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Deshaun Watson’s Attorney Denies Latest Allegation; More On Browns QB’s Contract

September 11th, 2024 at 10:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

Two years after the Browns made the controversial decision to trade for Deshaun Watson, they have seen the move backfire. Watson has struggled to find his Texans form and battled injuries since coming to Cleveland. That tenure began with the 11-game suspension incurred from the slew of sexual assault and/or sexual misconduct civil lawsuits that emerged in 2021 and ’22. Two years later, the Browns are still dealing with Watson’s past.

In a civil suit filed in Houston, a woman accused Watson of sexual assaulting her in October 2020. Twenty-six women made similar allegations in civil filings from 2021-22, leading Watson out of Houston. The previous 26 alleged this activity took place during massage appointments. That separates the 2020 incident, which allegedly took place in the woman’s home.

The Browns were certainly not the only team prepared to look past the initial wave of suits and acquire the former star via trade, but being the winner of those March 2022 sweepstakes has significantly affected the franchise. Despite Dak Prescott‘s recent extension including $231MM guaranteed, no team has come close to the Browns’ $230MM fully guaranteed contract.

Still representing the eighth-year quarterback, attorney Rusty Hardin said (via cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot) Watson “strongly denies” the allegations in this latest suit — filed anonymously. The NFL is looking into the matter but has no plans to place the embattled passer on the commissioner’s exempt list, ESPN.com’s Daniel Oyefusi tweets.

Responding to Hardin, the accuser’s attorney — Tony Buzbee, who played a lead role in the previous batch of accusers’ suits — said (via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero) he and his client attempted a private resolution for nearly a year. No settlement occurred. Responding to a question about this timetable, Watson said (via the Lorain Morning Journal’s Jeff Schudel) he had “no idea.” Watson settled suits with 23 of his initial 24 accusers.

Buzbee calls this matter “the most serious and egregious case brought against Watson to date” and indicates Watson’s lawyers did not cooperate. Hence, the filing and more off-field headlines for a player who now has major on-field issues.

Coming back from shoulder surgery, Watson did not play in the preseason. The 28-year-old passer also faced the Cowboys with a similar setup — down Nick Chubb and tackles Jedrick Wills and Jack Conklin. The latter two are on their way back, while Chubb remains on the reserve/PUP list. But Watson has shown little indication he will submit a turnaround effort in Cleveland. That threatens to derail an otherwise well-built Browns roster, which fared better with Joe Flacco at the controls last season. Flacco was surprised the Browns did not make an effort to re-sign him, after the 2023 Comeback Player of the Year expressed continued interest in staying. Instead, Jameis Winston is Cleveland’s QB2.

The Browns famously guaranteed Watson’s entire five-year contract. Criticism came the team’s way for doing this, but had the Browns not done that, the Georgia native was poised to waive his no-trade clause for the Falcons. He had previously ruled out Cleveland, but Jimmy Haslam subsequently placed the credit (blame?) on GM Andrew Berry for the idea to offer the fully guaranteed deal to tip the scales. Following Flacco’s run to the playoffs, Haslam extended both Berry and Kevin Stefanski.

Watson said Wednesday ownership communicates support to him daily, but extreme concern about his 2024, ’25 and ’26 seasons bringing fully guaranteed $46MM base salaries has no doubt surfaced inside the Browns’ building. Whether the team can escape the guarantees would come down to Watson being suspended under the NFL’s personal conduct policy again.

Upon signing, Watson needed to inform the Browns of any events that might lead to a future suspension, per Yahoo’s Charles Robinson and Jori Epstein. Although the QB’s first Browns contract was finalized in 2022, SI.com’s Conor Orr indicates he needed only to have informed the team about this matter by March 2023, when the first restructure took place.

Even though this allegation comes from Watson’s time with the Texans, if he did not tell the Browns about it (and it leads to a suspension), it could open the door to guarantees being voided. Though, we are not there yet. Watson denying the incident took place further muddies the waters regarding informing the Browns, which would introduce a gray area in the event this civil matter progresses.

As it stands, Watson counts $19.1MM on Cleveland’s 2024 cap sheet. The Browns, however, moved that number this low due to going through with a second restructure in August. The second reworking inflated Watson’s 2025 and ’26 cap hits to $72.9MM, which would shatter an NFL record — especially now that Prescott is extended — for a single player.

