option, but it is completely within reason that the Cleveland Browns can snag a guy like Delvin Breaux, Jon Ryan or Alex Singleton. The following are five CFL players that can play in the NFL.

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Browns hire of Kevin Stefanski ranked in top 10 hires of last five years

Thu Jan 20 2022 15:32:52 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The first two years under GM Andrew Berry and HC Kevin Stefanski have been a bit of a roller coaster for the Cleveland Browns. With Stefanski hired first and Berry coming along shortly after, the Browns brass were focused on creating “alignment” among their organization.

Berry kicked off the 2020 offseason quickly with the signings of Jack Conklin and Austin Hooper while showing similar aggressiveness in free agency in 2021. His drafts have also produced some high-quality players while leaving some room for growth in his selections in the middle rounds.

Stefanski’s even-keeled approach and offensive system guided Cleveland to the playoffs in their first season but struggled in his sophomore season. Presnap penalties, after whistle blunders and discord among the players, specifically surrounding Odell Beckham Jr. and Baker Mayfield, left some questioning the leadership of the coaching staff.

ESPN’s Bill Barnwell surveyed the head coaching hires over the last five years (subscriber, $) and still gave a lot of credit to Stefanski, ranking him eighth during that timeframe:

… Cleveland has looked like a consistently competent football team for much of the past two seasons, just two years after going 0-16 under Hue Jackson.

Browns fans were understandably thrilled with the 2020 Coach of the Year after Stefanski led them back to the postseason, but what happens next will determine whether he goes down the same path as 2017 winner Sean McVay or follows in the footsteps of the guy who won that award the following year, Matt Nagy.

The last point becomes the biggest point for the Browns in 2022. Many coaches have looked good for a year or two but sustained success can be much more difficult in the NFL. Perhaps Stefanski finds the middle ground between McVay and Nagy next year. Perhaps he falls down the Nagy hole that led to his firing just years after winning Coach of the Year.

Two years in, Cleveland made a good choice with Stefanski. What will that decision look like after three? Can the Browns finally have a head coach for five to ten years?

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Kansas State in the NFL: Wild Card

Thu Jan 20 2022 13:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

How former Kansas State football players are performing throughout the 2021 NFL season.

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Malik McDowell “doesn’t remember anything” of altercation, mentor says

Thu Jan 20 2022 03:51:36 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Cleveland Browns defensive tackle Malik McDowell was arrested earlier this week after being naked in public outside of a preschool in Florida and then attacking police officers that attempted to intervene. Via Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, McDowell’s mentor and high school football coach, Reggie Wynns, says McDowell told him he remembers [more]

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Browns mock draft watch: SB Nation gives Cleveland D-Line help

Wed Jan 19 2022 23:06:23 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

It is officially the start of NFL draft season and we now know that the Cleveland Browns are selecting 13th overall and this is high enough to land what should be a future star. The Browns are not bad, they are only one year removed from the playoffs, but it is pretty clear that they are not good enough and need a few effective pieces to complete the puzzle.

We have been doing a solid job in keeping you up to date with all the recent highly publicized mock drafts and the common theme for Cleveland in the first round is a wide receiver, but our friends at SB Nation went a different route.

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Browns statement on Mayfield surgery includes recovery plan

Wed Jan 19 2022 22:45:22 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Cleveland Browns are hoping QB Baker Mayfield “bounces back” in 2022. The hope for that bounce back started on Wednesday with Mayfield’s shoulder surgery to repair. the torn labrum that was initially hurt in Week 2 and reinjured later in the season.

Mayfield was excited to get that step completed and then shared a video updating fans after the surgery.

The team released a statement following the surgery confirming a report from months ago about the quarterback’s recovery time:

pic.twitter.com/eABtoOSygV

— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) January 19, 2022

As noted in the statement, Mayfield will be able to do some light throwing in April, before the NFL draft late that month. With the torque caused by throwing a football and the time available before the team needs the quarterback healthy, expect caution to be the approach.

Last year’s training camp opened in late July and finished almost a month later. By July 19th, Mayfield will have had the full six-month recovery time allotted in the period noted by the team in their release.

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Baker Mayfield: Surgery on left shoulder was a “complete success”

Wed Jan 19 2022 22:29:58 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

After he dealt with a torn labrum in his left shoulder for most of the season, Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield has officially had it repaired. Both Mayfield and the Browns released statements on Mayfield’s surgery. Mayfield put up a video on social media calling the procedure a “complete success.” “Had a great medical team that [more]

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Video: Baker Mayfield checks in after shoulder surgery

Wed Jan 19 2022 21:54:52 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Cleveland Browns QB Baker Mayfield went into Wednesday’s shoulder surgery “excited” to get it completed. The surgery had been planned for a little while to address the shoulder that was injured in Week 2 and reinjured a few weeks later.

Mayfield’s recovery is expected to take a few months, possibly through free agency and the NFL draft. GM Andrew Berry has stated that the team expects Mayfield to have a bounce-back year in 2022. This followed a report from the NFL Network that the team and player had a positive meeting with the QB set to return as the starter next year.

Following his surgery on Wednesday, Mayfield posted a video to Instagram to update fans, noted the difficulty of the year once again and thanked his fans:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Baker Mayfield (@bakermayfield)

As Berry noted, the team is also hoping Mayfield can “get back to my true self.”

We will continue to share Mayfield’s recovery as he promised to continue updating everyone over time.

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Browns Baker Mayfield called the surgery to repair his torn labrum "successful" and a "minor bump in the road"

Wed Jan 19 2022 21:53:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Browns quarterback will now start the process of rehabbing his surgery-repaired shoulder.

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Baker Mayfield undergoing shoulder surgery today

Wed Jan 19 2022 19:49:42 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield is undergoing surgery today to repair his injured left shoulder. Anaheim Ducks orthopedic surgeon Orr Limpisvasti is repairing Mayfield’s torn labrum in Los Angeles. Mayfield initially injured his shoulder in Week 2 and further injured it in Week 6. The Browns placed Mayfield on injured reserve before the team’s season finale [more]

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Baker Mayfield 'excited' to get surgery done Wednesday

Wed Jan 19 2022 18:34:34 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The QB shared his thoughts in advance of the surgery on Wednesday:

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Cleveland Browns Daily Newswire 1/19: Incident in Florida, Baker's Surgery, and Delightful Sarcasm

Wed Jan 19 2022 10:44:32 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Bad things happening in Florida, needed surgery for Baker Mayfield, and our painfully self-aware webdork makes a funny.

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Anonymous exec believes Baker Mayfield will be traded by Browns

Wed Jan 19 2022 00:00:52 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Cleveland Browns have made it clear, first through a report that NFL Network filed and then from GM Andrew Berry himself, that they expect QB Baker Mayfield back next year as their starter. All the right messaging is coming out of Berea to lead everyone to believe the team is set at quarterback for 2022.

It also could be a lot of subterfuge to keep Mayfield’s trade value as high as possible and make sure teams know the Browns are not desperate for a new quarterback. (The Browns could feel like they are desperate for a new quarterback.)

In a subscriber piece on ESPN, Jeremy Fowler sought information from anonymous executives around the NFL about a variety of topics. The final one was related to Cleveland and Mayfield with this quote:

“But at the end of the day, it’s not a great fit. He’d be best in a shotgun, up-tempo offense like they have in Arizona,” an NFC exec said. “The Browns will get rid of the only good quarterback they’ve had in years and fall into the same traps of the past.”

Fowler went on to ponder if the Browns could get involved with Seattle on a Russell Wilson trade or if the Seahawks would have interest in Mayfield as Wilson’s replacement if he was moved somewhere else.

The idea that Mayfield is not a great fit in Kevin Stefanski’s offense is not new. He won the Heisman in a shotgun-oriented offense that allowed him to play a point guard role. Stefanski’s offense is a precision and timing offense with the quarterback going through designed reads.

Both offenses can be successful in the NFL but Mayfield may not fit Stefanski’s offense as well as another quarterback. Mayfield also may be looking for a different system to play in before becoming a free agent after 2022.

Cleveland is saying all the right things right now related to their quarterback plans in 2022 but not everyone is buying it. Time will tell what the truth really is.

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Browns Malik McDowell arrested in Florida for charges, including aggravated battery on an officer

Tue Jan 18 2022 17:13:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Browns first-year defensive tackle has off the field incident that could once again, jeopardize his NFL career.

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Browns DT Malik McDowell arrested in Florida for public exposure, physical altercation with police

Tue Jan 18 2022 16:22:12 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Cleveland Browns DT Malik McDowell is back in the news for off-the-field issues. Monday, the Cleveland starter was arrested on three charges stemming from an incident in Florida including aggravated battery of an officer and public exposure.

McDowell’s checkered past, as well as physical health issues, had kept him from playing an NFL game before 2021 despite being a second-round pick in 2017. He had legal issues in the past that also included a physical altercation with law enforcement. Video of that altercation is included in the linked piece.

The Browns gave McDowell a chance this offseason in a surprise move. He rewarded the team with good play and was named a starter.

According to the Sun-Sentinel, Monday’s arrest included McDowell with a “violent attack” as described by the officer:

The deputy said McDowell “charged at me … at full speed with closed fist,” leaving the deputy injured, the report said.

The Broward Sheriff’s Office arrested McDowell in Deerfield Beach on Monday on charges of exposing himself in public, resisting arrest with violence and battery on a law enforcement officer.

According to their report, law enforcement received a call of a naked man near a learning center for children that was in session. Responding to that call led to the incident. The official inmate record notes bond amount of $25,000 for the battery charge.

The Browns released the following statement on McDowell’s arrest:

#Browns statement regarding the arrest of DT Malik McDowell: pic.twitter.com/oeFLhG9pAr

— Camryn Justice (@camijustice) January 18, 2022

We will update the situation as information becomes available.

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Former Browns teammates celebrate OBJ's play Monday night

Tue Jan 18 2022 14:06:06 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Cleveland Browns are sitting on the sidelines of the 2021 postseason after making a run in 2021. Last year looked like a stepping stone to even greater things with continuity, the return of Odell Beckham Jr. to the offense and a ton of additions on defense.

Instead, the season fell apart leaving Jarvis Landry wishing he was playing in the playoffs. Whoever you choose to blame (poll here for you to weigh in), the Browns had a poor season.

Cleveland has already said that they expect a “bounce back” year from QB Baker Mayfield. That leaves free agency, trades and the NFL draft to help right the ship. The team rolled over $10 million in cap space Monday and has a variety of ways to add even more space, if they choose.

Unfortunately, the team (and their fanbase) also has to watch Beckham thrive in the playoffs. On Monday Night Football, the first of “super wild card weekend,” Beckham made a number of big plays including a touchdown reception and throwing a pass for 40 yards.

OBJ ended the game with four receptions for 54 yards to go along with that 40-yard pass. His former Browns teammates noticed and showed it on social media:

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Cleveland Browns Newswire 1/18: Yinzers Freak Out, Kwesi Interviews and More Autopsies

Tue Jan 18 2022 13:53:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Good morning Cleveland Browns fans! Sorry if the wire is a little late today, there was total panic here at OBR World Headquarters as the Chief Social and Food Planning

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Bears interviewing 2 former Browns execs for their GM vacancy

Tue Jan 18 2022 12:42:48 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A pair of former Cleveland Browns front office executives are in the running for the vacant GM position with the Chicago Bears. Both Morocco Brown and Eliot Wolf are slated to interview with the Bears to replace recently fired GM Ryan Pace.

Brown was the vice president of player personnel in Cleveland in 2014-2015 under GM Ray Farmer. He’s been with the Indianapolis Colts since, ascending to the role of director of college scouting.

