Cleveland Browns Rumors & News - Pro Football Rumors

Browns To Cut TE Austin Hooper

March 16th, 2022 at 9:39am CST by Zachary Links

The Browns are releasing tight end Austin Hooper (Twitter link via Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com). Using the post-June 1 designation, the Browns will spread his dead money hit across the next two seasons, rather than all at once.

The Browns were giving serious thought to keeping Hooper alongside breakout star David Njoku. At least, that was their public position. In reality, there was little sense in keeping both players.

It’s been almost two years since Hooper inked a then record-breaking deal for tight ends, one that was slated to run through 2024. Now, instead of keeping him around as a secondary TE target in their Baker Mayfield-led offense, the Browns will cut Hooper to save $2MM on the 2022 books. Meanwhile, the $11.25MM dead money charge will be split between ’22 and ’23.

Hooper, still only 27, should hold appeal for TE-needy teams elsewhere. While his Cleveland run has been forgettable, it wasn’t long ago that he notched two consecutive Pro Bowl nods with the Falcons.

Browns To Sign Jakeem Grant

March 16th, 2022 at 8:43am CST by Zachary Links

The Browns have agreed to sign return man/wide receiver Jakeem Grant (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). His three-year deal — to be finalized later today —could be worth up to $13.8MM.

Grant, a 2016 sixth-round pick of the Dolphins, proved to be serviceable on offense during his time in Miami. In 2020, for example, he managed 36 receptions for 373 yards. He truly started earning league-wide recognition for his special teams prowess, however. That year, he returned 29 punts for 330 yards and one touchdown.

He was acquired by the Bears midway through the 2021 season in exchange for a sixth-round pick. In total, he got into 17 games between Miami and Chicago last year, finishing with 309 punt return yards, including a franchise-record 97-yard punt return against the Packers. Grant also earned his first career Pro Bowl appearance in 2021.

Now, he’ll go from the NFC North to the AFC North with the Browns. He should give Cleveland a big upgrade on punt returns as he replaces Demetric Felton (7.1 ypr).

Falcons To Meet With Deshaun Watson

March 15th, 2022 at 7:18pm CST by Zachary Links

7:18pm: Watson will meet with the Falcons on Wednesday, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com tweets. The 26-year-old quarterback is a Georgia native, heading to Clemson from Gainesville, Ga., and once worked as a Falcons ball boy. Watson and the Browns finished their meeting Tuesday.

We might be moving close to a trade resolution here, though that is obviously only part of this saga. The Texans appear to have approved trade compensation from the Browns, Panthers and Saints, Dianna Russini of ESPN.com tweets. The Watson meetings were contingent upon it. This would point to the Falcons having made a satisfactory offer as well. Watson reached out to the Falcons about a meeting, Russini adds (on Twitter).

10:55am: The Falcons have emerged as a sleeper team to trade for Deshaun Watson, according to league sources who spoke with Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com (Twitter link). With that, they join the Panthers, Saints, and Browns on the known list of clubs in pursuit of the Texans quarterback.

Watson is set to meet with the Browns today. As of this writing, the Saints and Panthers are the only clubs reported to have made an offer. Still, the Browns have done plenty of research on Watson – both before trading that fateful draft pick to the Texans and after.

Matt Ryan completed 67% of his passes for 3,968 yards and 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions last year. Those numbers are more or less in line with his career averages, though the Falcons are now years removed from their last Super Bowl appearance.

The Falcons could see Watson as the solution, though Ryan just agreed to restructure his contract last week. It’s also possible that the Falcons are simply doing their due diligence and/or looking to raise the asking price for their NFC South rivals. The Panthers and Saints are both keenly interested in the embattled QB — even if the Falcons don’t trade for him, they could help to chip away at their draft capital.

Thanks to Ryan’s restructuring, the Falcons opened up an additional $12MM on their 2022 books. On the heels of that move, they hammered out a brand new $50MM+ extension with veteran lineman Jake Matthews.

NFL Announces Compensatory Picks For 2022 Draft

March 15th, 2022 at 5:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

The NFL has awarded compensatory draft picks for teams in the 2022 draft. These picks are awarded to the teams that suffered the most significant free agent losses during the 2021 offseason.

This year, the NFL awarded 39 comp picks. The comp pick formula assigns picks to franchises who suffered the largest net losses, so teams that signed multiple free agents have a lesser chance of receiving picks.

This year’s formula also includes the changes made last year, when teams began receiving third-round comp picks due to the hiring of minority head coaches and general managers. Seven such picks were awarded this year. The 49ers landed two additional third-rounders this year, obtaining the extra selections for the Jets’ 2021 Robert Saleh hire and the Dolphins hiring Mike McDaniel this year. Miami’s McDaniel hire will give San Francisco another third-rounder in 2023.