The Browns cutting Watson in 2025 would bring, thanks to the two restructures, $172MM in dead money. Needless to say, Watson is not a realistic 2025 cut candidate — even in a world in which the Broncos just took on $83MM-plus in dead cap on the Russell Wilson contract. In 2026, the Browns moving on would cost more than $99MM in dead money, which would be spread over two years in a post-June 1 scenario.

The QB continuing on his current path and now dealing with another off-field matter obviously reflects poorly on the Browns’ fateful 2022 decision, which also included slashing Watson’s 2022 base salary to the veteran minimum to reduce the money he would lose in a suspension. Watson will continue to start for the Browns, who will hope he can assimilate in an offense designed to be more in line with his skillset — at least, that is the goal — under new OC Ken Dorsey. But the team now has another off-field matter overshadowing its third-year starter.

Injury Notes: Bears, Walker, Murray, Bosa

September 11th, 2024 at 9:17pm CST by Ben Levine

The Bears got good news surrounding the knee injury that knocked Rome Odunze out of Sunday’s season opener. Per Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz, the rookie wide receiver suffered a Grade 1 knee sprain, the “best-case scenario” for the team and player.

Odunze suffered his MCL injury while blocking for Velus Jones Jr. during a fourth-quarter screen pass. The rookie stayed in the game for one additional play before exiting for good. The wideout is officially considered week-to-week, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, and there’s been no indication that the ninth-overall pick will have a stay on injured reserve. Coach Matt Eberflus said the Bears were “lucky” to avoid a serious injury, and he even kept the door open to Odunze playing in Week 2.

Wednesday’s injury report also showed that fellow receiver Keenan Allen didn’t practice while nursing a heel injury. Eberflus later clarified that the wideout was considered day-to-day, and there’s hope the offseason acquisition can hit the practice field on Thursday and Friday following his day off.

In the unlikely event that both Odunze and Allen are sidelined, the Bears’ deep wide receiver grouping will be down to just D.J. Moore. Rookie QB Caleb Williams is certainly hoping for his full arsenal of wideouts following an NFL debut where he completed only 14 of 29 pass attempts for 93 yards.

More injury notes from around the NFL…

  • Kenneth Walker left Sunday’s game with an oblique injury and didn’t practice on Wednesday, per the Seahawks‘ injury report. Mike Macdonald said the running back is day-to-day (via ESPN’s Brady Henderson), but another missed practice would obviously put the player’s Week 2 availability in doubt. Walker exited the season opener after compiling 103 rushing yards and one touchdown. Zach Charbonnet finished the game at running back, scoring a 30-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.
  • Kyler Murray was a full participant at today’s practice, but the Cardinals QB still showed up on the injury report with a knee injury. Murray, of course, suffered an ACL injury during the 2022 campaign, and 2024 represented his first healthy offseason in a few years. Murray didn’t miss a snap on Sunday, and it seemed like his knee was in good shape after he ran for 57 yards. Clayton Tune is the only other QB currently on the active roster.
  • The Chargers announced that Joey Bosa was a limited participant at Wednesday’s practice while dealing with a back injury. The pass rusher appeared in 60 percent of his team’s defensive snaps in Week 1, collecting a sack and a forced fumble along the way. The long-time Charger has been snake bitten by injuries over the past few years, missing 20 total games.
  • NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport passes along a list of other notable players who didn’t practice on Wednesday, including Bengals receiver Tee Higgins (hamstring), Chiefs receiver Marquise Brown (shoulder), Browns tight end David Njoku (ankle), Packers quarterback Jordan Love (MCL), and Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore (hip/hamstring).

Browns Place S Juan Thornhill, DT Maurice Hurst II, Others On IR

September 11th, 2024 at 9:14am CST by Sam Robinson

An ugly Week 1 Browns loss has obviously brought more scrutiny on the team’s Deshaun Watson contract, but the former Pro Bowler did not have some key offensive pieces due to 2023 injuries. The Browns received some bad news regarding some other contributors since their loss to the Cowboys as well.

The team placed four players on IR on Wednesday. Safety Juan Thornhill, defensive tackle Maurice Hurst, linebacker Tony Fields and linebacker Mohamoud Diabate are all out for at least four games. Calf and ankle injuries will respectively sideline Thornhill and Hurst.