Wolf was the Browns’ assistant GM under John Dorsey in the 2018-2019 seasons. After leaving Cleveland, Wolf joined the New England Patriots as their scouting director. He interviewed for GM positions last offseason but stuck with the Patriots.

If the Bears hire either Brown or Wolf, it would spread the Cleveland legacy in the NFC North. Dorsey is a senior personnel executive for the Detroit Lions, while current Browns VP or football operations Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is a strong candidate to earn the Minnesota Vikings GM position.

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Vikings interview Browns exec Kwesi Adofo-Mensah for their GM vacancy

Tue Jan 18 2022 05:06:47 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Minnesota Vikings announced on Monday they have completed an interview with Cleveland Browns vice president of football operations Kwesi Adofo-Mensah for the team’s vacancy at general manager.

It’s the first interview this offseason for Adofo-Mensah, who has been a fixture on the “names to know” watchlists for NFL GMs for over a year. He’s been with the Browns for the last two seasons in his current role.

Prior to his time in Cleveland under GM Andrew Berry, Adofo-Mensah was the director of football research for the San Francisco 49ers for several years. He’s considered one of the top young analytical minds in the league.

The Vikings have interviewed several candidates in their quest to find Rick Spielman’s successor at GM. If they do hire Adofo-Mensah, who is Black, the Browns would be in line to receive two third-round compensatory picks.

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3 Browns moves could save team $30 million in cap space in 2022

Mon Jan 17 2022 23:11:44 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Earlier, we noted that the Cleveland Browns rolled over $10 million in salary-cap space from 2021 to 2022. That rollover boosted the team’s available cap space to $37 million but gave them only the 13th most cap space going into the 2022 season. The Miami Dolphins are currently set to lead the lead in space with a whopping $73 million.

The Browns have work to do on their roster for next year. They have stated they expect Baker Mayfield to have a bounce-back year but will need talent around him to do it. Given the struggles in 2021, it is possible that the team also shakes up the roster some.

There are three moves Cleveland could make to quickly add about $30 million in cap space. All three of the moves would come on the offensive side of the ball but Andrew Berry and company still could decide to make.

The biggest move, both in terms of cap space and name value, is cutting WR Jarvis Landry. Landry has one year left on his contract and is coming off the worst performance, and health, of his career. While the Browns need help at receiver, it is possible that Landry and the team decide it is best for them to part ways.

Releasing Landry frees up $15.1 million in cap space while only counting $1.5 million in dead cap.

Continuing on with older veterans with some health issues, OL J.C. Tretter could also be cut by the team. Nick Harris looked good in his place late in the season and Tretter’s departure would save the team over $8 million in cap space while only counting $1.625 million against the cap. Tretter has been an important leader for the offensive line but his knee has limited him for a few seasons.

Tretter’s role as NFLPA president has also placed extra attention on his role as a player in Cleveland.

Finally, the third release is backup QB Case Keenum. While many are calling for more competition for Mayfield, not less, the team played their injured quarterback over their backup most of the year. They showed how they feel about Keenum and can save $6.5 million in releasing him while only counting $1.33 against the salary cap.

Combined, those three moves would save the team $29.85 million in salary-cap space. That would jump their available space up to $67 million and slot them at third in the league, based on current expectations from Over the Cap.

TE Austin Hooper could be released post-June 1st to save the team $9.5 million but cost them $3.75 million in dead cap space.

OL Jack Conklin is another name that could save the team cap space in the last year of his deal but his dead cap hit is higher than the team’s savings ($9 million to $6 million). The only other player whose departure could save Cleveland significant cap space is RB Kareem Hunt, $6.25 million, but that seems highly unlikely.

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As expected, Browns rollover significant cap space into 2022

Mon Jan 17 2022 22:45:01 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Cleveland Browns have a lot of work to do in the 2022 offseason to return to the playoffs after missing in 2021. Jarvis Landry wants to get back to the postseason, his contract might make that less likely, while Jadeveon Clowney enjoyed his time in Cleveland but is going to let money decide his next destination.

With the NFL salary cap set to rise to $208.2 million, plenty of teams will have money to spend in free agency. The Browns have Denzel Ward and Baker Mayfield entering the final years of their rookie deals along with a few defenders set to become free agents this season.

Monday came word that the team, as expected, rolled over the remaining salary cap space from 2021 into 2022:

NFL teams recently declared unused 2021 cap space rollover amounts (below).

After the playoffs, the NFL will audit incentives, bonuses, etc by team. That figure will be added/subtracted to the number below.

The sum + the 2022 Salary Cap = each team's 2022 adjusted cap number. pic.twitter.com/BMThnJyLpa

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) January 17, 2022

As Yates notes, that means Cleveland’s total salary cap is just under $219 million for the 2022 season. According to Over The Cap, the Browns are set to have just over $37 million in salary-cap space, based on the $219 million total cap for the team, going into 2022.

While that seems like a lot of space, Cleveland is currently set to have the 13th most going into 2022 with Miami leading the way with a whopping $73 million.

If the Browns don’t find free agents worth spending significant money on this offseason, the team could use that money to extend Ward with upfront cash or, like they just did, roll it over for future use.

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Cleveland Browns: The Offseason Coverage Continues, With A Look At Free Agent WRs & iDL On The OBR Twitch

Mon Jan 17 2022 22:30:36 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The OBR offseason coverage kicks in with a first look at a few positions of interest in Free Agency for the Cleveland Browns.

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8 Browns practice squad players become free agents Monday

Mon Jan 17 2022 22:27:50 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The 2022 NFL offseason gets started quickly for some teams and some of their practice squad players. As we’ve covered, the team has added kept a number of players on future/reserve deals in the last couple of weeks.

A week ago, the team signed eight players to such deals including Alex Taylor, Johnny Stanton and Curtis Weaver. They followed that up with three others including Chris Blewitt the next day. Finally, Herb Miller was signed to his reserve/future deal.

Monday players from teams’ practice squads that had not signed a deal with their team had their contracts expire. For Cleveland, eight players became free agents:

DB Brian Allen
DB Adrian Colbert
DE Joe Jackson
RB John Kelly
RB Benny LeMay
DB Jovante Moffatt
RB Artavis Pierce
DB Tedric Thompson

Those eight are now able to sign future/reserve deals with any team in the league. Jackson and Moffatt played important snaps for the Browns down the stretch and could be looking for more than a future/reserve deal this offseason.

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Top 5 Plays of the Browns 2021 Season

Mon Jan 17 2022 22:01:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

There's no denying that the 2021 Cleveland Browns season was disappointing. However, despite the disappointment, there were still multiple instances of brilliant team and

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Site News: Garage Beers Joins OBR Twitch and Podcast Channels!

Mon Jan 17 2022 18:46:55 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Garage Beers team is joining the OBR for weekly shows on Twitch and Blue Wire podcasts.

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Looking back at what went wrong with the Browns season, while looking ahead at what needs done this offseason

Mon Jan 17 2022 13:40:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Browns had a disappointing season, but with a few key moves, could be right back in the playoffs in 2022.

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Cleveland Browns Newswire 1/17: Joe Jests, Autopsies Performed, and a Warrior Remembered

Mon Jan 17 2022 12:48:17 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The media is looking back on the 2021 season as a shining star of the "Save Our Browns" movement is remembered.

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NFL free agency unlikely to solve Browns WR problem

Mon Jan 17 2022 10:57:37 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Cleveland Browns have a need at wide receiver, that much is clear. While we wrote about the first two games of the playoffs, the wild card weekend truly showed the need for an explosive offense that was lacking in Cleveland.

The success of the 2020 Browns without much speed or explosion on the outside was a rarity in the NFL these days. Even a team like the Tennesse Titans, who are built similar to Cleveland, have A.J. Brown and Julio Jones on the outside.

At this moment, the Browns have a developing Donovan Peoples-Jones, speedy but inconsistent Anthony Schwartz and free-agent-to-be David Njoku as their most explosive players. Jarvis Landry bemoaned not playing on wild card weekend but could be on his way out of town based on the cap hit on the last year of his contract.

Unfortunately for Cleveland, NFL free agency seems unlikely to solve their problem at wide receiver. A quick look at the top receivers that could become free agents shows some talent:

Davante Adams
Chris Godwin
Allen Robinson
Michael Gallup
Will Fuller
JuJu Smith-Schuster

Adams seems unlikely to make it out of Green Bay, Godwin and Gallup both tore their ACLs late in the season, Robinson just had the worst season of his career, Fuller is hit or miss and Smith-Schuster is more name than explosive game at this point.

While there may be limitations to each player, the Browns would be thankful to acquire any of them at a reasonable price.

Price is the first obstacle. While Cleveland is expected to have a good amount of cap space, they have a variety of needs to fill this offseason. With Jadeveon Clowney either signing for big money or going elsewhere, a defensive end addition may be necessary in free agency. Interior defensive line and more defensive backs may also be high on their list.

The bigger obstacle is the performance of the team’s offense in 2021 and the history of Kevin Stefanski’s offense. Baker Mayfield and company were less than stellar last year. The Browns have made it clear that they expect Mayfield to “bounce back” but will a free agent trust that to happen if they have similar or better options elsewhere?

Stefanski’s scheme also puts a lot of emphasis on getting the ball to tight ends and spreading the ball around. If a receiver is looking to build his resume, Stefanski’s system is not set up to prioritize one player in that way. Frustrations from Stephon Diggs in Minnesota and Odell Beckham Jr. in Cleveland are two examples of receivers who wanted to be showcased more.

For the Browns to find answers at receiver, trades and the NFL draft are the more likely route in 2022. It may be hard for Andrew Berry to move draft assets for a receiver but the team needs a reliable, explosive player outside to meet their goals next year. A big-time free agent addition seems unlikely. Perhaps double-dipping with a trade and an early draft pick at the position will do the trick.

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BrownsWire Podcast 2.0: What to expect and the 3 QB tiers in the NFL

Mon Jan 17 2022 10:36:34 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Browns Wire Podcast is back!

Josh Keatley and Donovan James did a great job with the podcast, taking over from previous host Mac Robinson. For both Josh and Donovan, time limitations precluded continuing the pod, understandably.

As the managing editor of the site, I will attempt to live up to their strong presentations while taking over the podcast, calling it the 2.0 version of the pod.

In the first episode, I share what to expect from the podcast on a week-to-week basis including length and content before going into the subject of the show. For the primary subject, I took a look at the three tiers of quarterbacking in the NFL, where Baker Mayfield has played and how it could impact the decision-making for the Cleveland Browns.

Give it a listen, like, subscribe, rate, comment, etc:

Listen to “BrownsWire Podcast 2.0: What to expect and 3 Tiers of QB Discussion” on Spreaker.

Continue the discussion in our comments below or on Twitter.

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Poll: What/Who most responsible for Browns failure to make the playoffs?

Sun Jan 16 2022 21:47:37 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Blame is an interesting thing in professional sports. Unlike individual sports like golf, singles tennis and many Olympic sports, team sports have multiple variables that are outside of a single person’s control. For example, a quarterback is often blamed for an interception even if the pass-catcher ran his route wrong. (Quarterback often tends to get too much credit for winning as well.)

That doesn’t mean responsibility cannot be assigned and, for the Cleveland Browns, it is important to do in the offseason. Based on all the information available, the three biggest names on the team (Andrew Berry, Kevin Stefanski and Baker Mayfield) will return for 2022.