The Chiefs obtained a third-rounder for the Bears’ Ryan Poles GM hire, while the Browns landed a third because of the Vikings’ Kwesi Adofo-Mensah GM hire. The Ravens collected their second third-round for the Texans’ 2021 David Culley hire; Culley has since been fired. The Saints and Rams obtained one apiece after seeing the Falcons and Lions hire minority execs Terry Fontenot and Brad Holmes as GMs in 2021. New Orleans and Detroit also landed thirds because of players given high-value contacts last year (Trey Hendrickson and Kenny Golladay, respectively).

Here is the full list of 2022 compensatory selections:

By round:

Round 3: Lions (No. 97 overall), Saints (98), Browns (99)*, Ravens (100)*, Saints (101)*, 49ers (102)*, Chiefs (103)*, Rams (104)*, 49ers (105)*

Round 4: Steelers (No. 138), Ravens (139), Packers (140), Ravens (141), Rams (142), Titans (143)

Round 5: Cowboys (No. 176), Lions (177), Cowboys (178), Colts (179)

Round 6: Rams (No. 211), Rams (212), Falcons (213), Chargers (214), Cardinals (215), Colts (216), Lions (217), Rams (218), Titans (219), 49ers (220), 49ers (221)

Round 7: Chargers (No. 254), Chargers (255), Cardinals (256), Cardinals (257), Packers (258), Chiefs (259), Chargers (260), Buccaneers (261), 49ers (262)

By team:

San Francisco 49ers (5)
Los Angeles Rams (5)
Los Angeles Chargers (4)
Arizona Cardinals (3)
Baltimore Ravens (3)
Detroit Lions (3)
Dallas Cowboys (2)
Green Bay Packers (2)
Indianapolis Colts (2)
Kansas City Chiefs (2)
New Orleans Saints (2)
Tennessee Titans (2)
Atlanta Falcons (1)
Cleveland Browns (1)
Pittsburgh Steelers (1)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1)

* = special compensatory selection

Browns Join Cowboys, Rams In Mix For Von Miller

March 15th, 2022 at 5:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

Count the Browns as a third team in the hunt for Von Miller, joining the Cowboys and Rams. Cleveland, which has seen Jadeveon Clowney reach free agency, is interested in signing the future Hall of Fame edge rusher, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com reports.

This market has heated to the point a $16MM-per-year deal will be considered the low end, with Wilson adding it could reach the point of a $20MM-AAV contract. Miller played out his six-year, $114.1MM Broncos-constructed deal in Los Angeles but indicated he would explore free agency for the first time.

The Rams have made their interest known for weeks, but the Cowboys have dived into this market after losing Randy Gregory to the Broncos at the final hour. Miller previously said he wanted to return to L.A., and a report earlier Tuesday indicated the Dallas-area native is interested in playing for his hometown team. The Browns represent a wild card here.

Cleveland already rosters one of the highest-paid defensive players, having given Myles Garrett a $25MM-per-year pact in 2020. Miller would mark a considerable pass-rushing upgrade on Clowney, who is more of an all-around defender than an elite sack artist. Miller, 33 next week, is perhaps this generation’s best pass rusher. He again showed those chops to close out his contract year, registering nine sacks in the Rams’ final eight games to help the franchise to its second Super Bowl title.

Cap space-wise, the Cowboys have created enough in recent days to lead the way with $28MM-plus. The Browns hold nearly $20MM, while the Rams possess … less money. A day away from the 2022 league year, Los Angeles still sits more than $20MM over the cap.

Latest On Baker Mayfield’s Future With Browns

March 15th, 2022 at 4:16pm CST by Ben Levine

Deshaun Watson could potentially land in Cleveland, but that doesn’t mean Baker Mayfield would be sent to Houston. According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, Mayfield isn’t a part of the Browns’ trade offer to the Texans.

The Texans are focused on acquiring picks, including a handful of firsts. The Browns’ offer is presumably based on draft capital, and that’s fine with Mayfield…per Cabot, Houston “likely wouldn’t be his top choice for a landing spot.”

If the Browns do somehow acquire Watson, Mayfield would obviously be sent packing in a separate trade, and Cabot notes that the losers of the Watson sweepstakes could pivot to the former first-overall pick. In this hypothetical, the Panthers and Saints would be among the “losers,” and Cabot also mentions the Colts and Seahawks as potential suitors for Mayfield.

In fact, considering the optics of the Watson pursuit, Mayfield might find himself traded even if Cleveland doesn’t complete a deal with Houston. As Cabot writes, Mayfield “would undoubtedly find it awkward to return to Cleveland in 2022 and start for a team that took the Haslams private jet to Houston on Tuesday afternoon to woo his possible replacement.” Mayfield was also critical of Kevin Stefanski’s playcalling last season, and the QB famously hasn’t inked an extension. Mayfield’s future with the organization always seemed like it was on thin ice, but his exit from Cleveland could come sooner than expected.

There’s always a chance that the Browns don’t land Watson, and the organization and Mayfield kiss and make up. However, as Cabot notes, “the visit with Watson seems like a dealbreaker.”

Texans To Sign S M.J. Stewart

March 15th, 2022 at 1:24pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Texans may have found their Justin Reid replacement. The team has signed safety M.J. Stewart to a one-year, $3MM deal (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network).