Thornhill resides as the biggest name here; the ex-Chiefs starter operates as a Browns first-stringer, having signed a three-year, $21MM contract that came with $14MM fully guaranteed. Thornhill has started all 12 games he has played with Cleveland, but injury issues have intervened during the former second-round pick’s career. He missed six games last season, though no IR stint took place, and sustained an ACL tear late in his 2019 rookie campaign. One of last season’s absences also occurred due to the Browns resting starters in Week 18.

This IR placement comes after both Thornhill and fellow starter Grant Delpit played 95% of the Browns’ defensive snaps in Week 1. Bad news emerged in the wake of Cleveland’s loss, and Jim Schwartz‘s high-end defense will need some help. The team is rather well equipped to handle this issue, having re-signed ex-Schwartz Eagles charge Rodney McLeod this offseason.

McLeod, who suffered a season-ending biceps injury last year, re-signed with the Browns this offseason. The 34-year-old safety plans to retire after the season, but the Browns appear to need extensive contributions from the 13th-year vet before that happens. Brought in as a mentor-type who would work as a third safety presence under the ex-Eagles DC, McLeod did start five games last season. He now qualifies as important depth for a team battling recent defensive injuries while trying to withstand offensive absences stemming from long-term rehab timetables.

Hurst is on IR for a third straight season. A biceps tear cost the second-generation NFLer all of the 2022 season, but the Browns signed the defensive tackle last year. The Michigan product played in 13 Browns games as a reserve in 2023, helping the team lead the NFL in pass defense. The seventh-year DT, however, will join Thornhill, Fields and Diabate in missing at least four games.

With the Browns already using two of their injury activations — due to using the allotted two August injury-return slots on O-lineman Michael Dunn and running back Nyheim Hines — the team will probably not be able activate all four players from today’s IR transactions. They are down to six injury activations. While Thornhill profiles as a clear candidate to return, the others might not factor into Cleveland’s 2024 season much.

Signing linebacker Khaleke Hudson off the Saints’ practice squad and signing defensive end Sam Kamara on Tuesday, the Browns have since filled the remaining three roster spots by signing wide receiver David Bell and cornerback Mike Ford from their practice squad. The Browns had waived Bell late last week but circled back to the former third-round pick via a P-squad slot.

Brandon Aiyuk Nixed Trade To Steelers; Latest On Browns, Patriots’ Proposals

September 10th, 2024 at 10:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

Due to the 49ers‘ interest in keeping Brandon Aiyuk via an extension, the fifth-year wide receiver carried substantial control during his trade sweepstakes despite the lack of a no-trade clause. Although Aiyuk shut down Cleveland and New England as destinations, as his San Francisco talks continued, he was believed to be fine being dealt to Pittsburgh. Until the 11th hour, that is.

While Aiyuk ended up signing a four-year, $120MM extension to remain with the 49ers, FOX’s Jay Glazer reports the team nearly traded him to the Steelers on the day he agreed to terms. After giving Aiyuk what amounted to an ultimatum two weeks ago, the 49ers were finalizing a trade to the Steelers. Aiyuk intervened, however, leading to a frantic sequence that shut down this would-be deal. The Steelers’ party line pointed to the team expecting Aiyuk to sign a 49ers extension, but it certainly appears they were in this until the end.

Aiyuk showed up early to the 49ers’ facility August 29, meeting with Kyle Shanahan to inform the eighth-year HC he was still interested in staying. Shanahan attempted to call the 49ers’ front office power brokers to inform them of this, but Glazer adds he was unable to get through due to team brass’ discussions with the Steelers about the then-impending trade. Shanahan then proceeded to run across the facility to stop trade talks, with the team then expressing its final ultimatum.

Aiyuk had until the end of practice August 29 to commit to the team — via the extension offer that had been on the table since August 12 — or be traded. Shanahan effectively confirmed (via 49ersWebZone.com) Glazer’s account after the 49ers’ Week 1 win over the Jets.

That development wrapped one of the busiest wide receiver sagas in recent NFL history. The 49ers had put two offers on the table for Aiyuk earlier in August — a three-year deal worth $87MM and the four-year, $120MM proposal — but SI.com’s Albert Breer indicated the fifth-year wideout rejected both. San Francisco had remained at its $26MM-per-year offer — which surfaced in May — until training camp but eventually came up toward Aiyuk’s price point. The guarantees in San Francisco’s 3/87 offer are not known, but the AAV would have still checked in more than $5MM north of Deebo Samuel‘s three-year deal (3/71.55).