Looking back at 2021, what/who is most responsible for the team’s failure to make the playoffs? We list the three guys noted above as well as noting that injuries and COVID-19 limitations also impacted the team greatly. All four have some responsibility but we want to know who you think is most responsible:

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Saturday's playoff results point to Browns need for offense

Sun Jan 16 2022 13:19:06 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Cleveland Browns did not make the NFL playoffs in 2021 after doing so in 2020. Last year, the Browns beat the Pittsburgh Steelers and gave the Kansas City Chiefs, without Patrick Mahomes for most of the game, a run for their money in the second round.

This year, Jarvis Landry is bemoaning not making the playoffs and Cleveland is busy figuring out how to build around a “bounce back” Baker Mayfield.

The Browns defense was very good in 2021 but may need to replace Jadeveon Clowney, who is focused on getting paid, as well as a few other free agents. The early success of their first two picks in the 2021 NFL draft will also help.

Saturday’s playoff results, with the Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills moving on to the second round, point to Cleveland’s need for more offense. While defense can never be ignored, the team’s offense has greatly struggled. Saturday is a great example of what the Browns need.

The Bengals rushed out to a 20-6 lead before attempting to salt away the game while the Bills demolished New England 47-17. While Cincinnati only scored 26 points, that is more points than Cleveland scored in their final eight games of the season.

Only five times in 2021 did the Browns score 26 points or more points.

Despite a great running game and great offensive line, Mayfield and company were not able to put up big numbers much of the season. With the team planning to build around Mayfield, Saturday’s results show how important investing in skill positions will be for Cleveland this offseason.

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Cleveland Browns Newswire 1/16: Comparative Despair, Tax Forms, and DangerRussness

Sun Jan 16 2022 12:54:07 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The newswire is nothing if not honest with our readers, and I admit very little Browns content is out there today. Here's what we could find...

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For Jadeveon Clowney, money is the deciding factor, can the Browns meet his price?

Sun Jan 16 2022 00:17:13 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Cleveland Browns added a lot to their defense in the 2021 offseason but some of those deals were of the one-year variety. The biggest addition, by name, was defensive end Jadeveon Clowney. While John Johnson III signed a long-term deal and was considered the team’s big acquisition, it was Clowney that grabbed headlines.

The former top pick was able to play in 14 games after missing half of the previous season. His nine sacks were tied for the second-best of his career, right behind the 9.5 he had in 2017.

Clowney’s presence and production helped Myles Garrett on the other side. The two huge defensive ends were able to push the pocket, disrupt the quarterback and the run game at the same time.

As one of the players signed to a one-year deal, Clowney is scheduled to be a free agent at the end of the season. Meeting with the media to wrap up the year, Clowney made it clear what would decide where he signed for 2022:

Clowney said the bottom line to where he plays next season is money. However, he’s enjoyed playing in Cleveland and with Garrett. #Browns pic.twitter.com/QqLBVn2Lg5

— Tom Withers (@twithersAP) January 9, 2022

While he enjoyed playing with Garrett, Clowney made it clear that a discount to stay was unlikely. He will be 29 years old next season looking for a big deal despite only playing a full season once in his career.

Taking a look at the defensive end market from free agency last year, there are a couple of comparable players. Carl Lawson and Trey Hendrickson signed deals averaging $15 million a year. Arik Armstead signed a contract a year previous to those two players averaging $17 million a year.

All three of those players were younger than Clowney when they signed their deals. Robert Quinn was slightly older than the Browns defender when he signed his five-year, $70 million deal with Chicago in 2020.

With Garrett the third highest-paid defensive end in the NFL, Cleveland would have to commit an average of about $40 million a year in just their two edge rusher to keep Clowney at a similar rate to those noted above. With Denzel Ward entering his final contract year, along with Baker Mayfield, the team may not be able to push that much money into one position.

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Greg Newsome II, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah land on PFF's All-Rookie team

Sat Jan 15 2022 23:59:07 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Cleveland Browns have spent the last few seasons adding a multitude of young talent to the roster through the NFL draft. Players like Myles Garrett, Denzel Ward and Nick Chubb kicked off the most recent surge but Joel Bitonio’s selection in the second round years ago deserves mention.

The last couple of years have also brought in important talent with Greedy Williams, Jedrick Wills, Greg Newsome II and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah.

Not all recent draft picks have been hits right away. An injury caused Grant Delpit to miss his rookie season and have an up and down second year. Anthony Schwartz failed to live up to his third-round status as well. Thankfully, those two and others have a chance to grow over the next couple of seasons.

Two players that hit the ground running for the Browns were their top two draft picks in Newsome and Owusu-Koramoah. The two rookie defenders were honored by Pro Football Focus as a part of their All-Rookie team:

Newsome was excellent in single coverage this season for the Browns. He allowed just 14 receptions on 31 single-coverage targets as a rookie and was PFF’s highest-graded rookie cornerback on those targets. Cleveland has a promising young cornerback tandem to build around between Newsome and fellow former first-round selection Denzel Ward.

But the speed JOK plays with, and his ability to handle a wider variety of coverage assignments than your average linebacker, has made an immediate positive impact on Cleveland’s defense. PFF charted Owusu-Koramoah with just 168 passing yards allowed into his coverage on 300 coverage snaps this season. That rate of 0.56 yards allowed per snap ranked third among off-ball linebackers with at least 250 coverage snaps during the regular season.

Cleveland was one of a few AFC teams to have two rookies on PFF’s list.

While the Browns season did not go as they planned, their top rookies performed very well and bodes well for the team’s future on defense.

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Jarvis Landry bemoans not playing in playoffs this year

Sat Jan 15 2022 23:19:17 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Cleveland Browns and their fans are at home watching the playoffs on this wild card weekend. A year after making the playoffs and knocking off the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland’s high expectations went up in flames throughout the year.

Injuries, COVID-19 and inconsistent play were rampant throughout the season. The wide receiver group that many thought was going to be one of the best in the league, failed to live up to any hype. Odell Beckham Jr. was released, Jarvis Landry was injured and had the worst season of his career and Donovan Peoples-Jones didn’t break out like many thought he could in training camp.

Landry took to social media on Saturday wishing he was playing in a game this weekend:

Fuxk I wish I was playing today

— Jarvis Juice Landry (@God_Son80) January 15, 2022

In 2020, Landry played in two of the three playoff games he’s been in during his eight-year career. Both his Miami and Cleveland teams have missed the playoffs three out of his four seasons.

Often called the heart and soul of the Browns, Landry has one year left on his contract with the team. Given his huge cap number, $16.6 million, and low dead cap if the team moves on from him, only $1.5 million, his future with the team may be in question.

For now, Landry, his teammates, the organization and their fans have to sit and watch the playoffs and dream of what the future might hold.

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The Way Back: Baker Mayfield

Sat Jan 15 2022 21:47:57 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Dr. Brandon Bowers details the rehabilitation for Baker Mayfield and the likelihood that he can return to his previous form after this year's injuries.

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Cleveland Browns Newswire 1/15: All-Pros, Autopsies, and All-Nighters

Sat Jan 15 2022 08:41:30 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Sleep? Sleep is for weenies! Posting early morning Newswires is for the bold!

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Browns Joel Bitonio, Myles Garrett named All-Pro first team; Wyatt Teller named to second team

Fri Jan 14 2022 19:14:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Browns had three players honored by the Associated Press on Friday.

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3 Browns named to All-Pro teams

Fri Jan 14 2022 17:23:21 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Cleveland Browns failed to live up to preseason expectations in 2021 and will be home watching the NFL playoffs. A year after making the postseason and defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers in the opening round, Cleveland fell flat.

The team had some bright spots during the season leading to three members being named to All-Pro teams.

OL Joel Bitonio led all left guards with 28 votes to take the top spot there over Quenton Nelson (13) and Joe Thuney (6). DE Myles Garrett got the second most votes at his position with 29 while T.J. Watt led the way as one of the five unanimous All-Pro selections.

OL Wyatt Teller joined the second-team list at right guard. Zach Martin received 46 votes at the position with Teller the only other player with more than one vote at the position. Teller got two votes.

No other Cleveland player received a single vote. Nick Chubb fell victim to the great season Jonathan Taylor had which led him to get all 50 votes at running back. The cornerback position is quite strong in the NFL right now, keeping Denzel Ward off the list.

In Bitonio, Garrett and Teller, the Browns have three All-Pros that they have invested recent contract extensions into. The investments have already paid off despite the team’s lack of success this season.

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TE David Njoku extension could be difficult for Browns

Fri Jan 14 2022 13:58:46 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Cleveland Browns have a lot of questions to answer in the 2022 offseason. The team has attempted to put the quarterback question to bed early but Baker Mayfield will continue to be the focus for many. First, there was a leaked report related to the team’s exit interview with Mayfiel d. Then, GM Andrew Berry made it clear he expects Mayfield to bounce back in 2022 as the team’s starter.

Before free agency and the NFL draft, Cleveland has a chance to extend pending free agents from their team. Two of the biggest names are DE Jadeveon Clowney and TE David Njoku. Clowney’s one year with the Browns was very good which could price him out of their market. He is likely to test what the market for him is.

Njoku has spent his first five years in the NFL in Cleveland and has stated multiple times this year that he wants to continue with the team. Most recently, when talking with the media after the season, Njoku noted wanting to spend his whole career with the team:

#Browns TE David Njoku said he loves it here to the core, he wants to be in Cleveland for the rest of his career and his agent and the team are continuing contract extension talks. He's scheduled to become unrestricted free agent on March 16.

— Nate Ulrich (@ByNateUlrich) January 10, 2022

Unfortunately for Njoku and the Browns, an extension could be difficult.

The team already has over $13 million in cap space tied up in Austin Hooper. Even if Cleveland cuts him, they still have almost $10 million in a dead cap hit. With needs around the roster, especially at wide receiver and defensive line (pending Clowney’s future), spending more money at tight end may be difficult.

Njoku’s production is also a concern for the team. While he is one of the offense’s most explosive players, he hasn’t produced big numbers. This year, his 475 yards ranks him behind players like Jared Cook, Tyler Higbee, Pat Freiermuth and C.J. Uzomah. His four touchdowns tied him for 12th among tight ends.

On his fifth-year option on his rookie contract, Njoku made just over $6 million in 2021. Given his explosive upside and (still) young age, 25, his agent may be looking for a deal that pays him more than that for a yearly average. The Browns may value him but his lack of big-time production and their investment in Hooper may make a deal difficult before free agency opens.

Perhaps the young tight end tests the market and not find what he is looking for. With 2022 being a make-or-break year for Mayfield, keeping one of his most explosive threats on the team could be valuable. It just might not come before Njoku gets to explore his options first.

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Browns Newswire 1/14: Stefanski Speak(s), Kiffin Bolts, and the News Must Flow

Fri Jan 14 2022 12:46:25 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Kevin Stefanski talks to a radio station, Chris Kiffin bolts, and vultures circle the Browns front office.

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Cleveland Browns: Things I've Thought As We Launch Headfirst Into The Draft Cycle (No Flag)

Fri Jan 14 2022 12:34:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Journey Without A Destination returns to The OBR, as the offseason questions begin.

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Cleveland Browns: Outside The Age Guardrail

Fri Jan 14 2022 12:03:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Taking a look at how much age influences the Cleveland Browns draft board, only on The OBR.

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Browns sign CB Herb Miller to reserve/futures deal

Thu Jan 13 2022 23:52:25 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Cleveland Browns continue to add players to their plan for the 2022 season off of their practice squad. Thursday, the team signed CB Herb Miller to a reserve/futures contract.

Miller played in nine games for the Browns in 2021 after playing four games with Tampa Bay in 2020. For Cleveland, Miller saw all but nine of his snaps on special teams. He was an important part of coverage units in 2021.