Stewart, 26, was a second round pick of the Buccaneers in 2018. He only played two seasons in Tampa Bay, however, and was waived in August 2020. Injuries played a role in the decision to move on from the former Tar Heel, who had originally been drafted as a corner.

The Browns claimed Stewart off waivers, where he played in 29 games, including three starts. He totalled 69 tackles, two interceptions and seven passes defensed in Cleveland, while also seeing significant special teams duties. More notably, however, was the improvement he showed in pass coverage compared to his time in Tampa. Stewart had a career year in that regard in 2021; he allowed a completion percentage of 63%, and a passer rating of 84.7.

In large part due to his newfound effectiveness defending the pass, Stewart received an impressive PFF grade of 83.8. That outweighs Reid’s evaluation by a considerable margin, which gives this deal the potential to be one of the more valuable under-the-radar deals of the offseason. At a minimum, the Texans will have some experienced depth on the back end.

Browns To Release J.C. Tretter

March 15th, 2022 at 10:52am CST by Adam La Rose

The Browns have made a cost-cutting move on the offensive line. The team is releasing center J.C. Tretter, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). The move saves the team roughly $8.2MM in cap space.

The 31-year-old was recently named as a cut candidate, given his projected cap hit of over $9.8MM in 2022. That was the final year of his contract. After five seasons in Cleveland, the former fourth round pick will now look for a new home.

After three season in Green Bay, Tretter joined the Browns in 2017, and was the team’s full-time starter at center for his entire tenure there. That durability led general manager Andrew Berry to recently compliment the veteran, despite the questions around his contract status.

“J.C.’s been a real productive veteran for us, he’s been a starter since 2017 for us and played a lot of really good football, we expect him to continue to play some really good football” Berry said. Given today’s news, though, the team will be moving in a new direction looking for a younger, less expensive option in the middle of their offensive front.

Tretter – the president of the NFLPA – has remained a consistent if unspectacular player during his career. He has never been named a Pro Bowler, but has earned a PFF grade of at least 72 in each of the past four seasons. Now, he will enter a center market which has shrunk considerably in recent days. Beside Bradley Bozeman, Tretter will likely find himself near the top of the list for available options.

Deshaun Watson To Meet With Browns

March 15th, 2022 at 9:12am CST by Adam La Rose

After visiting two NFC South rivals vying to trade for him, Deshaun Watson has a third team meeting lined up. Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson reports that the quarterback will sit down with the Browns today.

Wilson adds that while New Orleans and Carolina have been at the forefront of pitching the three-time Pro Bowler to come to their respective clubs, Cleveland is amongst the others that are still interested. As he writes, the Browns “are not entirely sold on moving forward with Baker Mayfield as their starting quarterback and have fielded exploratory trade calls”.

The only two teams known to have made trade offers for the 26-year-old are the aforementioned Saints and Panthers, but it was reported last week that Cleveland has been keeping a close eye on his legal situation. After trading the pick Houston used to draft Watson in 2017, the Browns were said to have “done their homework” on him, leaving open the possibility of a trade.

Mayfield is under contract for one more season, the fifth-year option on his rookie contract. It carries a value of $18.8MM and is fully guaranteed. While Cleveland has stated their intentions of keeping the former No. 1 pick recently, they are clearly willing to at least entertain the thought of adding an upgrade at the QB spot. Mayfield struggled throughout the 2021 campaign, playing through injury while the Browns fell well short of expectations. Nothing tangible would come from this meeting without Watson being willing to waive his no-trade clause, to say nothing of the trade compensation which the Texans would ask for to make a swap possible.

The Seahawks have also been named as a potential suitor for Watson now that the franchise needs a Russell Wilson replacement. For now, though, the list of teams willing to go as far as meeting in person with the embattled star has increased to three.

Patriots Trade Chase Winovich To Browns

March 15th, 2022 at 8:35am CST by Zachary Links

The Patriots have agreed to send outside linebacker Chase Winovich (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). In exchange, the Browns will send linebacker Mack Wilson to the Patriots. The trade will be processed tomorrow at 4pm ET/3pm CT, when the new league year officially begins.

“I am so grateful for my experience in New England,” Winovich tweeted. “The love, spirit, and support have been absolutely unreal. This entire region will always hold the most special of places in my heart. The time is now for the next chapter of my journey. ”

Winovich, 27 in April, notched 5.5 sacks in each of his first two pro seasons. Last year, he saw a little less action as he appeared in 13 games with zero starts and notched just eleven tackles in total. For his career, Winovich has 45 regular season appearances (nine starts) with 85 tackles, eleven sacks, one interception, two passes defensed, and one forced fumble.

It’s a similar story for Wilson, who has slipped down the Browns’ depth chart in each pro season. Last year, he saw a near even split between special teams and defense, notching 42 tackles across his 14 games. Across the last three years, he’s got 163 tackles, one sack, nine passes defensed, one forced fumble, and one interception to his credit.