That $26MM-per-year number came in lower than the Steelers’ extension offer — $27.7MM — but Aiyuk said he factored quarterback play and long-term success into his decision, ESPN.com’s Nick Wagoner adds. The 49ers saw Aiyuk and Brock Purdy form a potent connection last season, when Aiyuk zoomed to second-team All-Pro honors and led the NFC champions in receiving by a wide margin.

San Francisco has also become one of this period’s most reliable teams, advancing to two Super Bowls and two more conference championship games since 2019. The Steelers continue to stay above .500, but they have not won a playoff game since 2016. Their quarterback situation also invites major questions — particularly beyond 2024.

The Steelers had been part of a potential three-team trade — for all intents and purposes — involving the Broncos, as the 49ers had attempted to flip Pittsburgh’s third-round pick for Courtland Sutton. Denver declined, but Breer adds the 49ers ultimately called around a dozen teams discussing trades for wide receivers. The Steelers offered second- and third-round pick for Aiyuk but did not include any players, which did not mesh with what the 49ers wanted as they constructed another Super Bowl-contending roster. The other 49ers calls also involved the team attempting to trade the Steelers third-round pick for a wideout.

Despite the 49ers’ reservations about the Steelers not including a veteran player in their proposal, Pittsburgh and San Francisco agreed to trade parameters in mid-August. Despite his team’s short- and long-term QB uncertainty, Mike Tomlin had presented a draw for Aiyuk. This ties to the respected HC’s conversations with the wideout during the pre-draft process in 2020, Breer adds. The Steelers had traded their 2020 first-rounder for Minkah Fitzpatrick months earlier but did draft a wideout with its first pick that year (Chase Claypool, No. 49). The 49ers had taken Aiyuk at 25.

The Browns were willing to offer Aiyuk $30MM per season on a three-year deal, but the top extension offer in this derby still came from a Patriots team that had also chased Calvin Ridley in free agency.

New England also sent two offers Aiyuk’s way, per Breer, who adds the team was willing to pay the former first-round pick $32MM per year on a four-year deal and $30MM AAV on a three-year contract. As far as the Pats’ trade offer goes, Breer reports they proposed a 2025 second-rounder, a 2026 fourth and one veteran player. The 49ers had asked about a Kendrick Bourne reunion. While Breer does not specify which player the Pats were set to include, Bourne represents a good guess — even though his ACL rehab landed him on the PUP list.

George Pickens does not have much in the way of proven help in Pittsburgh. Ex-Rams and Falcons supporting-caster Van Jefferson started Sunday. Roman Wilson did not make his debut in Atlanta, but Tomlin said the third-round rookie will see more practice time soon. An ankle injury kept Wilson off the field during the preseason. The Steelers have a strong WR development track record, but after narrowly missing out on Aiyuk, they certainly look to need a quick progression from Wilson.

“I’m comfortable with the performance of these guys,” Tomlin said about his auxiliary WR group. “(I) had some questions, even dating back to spring, and to be quite honest with you, I probably went into the receiver room a couple weeks into camp and told them that. I just believe in being really transparent.

“But the consistency with which those guys performed in Latrobe and with team development has made me more comfortable, and specifically I’m talking about Scotty Miller and Van Jefferson. I just can’t say enough about the consistency with which they’ve performed, their floor.”

The Steelers added Miller, who joined Jefferson in playing under Arthur Smith last season, shortly after the draft. Miller played 17 offensive snaps against the Falcons; Jefferson logged 49 and caught one pass.

Browns Add LB Khaleke Hudson Off Saints’ Practice Squad

September 10th, 2024 at 9:54pm CST by Ely Allen

Saints practice squad linebacker Khaleke Hudson is heading to Cleveland, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. Hudson will join the Browns‘ active roster after being signed from the practice squad in New Orleans. A gameday elevation this past weekend, Hudson could be one of the first players in the league to play for more than one team this season.

Hudson signed with the Saints in the offseason after playing out his rookie contract as a fifth-round pick in Washington. A solid rotation player through the first three years of his career, Hudson earned a bigger role in 2023, starting eight games for the Commanders and tallying career highs in total tackles (74), tackles for loss (5), sacks (1), quarterback hits (2), and passes defensed (2).