Going into 2022, Miller will be competing for a 53-man roster spot as a cornerback but primarily for his special teams work.

Earlier this week, the Browns signed 11 players to reserve/futures deal. The first group was eight players with another three coming a couple of days later.

Any player that ended the year on the Cleveland practice squad or who was a street free agent at the end of the season is eligible to be signed to these deals. All 12 players signed so far will return for offseason activities and training camp for the start of the 2022 season.

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Browns Defensive Line Coach Chris Kiffin to Leave for College Job

Thu Jan 13 2022 19:52:39 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

BEREA, Ohio -- According to a report, Chris Kiffin, the Browns defensive line coach, is accepting a position with the University of Mississippi as co-defensive

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Report: Browns DL coach Chris Kiffin leaving for Ole Miss

Thu Jan 13 2022 18:59:16 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Browns need a new position coach. According to Bruce Feldman of TheAthletic.com, Cleveland’s defensive line coach Chris Kiffin is departing the organization to become a co-defensive coordinator at Ole Miss. He’s also expected to coach linebackers for the program. Kiffin’s older brother, Lane, is Ole Miss’ head coach. The younger Kiffin joined the Browns [more]

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Browns DL coach Chris Kiffin leaving the team for Ole Miss

Thu Jan 13 2022 18:44:27 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

There is another opening on the Cleveland Browns coaching staff. Defensive line coach Chris Kiffin is leaving the team to join the staff at Ole Miss.

It’s not an unexpected move. Kiffin is joining the staff of his brother, Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin. Chris Kiffin served as the DL coach and recruiting coordinator at Ole Miss from 2012 through 2016 before joining the San Francisco 49ers and then the Browns. He will become the co-coordinator of the Rebels defense.

It’s the second defensive coach the Browns have lost this week. Kiffin’s assistant, Jeremy Garrett, left Cleveland to take a role with the Liberty Flames program. Interestingly, Garrett joins the staff of Flames coach Hugh Freeze, who was the head coach at Ole Miss during Chris Kiffin’s first tenure in Oxford.

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OBR Analytics: Week 18 Recap & A Merciful End

Thu Jan 13 2022 18:05:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Anthony Reinhard recaps a the Browns win against the Bengals in their season finale.

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Kevin Stefanski on Baker Mayfield: We push each other and there’s a level of respect

Thu Jan 13 2022 17:11:32 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Browns have had some positive things to say about Baker Mayfield since the end of a disappointing fourth season for the quarterback. Earlier this week, head coach Kevin Stefanski and General Manager Andrew Berry both said they expect Mayfield will be able to bounce back and play well in 2022, whether or not the [more]

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The Insider: Gary Patterson, Ochaun Mathis, a facilities update and more

Thu Jan 13 2022 14:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

In this week's edition of The Insider, the latest on Gary Patterson and Ochaun Mathis; a facilities update; and some fun UT-related memories with new Hyde Park High School head coach and former Longhorn great Phil Dawson.

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Cleveland Browns Newswire 1/13: Twitter Tornado, Cherry-Picking, and Leftovers

Thu Jan 13 2022 12:46:12 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Cleveland Browns front office draws vultures, writers look ahead to off-season, and Barry's fear of Twitter hits a new high.

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OBR Analytics: 2022 Salary Cap Analysis, Discussion, and Overview

Thu Jan 13 2022 11:50:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

OBR Analytics previews the Cleveland Browns salary cap for 2022, including a position-by-position analysis and discussion.

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Browns lack of yoga due to COVID-19 restrictions

Thu Jan 13 2022 11:36:31 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

During their final media sessions, Cleveland Browns players lamented the failures of the 2021 season. Coming in with high hopes, the 8-9 finish was not good enough for anyone. Two of the new players, John Johnson III and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah had specific concerns related to the team’s performance.

Owusu-Koramoah, a rookie, wished the team was bonded more as he saw in college at Notre Dame. The linebacker hopes that changes in 2022.

Johnson, the team’s big free-agent addition during the 2021 offseason, had a more specific critique. He noted the need for a better relationship between the players and the training staff but specifically noted the lack of yoga as a big concern for the players’ health.

During his final media availability of the season, GM Andrew Berry addressed Johnson’s concerns noting the limitations due to COVID-19 protocols:

I think the reality of it is what we have seen the past two years with the tier limits because of COVID-19 protocols in place, you do have to make some – ‘cuts’ is probably the wrong word – decisions, particularly with some certain outside practitioners that you would not necessarily normally have those restrictions in a year when you are not playing in a pandemic. Because of those limits, some of the services that we would bring in out of the building, we have not been able to in probably a year or two, but it is something that is certainly top of mind for us.

Berry reported that he and Johnson had spoken after the safety’s concerns were made public.

It is interesting that Berry specifically notes “outside practitioners” as having restrictions. Based on his answer, it seems that the team does not hire some of their own practitioners which led yoga to not be available.

With Johnson’s comments public, the team could decide to hire someone to their staff to answer his concerns. The team’s training staff is not limited in access to the players under any COVID-19 protocols at this time.

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Vikings request interviews with 2 current, 1 former Browns execs

Thu Jan 13 2022 11:25:48 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Cleveland Browns could lose some pieces to their organization this offseason. Success tends to lead to others poaching from a team and, while the Browns didn’t make the playoff in 2021, their front office and coaching staff have done a very good job.

Earlier we learned that Jeremy Garrett would be leaving the team to take over the defensive line at Liberty University. We also learned that two front office personnel were requested for interviews by the Chicago Bears.

Now comes word that those same two executives are being requested for interviews by the Bears division rival, the Minnesota Vikings.

According to multiple reports, the Vikings have requested interviews with Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Glenn Cook from Cleveland. They have also requested to interview former Browns front office member Eliot Wolf. Wolf now works for the New England Patriots.

Adofo-Mensah has been regarded as a sleeper name for this hiring cycle but Cook’s inclusion with two teams may be more surprising.

Wolf was with Cleveland under John Dorsey after starting his career with his father, Ron Wolf, in Green Bay.

If either executive gets hired as a general manager this year, the team will receive compensatory picks at the end of the third round in 2022 and 2023. While losing talented front office members is difficult, adding day two picks in the NFL draft is always helpful.

With two requests already in, it would not be surprising to see either Adofo-Mensah or Cook get even more interviews this offseason.

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Cleveland Browns RB Nick Chubb confident in Baker Mayfield as team's QB in 2022

Wed Jan 12 2022 21:59:17 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

...

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7PM: Cleveland Browns Talk on OBR Weekly with Fred Greetham and Barry McBride

Wed Jan 12 2022 21:04:45 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Join us LIVE tonight at 7PM for OBR Weekly with Fred and Barry!

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LIVE: Cleveland Browns Talk on OBR Weekly with Fred Greetham and Barry McBride

Wed Jan 12 2022 21:04:45 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Join us LIVE tonight at 7PM for OBR Weekly with Fred and Barry!

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REPLAY: Cleveland Browns Talk on OBR Weekly with Fred Greetham and Barry McBride

Wed Jan 12 2022 21:04:45 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Join us LIVE tonight at 7PM for OBR Weekly with Fred and Barry!

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Cleveland Browns 'fully expect' Baker Mayfield to return as starting QB in 2022, GM Andrew Berry says

Wed Jan 12 2022 16:28:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

...

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2022 NFL draft: Browns could select a kicker

Wed Jan 12 2022 13:58:26 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Cleveland Browns have issues they need to shore up on their roster this offseason. With a myriad of free agents, a couple of big extensions possible and a team that underachieved compared to their goals, some change is coming for Cleveland in 2022.

One change that was discussed but has been put to bed twice is moving on from QB Baker Mayfield. NFL Network first reported that the team and Mayfield would continue into 2022 and GM Andrew Berry said the same thing in his season-ending press conference. Berry believes the quarterback is set for a bounce-back season.

One part of the team that didn’t bounce quite right this season was on special teams. The Browns struggled to find a consistent kick returner, replaced their punter and kicker due to COVID-19 and none of those positions are settled for the upcoming season.

During his time with the media, Berry didn’t rule out the team drafting a kicker:

I would consider anything. My reaction to that is not any hard and fast rule. It probably depends on the player, and it depends on other ways you can acquire talent at the position. No, I would not rule it out.

Obviously, the GM has no reason to give away his plans related to any position but kickers have become more and more valuable with the longer extra-point try in the NFL. Unfortunately, almost every team has struggled to find a consistent kicker for more than a couple of seasons. Justin Tucker is one of the few that can be relied on.

The 2022 draft class has a few kickers that could be drafted such as Cade York out of LSU or Will Reichard out of Alabama.

While kickers are not drafted regularly, only one was drafted in 2021, it is a position where Cleveland could decide to use a late pick to ensure they got the best possible player at the position. While Berry has done well late in the draft, with Donovan Peoples-Jones and Demetric Felton, finding a solid kicker has to be a priority this offseason. Perhaps the answer comes in the 2022 NFL draft.

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Team-by-team statistical leaders for the 2021 NFL season

Wed Jan 12 2022 13:10:40 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

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Cleveland Browns Newswire 1/12: Baker's Issues, Receiver Exiting, and Word Clouds of Nothingness

Wed Jan 12 2022 12:05:16 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

In today's Newswire, Barry catalogs a bunch of Baker Mayfield stories, parses word clouds, and prepares to say goodbye to a Browns stalwart.

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Cleveland Browns: The Weekly Mock Draft As The Offseason Ramps Up

Wed Jan 12 2022 12:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

With the Cleveland Browns missing out on the postseason, we at The OBR turn our full attention to the offseason and the NFL Draft. @BrownsMockDraft continues his your 'round coverage, with another mock for you to pick apart.

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OBR Film Room: Why Baker Mayfield Struggled And Processing A Path Forward

Wed Jan 12 2022 11:49:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

An inside look as what caused Baker Mayfield to regress in 2021 with a look at his mechanics flaws, pocket tendencies, and processing issues.

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Browns assistant Jeremy Garrett leaving for defensive line job at Liberty University

Wed Jan 12 2022 06:47:12 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Cleveland Browns are losing an assistant coach to the collegiate ranks. Via Bruce Feldman of FOX Sports, assistant defensive line coach Jeremy Garrett is leaving the team to take a job as the defensive line coach at Liberty University. Garrett spent just one season as an assistant with the Browns under head coach Kevin [more]

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2022 NFL draft: Top WR prospect Jameson Williams has torn ACL

Wed Jan 12 2022 00:02:44 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Cleveland Browns may have been watching the college football National Championship Game very closely on Monday night. Alabama and Georgia are full of prospects that could be of interest to the team especially in the first two days of the draft.

Selecting with the 13th overall selection, Cleveland is expected to focus on a couple of positions with their first-round pick but wide receiver is considered their biggest need. The 2022 NFL draft is expected to be full of players at that position that could step in and help the Browns right away.

Unfortunately, one of those players was hurt during the title game on Monday. WR Jameson Williams, formerly at Ohio State now staring at Alabama, hurt his knee Monday night. Early concerns have been confirmed as Williams has reportedly torn his ACL:

Alabama's Jameson Williams, the projected top WR in the 2022 NFL Draft, tore his ACL last night vs. Georgia, per sources. Doctors believe that, after surgery within the next 10 days, Williams will retain his sub 4.3 speed, and they expect a full recovery.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 11, 2022

A junior, it is possible that Williams returns to the Crimson Tide for his senior season due to his injury. Despite the ACL tear, the dynamic receiver could still be drafted in the first round but, with their immediate need, that team is unlikely to be Cleveland.