Despite the strong contract year that led to his deal with the Saints, Hudson didn’t end up making the initial 53-man roster, though New Orleans did retain him on the practice squad. Now, though, he’ll get a new opportunity to play in Cleveland, where Brandon Bouyer-Randle sits on injured reserve and Mohamoud Diabate and Tony Fields II take up spots on the injury report. He provides some experienced, starting depth on the defense.

Additionally, with Pro Bowl tight end David Njoku facing a potential absence due to an ankle injury, the Browns added veteran Geoff Swaim to the practice squad, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. Jordan Akins sits on the roster behind Njoku, and Swaim will now add some additional experience and depth from the practice squad, if necessary.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/10/24

September 10th, 2024 at 6:49pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s practice squad transactions from around the NFL:

Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Giants

  • Signed: G Cade Mays
  • Released: T Marcellus Johnson

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

  • Signed: T Anim Dankwah

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/10/24

September 10th, 2024 at 4:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Free Agent

Not long after being a 49ers cut as the NFC champions pared set their initial 53-man roster, Parker secured another opportunity. The 49ers carried Parker on their roster this offseason and brought him back shortly after releasing him. A 33-game starter with the Raiders, Parker joins a Falcons roster housing Storm Norton as the swingman behind Jake Matthews and Kaleb McGary.

Isaac went to camp with the Bucs but caught on with the Panthers, via their barrage of waiver claims, after being waived. The Panthers waived Isaac before their Week 1 game. Isaac initially signed with the Bucs as a 2023 UDFA and played in two games last season.

Hatten incurred a five-game suspension today. A Seahawks UDFA this year, Hatten did not make the team’s 53-man roster. At the same time, the NFL lifted the suspensions of the other three free agents, Jackson, Muhammad, and Thomas.

David Njoku Facing Potential Absence; Browns Line Up TE Workouts

September 10th, 2024 at 11:49am CST by Adam La Rose

David Njoku exited the Browns’ Week 1 loss due to an ankle injury, and he could be sidelined for a stretch as a result. The Pro Bowl tight end is believed to be have suffered a high ankle sprain, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Njoku was in a walking boot after the team’s season opener, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com adds. No firm timeline for his recovery is in place, but head coach Kevin Stefanski called him week-to-week. Losing Njoku for any period of time would deal a blow to a Browns passing attack which struggled on Sunday.

The 28-year-old set career highs in receptions (81), yards (882) and touchdowns (six) last season. Njoku faces expectations to remain a key member of Cleveland’s offense moving forward, and before being injured he recorded four catches for 44 yards. The former first-rounder is on the books for two more seasons as he continues to play out his $54.75MM deal.

With Njoku in line to miss time, Cleveland signed wideout Kadarius Toney to the practice squad. The former first-rounder recently visited the Browns, and he will aim to carve out a role amongst the likes of Amari Cooper, Jerry Jeudy, Elijah Moore and Cedric Tillman. At the tight end position, though, the team is in the process of seeking out an addition.

Cleveland hosted Geoff Swaim on a workout today, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports. In addition, the team has visits lined up with Irv Smith and Tommy Sweeney, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler adds. Swain has the most experience in the group as a veteran of 102 combined regular and postseason games. The 30-year-old played out his rookie contract with the Cowboys before spending time in Jacksonville, Tennessee and Arizona. Swaim’s best campaign (in terms of catches and touchdowns) came with the Titans in 2021 when he posted a 31-210-3 statline.

Smith flashed potential during his Vikings tenure, but the 26-year-old has struggled with injuries in his career. Smith did not have an impactful one-year stint with the Bengals last season, and he failed to survive roster cuts with the Chiefs last month. Sweeney, 29, missed all of last season while spending the campaign on the Giants’ NFI list. He landed a deal with the Bears in free agency, but he too was released ahead of the cutdown deadline. Sweeney is a veteran of 24 games played with the Bills from 2019-22 in a depth and special teams capacity.

After restructuring Deshaun Watson‘s contract once again, the Browns have over $48MM in cap space. A short-term addition to replace Njoku will therefore be feasible, and it will be interesting to see if any of these visits produce an agreement.

Extra Points: Hill, Watson, Prescott

September 9th, 2024 at 9:12pm CST by Ben Levine

Following Tyreek Hill‘s detainment before yesterday’ game, Andy Slater of Fox Sports 640 South Florida released the bodycam footage from Miami-Dade Police. The release of the video follows a statement by the Miami-Dade Police earlier today in which they said that Hill was not immediately cooperative with officers (per Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com).

The video shows that Hill was initially pulled over for speeding while approaching Hard Rock Stadium. After the Dolphins wide receiver was pulled over, he was asked to keep his window down. As ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques and Xuan Thai detail, the “incident escalated when Hill didn’t comply.”

After exiting his vehicle, Hill was grabbed “by the back of the head and neck area” and forced to the pavement before being placed in handcuffs. After being walked to the sidewalk, Hill was forced to the ground again after not immediately complying to an officer’s demand to sit down, with the wideout citing recent knee surgery.

The footage also shows the police tensely interacting with tight end Jonnu Smith, who parked about 25 feet away from Hill. Smith “was ultimately given a citation.” Defensive lineman Calais Campbell can also be seen in the footage approaching police with his arms raised.

Following the release of the footage, the Miami Dolphins released a statement. While the organization lauded the release of the video and acknowledged their relationship with the Miami-Dade Police, they also requested “swift and strong action against the officers who engaged in such despicable behavior.” Per Armando Salguero of Outkick.com, the officer at the center of the video “was placed on administrative duties” and has hired a lawyer.

More notes from around the NFL…

  • Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is facing a new civil lawsuit claiming him of sexual assault and battery during an incident in October 2020, per ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi. Watson “sexually assaulted the woman for several minutes” before storming out of her apartment. Watson was previously accused of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct by more than two dozen women. He avoided criminal charges but was served an 11-game suspension after the league and the NFL Players Association reached a settlement. Watson settled 23 of his 24 civil lawsuits, and this latest suit joins the one remaining civil suit from 2022. An NFL spokesperson declined comment when asked about the matter, per Jonathan Jones of NFL on CBS.
  • Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com has the details on Dak Prescott‘s new contract with the Cowboys. The four-year, $240MM extension features an $80MM signing bonus and $129MM guaranteed at signing. The quarterback will have another $40MM guaranteed next March, and another $45MM will be guaranteed the following March. The deal also includes a no-trade clause, a no-franchise tag clause, and a no-transition tag clause.
  • The NFL sent a memo to more than 20 players and their respective teams before Week 1, warning the players that they could face suspensions if they violated the safety and sportsmanship policies. While the players’ identities weren’t revealed, ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes that the individuals “have been penalized and scrutinized in the past,” with all of the players having been suspended over the past two years for on-the-field incidents.

Browns Add WR Kadarius Toney To Practice Squad

September 9th, 2024 at 6:03pm CST by Ben Levine

Kadarius Toney has found his next NFL gig. The wideout has landed with the Browns, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. It’s a practice squad deal for Toney.

The receiver was cut by the Chiefs at the end of the preseason, ending an underwhelming one-plus year stint with the organization. Over the past week, he worked out with both the Seahawks and the Browns, and Week 1 developments may have convinced him to sign with Cleveland.

Per Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz, the Browns wanted to add another pass-catcher after losing tight end David Njoku to a potential high ankle sprain. Rapoport hints that Toney might not earn a promotion for Week 2, but it shouldn’t take long until he finds himself on the field for the Browns.

The former first-round pick has shown brief flashes through his first three years in the NFL, but there’s also a good reason why he’s settling for taxi squad deals. Toney had 39 receptions as a rookie with the Giants, but that number slipped to 16 catches while splitting the 2022 campaign between New York and Kansas City. There was some hope after he hauled in seven catches during the Chiefs’ 2022 Super Bowl run, and he somewhat rebounded with 27 receptions in 2023. Still, that wasn’t enough to keep his gig with the Chiefs.

There are already plenty of offensive concerns in Cleveland after Deshaun Watson‘s miserable Week 1 performance. Things won’t get any easier with Njoku out of the lineup, and Toney’s addition won’t do much to turn around the team’s outlook. The team’s current WR depth chart is headlined by Amari Cooper, Jerry Jeudy, and Elijah Moore, with the likes of Jaelon Darden, 2023 third-round pick Cedric Tillman, and fifth-round rookie Jamari Thrash rounding out the receivers room. The Browns are also rostering additional WRs on the practice squad, including Michael Woods II, Lideatrick Griffin, James Proche, and David Bell.

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