As Schefter’s tweet notes, Williams has blazing speed to go along with solid size at 6’2″. He racked up 1,572 yards on 79 receptions this year for the Tide with a whopping 15 touchdowns despite sharing the field with John Metchie III on the outside.

Garrett Wilson, Treylon Burks and Chris Olave, among others, are likely to be in the mix to be the top receivers off the board in the upcoming draft.

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Report: Browns assistant Jeremy Garrett to leave for Liberty University

Tue Jan 11 2022 23:29:16 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Cleveland Browns did not meet their goals in 2021 despite loading up talent around the roster. The defense started out slow but slowly developed into one of the best units in the game late in the season.

There has been some thought that defensive coordinator Joe Woods could get an interview for one of the head coaching positions available in the NFL. Woods took criticism from fans early in the year but was able to put together a solid defense despite issues with injuries and COVID-19.

According to a report, a member of Woods’ coaching staff will be moving on soon. Jeremy Garrett, the team’s assistant defensive line coach, is reportedly accepting a job at Liberty University:

SOURCE: Liberty is expected to hire Cleveland Browns assistant Jeremy Garrett as the new Dline coach.

— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) January 11, 2022

Garrett’s time with the Browns was his first as a coach in the NFL. He played college at Ole Miss, coached at the high school level then worked at Vanderbilt before joining Cleveland in 2020.

When defensive line coach Chris Kiffin was sidelined due to COVID-19 protocols, Garrett stepped in to lead the group against the Green Bay Packers this year.

With the Browns defensive success, Garrett could be the first departure but more could follow. Success tends to lead to the poaching of both players and coaches. In this case, Garrett returns back to college and takes over the defensive line for himself.

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Browns Berry covers a variety of topics, besides QB, including Clowney, Landry, Ward, JOK, kicker, more

Tue Jan 11 2022 20:53:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Browns GM spoke with the media and answered a variety of questions.

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Browns sign 3 more players to future/reserves contracts

Tue Jan 11 2022 19:41:37 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Cleveland Browns are once again active the first week following their failure to make the playoffs in the 2021 NFL season. Earlier, the team signed eight players to future/reserves contracts:

TE Miller Forristall
OG Hjalte Froholdt
TE Nick Guggemos
CB Nate Meadors
OG David Moore
FB Johnny Stanton
OT Alex Taylor
DE Curtis Weaver

By doing so, Cleveland made sure those players were on their roster for the start of the 2022 offseason. The Browns are able to sign current practice squad players and street free agents to these deals.

Tuesday, the team added three more players to future/reserves contracts:

K Chris Blewitt
LB Willie Harvey Jr.
OL Elijah Nkansah

Blewitt was added late in the season as a part of the kicker competition while Harvey and Nkansah were added while the team struggled with players on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

All three will be part of the roster as the team enters offseason activities in a few months.

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Browns don’t sweat Baker Mayfield playing in 2022 without a new contract

Tue Jan 11 2022 18:13:41 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Browns and quarterback Baker Mayfield have yet to strike a long-term deal, more than a year after the window for doing so opened. With Mayfield having a down year in 2021, both sides are preparing for Mayfield playing the 2022 season with no contract beyond it. Browns G.M. Andrew Berry told reporters on Tuesday [more]

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'Going to come back with a vengeance': Browns' Baker Mayfield receives votes of confidence from coach, teammates

Tue Jan 11 2022 17:30:57 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

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Browns Andrew Berry said he expects Baker Mayfield to be the starting quarterback in 2022

Tue Jan 11 2022 16:53:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Browns general manager talks about the future of the team, particularly at the quarterback position.

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Browns GM Andrew Berry says he expects Baker Mayfield 'to bounce back next year'

Tue Jan 11 2022 16:32:02 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry gave his end-of-season media availability on Tuesday. Berry addressed a number of issues but, unsurprisingly, a majority of the questions surrounded QB Baker Mayfield. The GM attempted to be very clear about what the team’s expectations for Mayfield are for 2022.

According to Berry, the Browns expect Mayfield to return as the team’s starting quarterback in 2022 noting “We expect him to bounce back next year.” This matches up with the report from NFL Network that we covered here last week.

Berry went on to praise Mayfield’s history as a successful quarterback in the NFL noting that they still believe he can be the quarterback he was for them in 2020. He also noted that he is not concerned about the team’s starting quarterback going into 2022 without a contract extension. The idea that a “lame duck” quarterback could not be successful is not a concern for Cleveland.

In discussing Mayfield’s contract, Berry noted that “every year is a prove-it year” in the NFL. Even quarterbacks like Jared Goff and Carson Wentz, who signed extensions, were traded before those extensions even kicked in.

While anything can happen, Berry backing up the previous report seems to assure that the Browns will enter 2022 with the same starting quarterback for the fourth straight season. The GM did note that he is always looking to bring in the best players regardless of who is on the roster so competition is possible at quarterback but may be difficult to find.

As Browns fans prepare for the offseason, the team’s general manager has made it clear that they are planning around Mayfield at quarterback and not focused on replacing him.

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Andrew Berry has no concerns about Baker Mayfield/Kevin Stefanski relationship

Tue Jan 11 2022 16:13:07 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The relationship between Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield and head coach Kevin Stefanski came into the spotlight multiple times during the 2021 season, but Stefanski downplayed concerns last week and General Manager Andrew Berry did the same on Tuesday. Mayfield cited “internal things” as a problem this year and issues with play-calling were reportedly among those [more]

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Browns Newswire 1/11: Baker Support, Njoku Love, and Beer Pellets

Tue Jan 11 2022 13:51:36 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Barry's trying to blog again, so life will inevitable intervene. Plus, David Njoku loves Cleveland, and Baker gets support.

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Cleveland Browns 2022 opponents are set

Tue Jan 11 2022 13:45:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Browns will play five teams that made the playoffs in 2021,

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Kansas State in the NFL: Week 18

Tue Jan 11 2022 13:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

How former Kansas State football players are performing throughout the 2021 NFL season.

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Browns mock draft watch: CBS Sports picks WR

Tue Jan 11 2022 12:50:16 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

It maybe bad new for most, but the Cleveland Browns are officially in draft season and I am very excited for who may become the next future star in Cleveland. The Browns appear to have hit the last draft out of the park with Greg Newsome and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah making immediate impacts in a positive fashion and this draft will hopefully yield the same.

We mentioned that the Browns went hard on the defense drafting a cornerback in in the first round and an outside linebacker in the second, but the focus on the 2022 NFL Draft may be more towards the offensive side and our friends at CBS Sports has an Ohio State receiver etched to Cleveland.

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Bears request to interview two Browns execs for GM job

Tue Jan 11 2022 00:57:38 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Cleveland Browns may not have made the playoffs but the work done by the front office has not been overlooked the last couple of years. The Chicago Bears have reportedly requested to interview two different members of the Browns front office for their vacant general manager position.

Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Glenn Cook are on the Bears list for hopeful interviews. Adofo-Mensah interviewed with the Carolina Panthers last year and could be a target of multiple clubs this offseason. He was mentioned as a possible sleeper candidate for GM jobs.

Adofo-Mensah held the director of football research and development position for the 49ers before Berry hired him in Cleveland. Just 10 years prior, he held titles like commodities trader and portfolio manager on Wall Street. His first job in football came when he was hired by the 49ers in 2013. He spoke about his work history when he was hired by Berry.

This will be the first known interview for a GM job for Cook, if Cleveland approves the Bears request.

Both executives would qualify the Browns for draft pick compensation if hired based on a rule adopted by the NFL last year. The basics of that rule were laid out as follows:

• A team that loses a minority assistant coach who becomes a head coach or loses a personnel executive who becomes a general manager will receive third-round compensatory picks in each of the next two drafts.

• A team that loses two minority staffers to head coach and general manager positions would receive three third-round picks.

Last year, the Baltimore Ravens, San Francisco 49ers, New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Rams were the first teams to receive the compensation and will receive another third-round pick this year as well.

Cleveland GM Andrew Berry has been lauded for his work since taking over the Browns in 2020. He may need to quickly restock his front office in the near future if either or both Adofo-Mensah and Cook are hired elsewhere.

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Chicago Bears Request Permission to Interview Browns Executives for GM Opening

Tue Jan 11 2022 00:43:25 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

BEREA-- The Chicago Bears are interested in two members of the Browns front office. The Bears have requested permission to interview VP of Player Personnel

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Browns coach Kevin Stefanski has high hopes for Cleveland QB Baker Mayfield in 2022

Tue Jan 11 2022 00:16:06 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

...

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Browns rookie JOK notes need for 'brotherhood' and 'unity'

Mon Jan 10 2022 23:48:28 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The lack of success from the Cleveland Browns this season has befuddled many. While injuries and COVID-19 related losses were easy explanations, nothing could explain the inconsistencies across the board. In the end, those inconsistencies led to an 8-9 record on the season and failing to make the playoffs.

During media time before leaving for the offseason, a number of players addressed some of the problems the team had. Veteran S John Johnson III believed the players and the training staff needed better relationships and that the team needed yoga. Coming from the Los Angeles Rams, Johnson has ideas that he believes will help the team.

Rookie LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah doesn’t have those same NFL experiences but believes the team lacks unity:

That is the biggest lesson that I really took just in terms of the brotherhood really matters. That is something that we really keyed in on at Notre Dame and at college because that is all we have really and we are not getting paid – at least back when I was playing we were not getting paid (laughter). That is something that I would really like to see is just this team to be a team, the brotherhood to be a brotherhood and just the unit to be a unit. That is the biggest thing that I really learned just in terms of what we should look towards next year in terms of the unity.

While Owusu-Koramoah is new to the NFL, it is obvious that he didn’t see the unity he saw from his college teams. Whether COVID-related limitations played a role or there was a deeper divide on the team, having all the players pulling in the same direction is vital for the future of the Browns.

A lack of unity could explain some of the inconsistencies on the roster. It is up to GM Andrew Berry, HC Kevin Stefanski and the rest of the staff to bring the team together in 2022.

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John Johnson III seeks better relationship with training staff, yoga next year in Cleveland

Mon Jan 10 2022 22:59:21 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Cleveland Browns season is over but a few last interviews with the media are expected while other teams prepare for the playoffs. On Monday, safety John Johnson III met with the media to talk about the season and some of the struggles.

Johnson was the Browns big free-agent addition during the 2021 offseason. Coming over from the Los Angeles Rams, he was expected to give the defense a big boost on the backend and become an important leader in the locker room.

Adjustment to scheme and injuries limited Johnson’s impact with Cleveland in his first season but the defense showed great signs in the second half of the season.

Discussing what he is looking forward to in 2022 and changes he might like, the safety noted the players’ relationship with the team’s training staff:

John Johnson III says he would love a yoga instructor in the building for the Browns, along with other things in regards to training: "I think our relationship with the training staff could be a whole lot better…" #Browns

— Hayden Grove (@H_Grove) January 10, 2022

Cleveland lost a lot of important players for multiple games this year. Soft tissue and muscle injuries were prevalent. While the idea of yoga may not fit the narrative of some related to football, flexibility is a huge asset to keeping those areas healthy given all the movement by NFL players.

While Johnson’s comment paints the Browns training staff and plan in a bad light, he had a different experience with the Los Angeles Rams his first four seasons. Hopefully, the team is willing to hear his concerns and what worked with the Rams and implement some of that in 2022.

A better relationship between players and the training staff along with adding in yoga type activities could help the team stay healthier next year.

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Browns sign 8 players to future/reserves contracts

Mon Jan 10 2022 22:00:52 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

One of the first orders of business for NFL teams in the offseason is to handle the players who ended the season on the practice squad. Those players are not technically under contract to the team any longer.

For the practice squad players or street free agents the Cleveland Browns and other teams wish to keep around to at least start the 2022 offseason, they can sign reserve/future contracts. They are effectively commitments by the team to bring the players back with a chance to compete for spots in the coming season.

Cleveland signed eight of those to reserve/future contracts on Monday:

TE Miller Forristall

OG Hjalte Froholdt

TE Nick Guggemos

CB Nate Meadors

OG David Moore

FB Johnny Stanton

OT Alex Taylor

DE Curtis Weaver

All will be welcomed back to Cleveland once the offseason activities kick off later this winter.

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Kevin Stefanski: I fully expect Baker Mayfield to bounce back next year

Mon Jan 10 2022 21:08:35 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Playing through various injuries throughout the year, Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield struggled throughout the 2021 season. In 15 games, he completed 60.5 percent of his passes for 3,010 yards with a career-low 17 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. The Browns went 6-8 in his 14 starts, as he missed two games to injury and one while [more]

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Browns lament on the season of missed opportunities, chances to finish games, look to 2022 to bounce back

Mon Jan 10 2022 19:47:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Browns hope they learn the lessons taught to them about missed opportunities.

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OBR Monday Film Rewind -- Browns over Bengals 21-16

Mon Jan 10 2022 19:18:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Your Monday Film Rewind where Jake takes you through what stood out to him from his rewatch of the Browns 21-16 win over the Bengals.

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Oregon officially announces Tosh Lupoi as DC

Mon Jan 10 2022 17:47:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Oregon and Dan Lanning have finalized the Ducks' full-time on-field coaching staff with the official hiring of Tosh Lupoi as defensive coordinator. Lupoi, who

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Nick Chubb: Baker Mayfield fought for us every day

Mon Jan 10 2022 16:30:05 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield dealt with several injuries all season, including a torn labrum and fractured humerus in his left shoulder that will be surgically repaired later this month. But Mayfield still played, missing only one game before the club shut him down for the Week 18 matchup against the Bengals. For that, Mayfield clearly [more]

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OBR Analytics: Week 18 Top-Graded Players, Snap Counts, and Rookie Performance Tracker

Mon Jan 10 2022 16:00:50 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

x

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Browns 2022 opponents decided after Week 18 win changes

Mon Jan 10 2022 13:03:18 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Cleveland Browns defeated the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 18. Not only did that win give the team a clean sweep of the AFC North champions and send their season out on a winning note but it also had a couple of negative effects.

First, as we noted earlier, the team will be drafting 13th overall instead of 10th due to their late-season victory. A three-spot drop isn’t huge but, come draft day, could play a big role in who they are able to select.

Second, the team’s victory also changed who was on their schedule for 2022. Their win meant they play against other third-place teams in the AFC West, AFC South and NFC East. Instead of facing Denver, Jacksonville and the New York Giants, the Browns will face the Los Angeles Chargers, Houston Texans and Washington (soon to have a name) Football Team.

The team’s full opponent list:

Cincinnati (twice)
Baltimore (twice)
Pittsburgh (twice)
New England
Buffalo
Miami Dolphins
New York Jets
Washington Football Team
Houston Texans
New Orleans Saints
Los Angeles Chargers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Atlanta Falcons
Carolina Panthers

A lot of teams with recent success on their docket for 2022. The Browns hope that their plans with Baker Mayfield returning and drafting 13th overall will lead them to success against a somewhat difficult schedule in 2022.

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Browns 2022 NFL draft positioning locked in after Week 18

Mon Jan 10 2022 12:51:48 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Cleveland Browns will draft with the 13th pick in the upcoming 2022 NFL draft. Cleveland ended the season with an 8-9 record with a win against the Cincinnati Bengals in the final week of the season. Had the Browns lost that game, they would have been drafting 10th overall.

Instead, Cleveland tied with Minnesota and Baltimore with their matching 8-9 records. Their strength of schedule (.514) was slightly stronger than the Vikings (.507), who draft 12th, and slightly weaker than the Ravens (.531), who draft 14th.

The Browns remaining selections will not be decided until after the playoffs finish and compensatory picks are assigned by the NFL.

Last year, the Los Angeles Chargers selected Rashawn Slater with the 13th pick. Tristan Wirfs, Christian Wilkins, Daron Payne and Haason Reddick round out the last five selections at that spot. The recent history is all linemen with two on offense and three on defense.

Cleveland will be looking for a dynamic player with their selection. Many assume a receiver is high on their list but another pass rusher opposite Myles Garrett, since Jadeveon Clowney is set to be a free agent, or an interior defensive lineman could also be the pick at 13.

Given that the Browns roster is set up to win now, the team could also decide to use their first-round pick to acquire a veteran talent they believe could help them now and in the future.

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Browns Daily Newswire 1/10: Free Agents, Victories, and Earned Cynicism

Mon Jan 10 2022 10:04:36 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Good morning Cleveland Browns fans! The Cleveland Browns won a football game yesterday. You might have missed this fact during yesterday’s broadcast and the ensuing

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Browns strong defensive performance, rushing attack lead to finale win over the Bengals; get 13th draft slot

Mon Jan 10 2022 01:04:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Browns finish with a win and a sweep over the AFC North champions.

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Browns sweep Bengals: Everything we know after Week 18 win

Sun Jan 09 2022 22:24:57 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Cleveland Browns finished the 2021 NFL season on a, relative, high note defeating the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 18. While the Bengals played mostly backups, the Browns played as many healthy starters as they had throughout the game.

The 21-16 victory will have ripple effects going into next season as well as possible impact on Cincinnati’s playoff seeding. The Bengals did not play their starters much except for WR Ja’Marr Chase to help him set the team’s receiving record in the first quarter.

For Cleveland, going out with a win is not much consolation for a season that started with Super Bowl aspirations. Instead of playing for the playoffs, many fans were rooting for a loss to help the team’s draft position. The team now awaits the completion of Miami and New Orleans’ games to lock up their official draft spot.

The 2021 season ends with the Cleveland Browns at 8-9 for the season and looking at a long offseason. The most important part starts with Baker Mayfield’s scheduled surgery.

Here is what else we know after the Week 18 win:

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Browns Baker Mayfield has shoulder surgery scheduled

Sun Jan 09 2022 21:36:11 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Cleveland Browns defeated the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 18 of the 2021 NFL season. A season that failed the team’s expectations ended on a high note against many of the Bengals backups. Cleveland provided their home fans with something positive to watch without concern about NFL draft positioning.

For the Browns future, the health of QB Baker Mayfield is the most important thing. Early on Sunday, we covered a report from NFL Network that the team and Mayfield left their exit meeting with a plan for a reunion in 2022.

As has been known since earlier in the season, Mayfield is facing offseason shoulder surgery to deal with his torn labrum that bothered him all season.

During today’s game, the FOX broadcast team noted that Mayfield had said that he was planning to have surgery on January 19th. Following the game, head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed the date:

#Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said he knocked out exit meeting with Baker Mayfield on Friday, and QB leaves season on positive note, they’re both looking forward to him getting shoulder surgery taken care of Jan. 19

— Nate Ulrich (@ByNateUlrich) January 9, 2022

Mayfield will face significant recovery time following his surgery but should not have any issues with the start of the season. The Browns need a healthy quarterback to reach their goals next season. That starts on January 19th with Mayfield’s surgery.

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Browns beat Bengals 21-16 to finish season 8-9

Sun Jan 09 2022 21:07:04 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Cleveland has finished its season on a high note. Without starting quarterback Baker Mayfield, the Browns defeated the Bengals 21-16 on Sunday to finish their season 8-9. With the Browns also out of playoff contention, D’Ernest Johnson got the bulk of the work at running back and finished with 123 yards on 25 carries with [more]

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Browns lead Bengals 14-7 at halftime

Sun Jan 09 2022 19:45:57 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Bengals aren’t playing their starters as they rest up for the postseason. The Browns aren’t playing Baker Mayfield. Cincinnati receiver Ja'Marr Chase set a single-season franchise record for receiving yards. And the Browns lead the Bengals 14-7 at halftime. Case Keenum is 14-of-19 passing for 152 yards with a touchdown, an interception, and a [more]

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Browns highlight: Keenum to Landry touchdown pass

Sun Jan 09 2022 18:50:05 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals squared off in Week 18 in a game that neither team is playing the full complement of players. The Bengals left QB Joe Burrow and DT D.J. Reader at home while the Browns placed some players on injured reserve this week including QB Baker Mayfield who played last week.

The start of the game was a struggle for both offenses with just over 50 yards combined through more than half of the first quarter. Late in the quarter, Cleveland’s offense got moving starting with a long reception by Donovan Peoples-Jones and some good runs by Nick Chubb.

That drive ended with the first score of the game with Case Keenum hitting Jarvis Landry on a crossing route. The Cincinnati defender fell down and Landry waltzed into the endzone:

Case Keenum to Jarvis Landry puts the @Browns on the board! #Browns

: #CINvsCLE on FOX
: NFL app pic.twitter.com/yuWjDqRbRq

— NFL (@NFL) January 9, 2022

The drive included 79 yards for the Browns offense after both teams struggled to gain that amount combined.

Cleveland took the 7-0 lead with just under a minute left in the first quarter.

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Ja’Marr Chase sets Bengals single-season receiving record

Sun Jan 09 2022 18:26:54 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

With the AFC North already clinched, the Bengals are resting several starters for Sunday’s game against the Browns — including quarterback Joe Burrow. But rookie receiver Ja'Marr Chase is active and started the game in part because he was so close to setting the team’s single-season record for receiving yards. Consider the mission accomplished. On [more]

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Browns, Bengals inactive lists includes big names

Sun Jan 09 2022 16:39:03 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A few big names out for the Browns vs Bengals in Week 18:

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Browns-Bengals: Twitch Pre and Post, Forum Thread, Live Chat

Sun Jan 09 2022 16:14:29 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The playoffs are but a memory, but there are still games to be played. You have a variety of ways to enjoy gameday with us if you find yourself at liberty to do so.

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Browns Newswire 1/9: Narrative Nuked, Rookie Praise, and Going the Full Bayless

Sun Jan 09 2022 14:29:13 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Good morning Cleveland Browns fans! It’s a shame more people don’t read these Newswire rants or hang in ATI, because our analysis was spot-on regarding Baker

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Browns reportedly “plan” to move forward with Baker Mayfield

Sun Jan 09 2022 14:18:12 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

As the offseason arrives for the 18 non-playoffs team, the time has come to device, and to leak, plans. Plans to do this. Plans to not to do that. Tentative positions reached for strategic reasons and at all times subject to change. That’s the most important thing to remember when digesting the ongoing flurry of [more]

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Report: Baker Mayfield will be Browns starting QB in 2022

Sun Jan 09 2022 12:33:53 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Cleveland Browns enter Week 18 with very little to play for outside of pride and another win in the AFC North. The team could also impact their draft position this week. The Cincinnati Bengals have an outside shot at a higher seed but will be valuing health in the final week of the regular season before they hit the postseason.

The bigger story for the Browns is what could happen in 2022 at the quarterback position. Cleveland has already picked up the fifth-year option on Baker Mayfield’s rookie contract but have been linked to other quarterbacks, like Deshaun Watson.

With reported concerns related to the relationship between head coach Kevin Stefanski and Mayfield, shot down by offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, there was some thought that Mayfield was done with the Browns.

According to a new report from NFL Network, the Browns and Mayfield are on the same page moving forward into 2022 with him as the team’s starting quarterback:

The Browns will head into the offseason with plans to retain Baker Mayfield as their quarterback for 2022, sources say.

Mayfield and Browns coach Kevin Stefanski spoke Friday as part of normal exit meetings, and sources say the two are on the same page.

With Mayfield set to undergo surgery soon on his shoulder, the team will hope for a healthy quarterback in 2022. With a lot of free agents, Cleveland’s roster could look significantly different.

Given the NFL Network report, the team has a clear direction at quarterback for 2022. The Browns, and their fans, hope that decision is the right one but have a long time to wait to find out.

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Browns 2022 NFL draft slot scenarios entering Week 18

Sun Jan 09 2022 11:00:51 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Cleveland Browns 2022 NFL draft slot scenarios entering Week 18

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Jadeveon Clowney fined for his shoe-throwing penalty

Sun Jan 09 2022 00:20:20 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Committing one of the weirdest penalties of the season has cost Browns DE Jadeveon Clowney some cash.

The NFL has fined Clowney $12,875 for intentionally throwing Steelers WR Chase Claypool’s shoe in the first quarter of Cleveland’s Week 17 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. He earned an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the play, an infraction that wiped out a third-down stop by the Browns defense. It led to the Steelers first touchdown of the game in Pittsburgh’s 26-14 win.

The outcome of the Monday night game wound up not mattering for anything but pride, but it’s still a fitting coda on a disappointing season for the Browns for Clowney to earn a fine for throwing a shoe.

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Jadeveon Clowney fined for tossing Chase Claypool’s shoe

Sat Jan 08 2022 21:01:43 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski criticized defensive end Jadeveon Clowney for “hurting the team” when he was penalized for taking Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool‘s shoe off and throwing it at the end of a play in last Monday night’s game. The unsportsmanlike conduct foul gave the Steelers 15 yards after the Browns had stopped [more]

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Browns place Denzel Ward on COVID-19 list, activate D’Ernest Johnson

Sat Jan 08 2022 17:07:34 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Browns cornerback Denzel Ward was already questionable for Cleveland’s season finale against Cincinnati with a groin injury. Now his status isn’t uncertain. Ward was placed on the COVID-19 list on Saturday, the team announced. Ward has three interceptions and 10 passes defensed in 15 games this year. Cleveland has also activated backup running back D’Ernest [more]

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OBR Daily Newswire 1/8: Chaos, Integrity, and Baker, Baker Baker (Part 2)

Sat Jan 08 2022 14:47:20 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

My experience says to be careful when assigning motivations to writers or other media figures.

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Browns DC Joe Woods on Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah: 'The sky’s the limit'

Sat Jan 08 2022 14:23:10 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Cleveland Browns probably haven’t seen as much as they’d like of their rookie and former second-round pick, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. But there is plenty of room for optimism from what they have seen.

Owusu-Koramoah. the 52nd overall pick in 2021, has played in 13 games with 10 starts while tallying 68 tackles, 1.5 sacks and four pass breakups. He missed time this season with an ankle injury, which landed him on IR. He also spent time on COVID-19/reserve. When he’s on the field, he’s a difference-maker.

“The sky’s the limit for JOK. He can be a dynamic player for a long time for us,” Browns defensive coordinator Joe Woods told reporters on Thursday, via Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot.

#Browns Joe Woods on Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah: “The sky’s the limit for JOK. He can be a dynamic player for a long time for us”

— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) January 6, 2022

The Browns took it slow and steady with Owusu-Koramoah, whose playing time steadily increased throughout the season. Once a role play, he’s not a full-time member of the defense.

“It’s been a process. It’s always a mindset of just trusting the process,” Owusu-Koramoah told ClevelandBrowns.com last week. “There’s always a development portion. As I’m taking on this role, I just have to continuously try to be consistent. That’s what’s been on my mind. I have to be persistent as well as many challenges arise, different schemes and offenses and quarterbacks we play. That’s just my mindset to maintain doing my responsibility and doing my job.”

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Flagged: Browns threatening to commit the most presnap penalties in 2021

Sat Jan 08 2022 13:22:03 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

It’s not been a good 2021 season for the Cleveland Browns. Among the many fingers to point at the team’s underachieving 7-9 record entering the Week 18 finale against the AFC North champion Bengals, one deserves to point at the team’s presnap penalty problem.

Going into the final game, the Browns have committed more presnap penalties than all but one other team. Only the 2-win Detroit Lions (46) have been guilty of more presnap mental lapses than the Browns (45). Cleveland has spread out the preventable penalties across the offense (29), defense (13) and special teams (3).

The two biggest culprits are two of the Browns best players, defensive ends Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney. Each has earned five presnap penalties, though three of Garrett’s offsides fouls were declined by the opposing offense. Left tackle Jedrick Wills and guard Joel Bitonio lead the Browns offense with three false starts apiece, per data from NFL Penalties.

The Browns could seize the dubious title from Detroit. No team has drawn more false start penalties (30) than Cleveland’s Week 18 opponent, the Cincinnati Bengals, though QB Joe Burrow will not play.

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Cleveland Browns: The OBR Staff Predicts The Finale Against The Bengals

Sat Jan 08 2022 13:04:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

How will it all unfold Sunday at First Energy Stadium? The OBR Staff takes a crack at predicting Cleveland Browns vs Cincinnati Bengals. Because that's kind of what we do.

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Browns listed as potential landing spot for Texans QB Deshaun Watson

Sat Jan 08 2022 12:45:52 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The ongoing quarterback drama in Houston has roped in the Cleveland Browns, thanks in part to the uncertainty surrounding Baker Mayfield’s long-term future in Cleveland.

Deshaun Watson has not played in 2021 while the Texans and the NFL await resolution of the 3-time Pro Bowler’s legal issues. Watson will have his legal hearings and adjudication on several civil lawsuits regarding alleged sexual assault and misconduct with over 20 massage therapists. If those wind up being settled in a palatable manner to the NFL, Watson will be available for trade from the Texans.

Cue the Browns and their developing quarterback drama.

The Browns were featured as one of several teams who could be a potential landing spot for Watson by the Houston Chronicle and analyst Matt Young,

The Browns are another team rarely mentioned as being in pursuit of Watson, but after watching Baker Mayfield in his fourth season, it’s obvious they could use him. Would Watson waive his no-trade clause to play in Cleveland? Maybe not, but at least the Browns should be in the bidding war. Mayfield has one more year left on his contract and is coming off the worst year of his career, throwing a career-low 17 touchdowns as the Browns underachieved and will finish below .500 after going 11-5 last season.

Young noted that the Texans were steadfast in demanding three first-round picks in return for Watson at the trade deadline last fall. That’s a very steep price for any team, and seems one that would rule out the Browns. Watson also has a no-trade clause in his contract that will allow him some control over his landing spot.

Get ready for a barrage of speculative ideas like this one while the Browns sort out what to do with Mayfield and his future. Watson’s fate is poised to be one of the biggest storylines of the coming offseason, and until it’s resolved, any team with a potential long-term need at quarterback cannot be ruled out of the Watson sphere.

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Packers' Bakhtiari logs a full practice, on doorstep of a return

Fri Jan 07 2022 22:44:37 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

For the first time in over a year, David Bakhtiari was listed as a full participant on Friday's practice report, paving the way for him to make his regular-season debut on

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Browns vs. Bengals final injury report: 7 Browns questionable for Week 18

Fri Jan 07 2022 22:05:48 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

It’s likely to be a busy afternoon for the broadcast crews for Sunday’s regular season finale between the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals. Given the questionable status of several key players and how many regulars from the first meeting will not be playing, it might be a good idea to have a roster at the ready.

The Browns did not rule any players out from the active roster due to injury, but seven players are officially designated as questionable on the team’s final injury report. That list includes cornerbacks Denzel Ward and Greedy Williams, as well as tight end David Njoku.

Players listed as questionable by the Browns coaching staff:

S Ronnie Harrison (ankle)
CB Troy Hill (knee)
RB Kareem Hunt (ankle)
S John Johnson (hamstring)
TE David Njoku (shoulder)
CB Denzel Ward (groin)
CB Greedy Williams (shoulder)

The list does not include Baker Mayfield. The Browns ended their starting quarterback’s season officially this week, placing Mayfield on injured reserve with his shoulder and knee issues.

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Dallas Cowboys rookie Micah Parsons is Myles Garrett's choice for Defensive Player of the Year

Fri Jan 07 2022 19:45:18 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

...

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Browns place Joe Jackson on COVID-19 reserve list

Fri Jan 07 2022 19:19:15 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Browns placed defensive end Joe Jackson on the practice squad COVID-19 reserve list. He will not play in Sunday’s season finale against the Bengals. The Browns now have three players on their practice squad COVID-19 reserve list and three from their active roster on the list. Jackson has played in the Browns’ defensive line [more]

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Kevin Stefanski says he has a “good relationship” with Baker Mayfield

Fri Jan 07 2022 18:52:21 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

After a disappointing 2021 season, there are plenty of questions about the Browns and quarterback Baker Mayfield going forward. Mayfield took issue with a report from Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com that he may ask to be traded if issues with head coach Kevin Stefanski are not worked out. But the Browns might want to [more]

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Browns young and improving defense bodes well for future as they hope to finish the season on a strong note

Fri Jan 07 2022 18:16:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Browns defense has improved from the beginning of the season and should get better with a young core of players.

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Paul Finebaum on “punk” Baker Mayfield: “He is a poor man’s Johnny Manziel”

Fri Jan 07 2022 17:40:03 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield‘s NFL career arguably is at a crossroads. For some, the Rubicon was crossed long ago. Appearing Friday on ESPN Cleveland, ESPN college football analyst Paul Finebaum provided a stinging assessment of Mayfield. “I got into it with him in college,” Finebaum said. “He came after me on Twitter. And I thought [more]

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Play our FREE Week 18 Browns Challenge

Fri Jan 07 2022 16:45:38 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

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Browns Daily Newswire 1/7: Latvia, Clickbait and Bengals? What Bengals?

Fri Jan 07 2022 13:41:19 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Good morning Cleveland Browns fans! I’m not here to talk about our local competitors or grouse about trying to survive in the local media jungle. I really don’t

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A family affair: St.Brown sibling clash headlines Packers' finale in Detroit

Fri Jan 07 2022 13:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

There's more than just a divisional rivalry taking place in Detroit this weekend. A newfound sibling rivalry between Green Bay Packers wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown

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Browns rookie CB Greg Newsome has high praise for Denzel Ward as a mentor

Fri Jan 07 2022 12:40:45 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Greg Newsome II has had an interesting ride in his rookie season with the Browns. Cleveland’s first-round pick from Northwestern has had some really strong moments at cornerback, but also battled injuries and adversity in his first NFL season.

Newsome was quick to give loads of credit and praise to fellow CB, Denzel Ward. He spoke highly of Ward’s leadership and mentoring nature in Newsome’s press conference on Thursday.

“I learned a ton from him,” Newsome said of Ward. “Just how to be a pro in general. The biggest thing I learned from him – I have said it before – is just every single day find one thing to focus on at practice and get better at that day. As you do that throughout the season, you will see yourself jumping, becoming more confident and things like that out there on the field. That is probably the biggest takeaway that I learned from him. Just to be a pro all the time, you have to practice how you play; you can’t take a practice off at all.”

So what stands out to Newsome about Ward as a player?

“Everything. He can do it all, literally,” Newsome said with emphasis. “He can play man. He can play zone. You are not going to find pretty much a better corner in the NFL than Denzel Ward. He is a leader by the way he plays and things like that. I honestly feel like he does not have a flaw in his game. He can play press. He can play off. He has tremendous ball skills, as you see him getting picks and pick-sixes. His return skills are good. I feel like he does not have a flaw in his game.”

Newsome has played well in tandem with Ward, but a concussion suffered in practice cost the impressive rookie three games down the stretch. In 11 games, Newsome has 34 tackles and nine PDs. Ward earned a Pro Bowl berth in 2021 for the second time in his four-year career.

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Cleveland Browns: Things I've Thought As We Put A Bow On This Disappointing Season

Fri Jan 07 2022 12:11:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

What isn left to say about the 2021 Cleveland Browns season? Well, it includes the phrase "Booger and Bleach sundae," so... It's the weekly Journey Without A Destination with @BrownsMockDraft, only on The OBR.

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Mock draft: Browns draft Alabama WR to be what Odell Beckham Jr. couldn't be

Fri Jan 07 2022 12:05:46 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Browns offense needs help. This Alabama WR would be perfect.

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These 19 Browns will be free agents after the 2021 season ends

Fri Jan 07 2022 11:05:18 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The pending free agents from the 2021 Cleveland Browns

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Browns' Baker Mayfield refutes reports of tension with Kevin Stefanski

Fri Jan 07 2022 00:29:44 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

...

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Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield refutes reports of tension with Kevin Stefanski

Fri Jan 07 2022 00:29:44 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

...

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Baker Mayfield takes issue with report that he may ask to be traded

Fri Jan 07 2022 00:25:40 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Baker Mayfield is not taking the high road. In response to a report from Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer that Mayfield may ask to be traded due to issues with coach Kevin Stefanski, Mayfield went on the offensive, on Twitter. “Clickbait,” Mayfield said on Twitter. “You and many other Cleveland local media [more]

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Browns Week 18 injury report: Jadeveon Clowney did not practice Thursday

Thu Jan 06 2022 21:46:17 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Cleveland Browns released their second injury report ahead of Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Cincinnati Bengals, where there was an update on one prominent defensive star.

Defensive end Jadeveon Clowney did not practice Thursday with shoulder and knee injuries. Clowney was a limited participant during Wednesday’s practice, but he appears to have suffered a setback.

There were three other players who didn’t practice Thursday, including tight end David Njoku (shoulder), cornerback Denzel Ward (groin) and defensive tackle Malik McDowell (neck).

#Browns and #Bengals practice/participation report: pic.twitter.com/lB0u4JTSGk

— Camryn Justice (@camijustice) January 6, 2022

Defensive tackle Malik Jackson was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Thursday, which puts his chances of playing in the finale against the Bengals in doubt.

Elsewhere, running backs Nick Chubb (chest/ribs) and Kareem Hunt (ankle) remained limited on Thursday.

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Browns OC Alex Van Pelt: 'I have seen zero' tension between Kevin Stefanski and Baker Mayfield

Thu Jan 06 2022 21:41:24 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

With reports flying left and right about possible tension and discord between Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield and head coach Kevin Stefanski, it can be tough to know exactly what to believe. One of the people in position to know the relationship between the coach and quarterback is Browns offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt.

In his meeting with the media on Thursday, Van Pelt flatly refuted any deep issues between Mayfield and Stefanski.

“No, absolutely not,” Van Pelt said when asked if he’d seen any tension between the two. “I have seen zero of that. Kevin is in our meetings every day. He comes in, and we talk through everything that was installed every day. I know the line of communication is wide open between those two guys. I know they have met weekly on Tuesdays to make sure everything was good. I do not feel that at all. I do not. Kevin has always been open and very communicative with all of the players and coaches, as well.”

Van Pelt, who does not call the plays under Stefanski, noted that the precipitous drop in the Browns offense leads to a lot of talking. They’re doing that internally, too — in the quest to correct what all went wrong in Cleveland’s disappointing 2021 season.

“There is always room for correction and always room for improvement. That is kind of where we are,” Van Pelt stated. “In the offseason, we will dive deep, deep into that and see, as we do every year. Even during the bye week, we really took a dep dive into what we are doing, and we will always adjust, adapt and try to put our players in the best position, but there is always room for improvement. The top offense to the bottom offense in the league, you can always get better.”

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Cleveland Browns: The Playoff ... Draft Slot Rooting List For Week 18

Thu Jan 06 2022 21:26:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Alas, playoff hopes have been dashed, so Cleveland Browns fans are back to seeing where the team lands in the NFL Draft Order. Check out all of the possibilities on the OBR.

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Browns Malik Jackson to Covid list; Jadeveon Clowney, Denzel Ward, David Njoku, Malik McDowell miss practice

Thu Jan 06 2022 21:03:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Browns lose a starting defensive tackle to Covid list.

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USFL’s initial head coaches include Todd Haley, Mike Riley, Kevin Sumlin

Thu Jan 06 2022 19:54:02 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The reborn USFL is scheduled to get underway this spring with eight teams and the league announced the head coaches for four of those teams on Thursday. Former Chiefs head coach Todd Haley and former Chargers head coach Mike Riley are part of the group. Haley is going to coach the Tampa Bay Bandits while [more]

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Baker Mayfield shares fiery tweet in response to report he might demand a trade in 2022

Thu Jan 06 2022 19:20:32 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Baker Mayfield took issue with something that appeared in a story from Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot. The Cleveland Browns quarterback went on Twitter on Thursday to criticize an article Cabot published about growing tension between Mayfield and the Browns organization.

The biggest takeaway from that article was that, if the Browns starting quarterback “doesn’t get assurances that things will change next season,” he will “consider asking to be traded,” according to Cleveland.com and the Cleveland Plain Dealer. In particular, it seems Mayfield is taking issue with some of the decisions from coach Kevin Stefanki.

It’s unclear if that was exactly what Mayfield refuted. But he tweeted the following.

Clickbait. You and many other Cleveland local media continue to be drama stirring reporters with no sources or facts. Don’t put words in my mouth so you can put food on your table. I’m not your puppet. https://t.co/MfHnqWk65s

— Baker Mayfield (@bakermayfield) January 6, 2022

Mayfield played through a shoulder injury to his non-throwing arm in 2021 and finished the year playing in 14 games, with 3,010 passing yards, 17 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He will undergo surgery in January to repair his torn labrum, and should be good to go for 2022. The question will be whether he or the Browns decide they’re ready for something new.

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What we know about Baker Mayfield's upcoming surgery

Thu Jan 06 2022 19:00:35 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Baker Mayfield will undergo surgery. Here's what we know so far.

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Mathis follows mentors forward: 'Head down and grind'

Thu Jan 06 2022 19:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

WVU's running back has had quality advisors in his life.

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Report: Baker Mayfield may ask to be traded

Thu Jan 06 2022 17:12:26 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Browns and quarterback Baker Mayfield have been on a collision course for weeks, if not months. The collision may indeed happen this offseason. Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that, if Mayfield “doesn’t get assurances that things will change next season,” the quarterback will “consider asking to be traded.” The primary [more]

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1 pending free agent each NFL team should bring back in 2022

Thu Jan 06 2022 16:09:49 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

NFL contracts not signed beyond 2021 expire at 4 p.m. ET March 16, meaning that teams have from the end of the season until that time to sign their pending free agents to contract extensions. A few will get tagged (the franchise tag period begins Feb. 22), some will get extensions, but it’s a good bet most of the players set to reach unrestricted free agency will do so.

But if we were in charge, these are the players we’d keep — one per team as decided by the NFL Wire staff.

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Bengals put Larry Ogunjobi on COVID-19 reserve list

Thu Jan 06 2022 15:52:25 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Bengals’ COVID-19 reserve list continued to grow on Thursday. The team announced that defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi has been placed on the list. There are now nine players on the list with Ogunjobi joining running back Joe Mixon, defensive end Trey Hendrickson, and safety Vonn Bell among the first-teamers who are currently out of [more]

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Browns mock draft watch: PFF slates Ohio State WR to Cleveland

Thu Jan 06 2022 15:09:47 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Browns Mock Draft Watch: PFF has #Browns selecting #GoBucks star

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Browns Daily Newswire 1/6: Buyers, Sellers, Bengal Luck, and Baker, Baker, Baker

Thu Jan 06 2022 13:45:07 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Click-friendly articles on Baker Mayfield pollute the web as the Browns try to figure out what's next...

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Kansas State in the NFL: Week 17

Thu Jan 06 2022 13:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

How former Kansas State football players are performing throughout the 2021 NFL season.

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Baker Mayfield shoulder surgery set for January 19

Thu Jan 06 2022 06:30:49 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield will have surgery to repair his injured left shoulder on January 19, according to Jake Trotter of ESPN.com. Mayfield will have his torn labrum repaired by by Anaheim Ducks orthopedic surgeon Orr Limpisvasti in Los Angeles. The Browns placed Mayfield on injured reserve on Wednesday after it was decided he [more]

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Manningcast Week 17 audience slips below 1.5 million

Wed Jan 05 2022 23:37:46 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Network P.R. people know how to find a way to spin ratings better than Rumpelstiltskin with a barn full of hay. And the folks at the four-letter network spent some extra time today turning Nielsen numbers into ratings gold. For Monday night’s Browns-Steelers All-About-Ben game on ESPN and other Disney platforms, the total viewership was [more]

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Browns place Baker Mayfield on injured reserve

Wed Jan 05 2022 22:43:19 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield already was ruled out for Sunday’s season finale as the team is eliminated from playoff contention. He will undergo surgery on his injured left shoulder. The Browns made the procedural move of placing Mayfield on injured reserve Wednesday. It officially ends the worst season of Mayfield’s four seasons in Cleveland. He [more]

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Browns sign QB, RB to 53-man roster, place QB Baker Mayfield on IR

Wed Jan 05 2022 22:36:06 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Cleveland Browns have placed quarterback Baker Mayfield on injured reserve to end his season. Mayfield suffered a shoulder injury during Week 17 and will undergo surgery as soon as possible, per coach Kevin Stefanski.

Mayfield went on IR with linebacker Sione Takiktaki on Wednesday.

In corresponding moves, the Browns added quarterback Nick Mullens and running back Dexter Williams to the active roster. Williams came from the Miami Dolphins practice squad and was immediately placed on the COVID-19/reserve list. The Browns also added running back Artiavis Pierce to the practice quad.

Mullens will likely serve as backup to quarterback Case Keenum on Sunday when the Browns face off against the Cincinnati Bengals.

The #Browns also signed QB Nick Mullens to the active roster from the practice squad and RB Dexter Williams to the active roster from Miami's practice squad.

Williams was placed on the COVID-19 list and the team signed RB Artavis Pierce to the practice squad.

— Camryn Justice (@camijustice) January 5, 2022

Williams has just seven carries for 19 yards since joining the NFL as a Green Bay Pakers’ sixth-round pick. He may get playing time with Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt nursing injury and D’Ernest Johnson headed to the COVID-19/reserve list.

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Joe Haden lands on Steelers COVID reserve

Wed Jan 05 2022 21:47:03 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Cornerback Joe Haden has been on the field for most of the matchups between the Browns and Steelers over the last 12 years, but he probably won’t be there for this Sunday’s clash of AFC North rivals. Haden was placed on the Steelers’ COVID-19 reserve list on Wednesday. Unless the Steelers advance to the playoffs, [more]

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Browns Baker Mayfield, Sione Takitaki to injured reserve; Case Keenum excited to start in season finale

Wed Jan 05 2022 21:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Browns placed two starters on injured reserve and added a few others.

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7:30 PM: Cleveland Browns Talk on OBR Weekly with Fred Greetham and Barry McBride

Wed Jan 05 2022 19:52:40 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Join us LIVE tonight at 7PM for OBR Weekly with Fred and Barry!

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