Kenny Britt - Pro Football Rumors

AFC North Notes: Browns, Kizer, Steelers

December 13th, 2017 at 3:06pm CST by Zachary Links

Browns rookie DeShone Kizer is out to prove that he can be the quarterback of the future in Cleveland.

“Every time I step out onto the field it’s about doing whatever I can to prove to my teammates and to this organization who I am as a quarterback and as a competitor,” said Kizer (via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com). “I look forward to being in Cleveland for a long time and I look forward to winning for a long time. Every rep that I get, it’s about making sure everyone knows exactly who I am.”

Still, Cabot argues that the Browns have no real choice but to use their top draft pick in 2018 on a quarterback. Kizer has shown promise at times, but someone from the group of Josh Rosen, Sam Darnold, and Josh Allen may provide greater upside. If the Browns finish out with the No. 1 pick – which seems very likely – and come to a consensus on someone from that trio, Kizer’s days in Cleveland could be numbered. Or, at the very least, he could find himself holding the clipboard next year.

Here’s more from the AFC North:

Browns head coach Hue Jackson says that wide receiver Kenny Britt did not ask for his release. “I can clarify that for sure,” Jackson said (Twitter link via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal). On Wednesday, the Patriots formally signed Britt to a two-year deal.
Steelers cornerback Joe Haden will practice this week after missing a month with a broken leg, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Before the injury, Haden was on the field for almost every Pittsburgh defensive snap. Haden still ranks as the No. 32 cornerback in the league among 117 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus.
This week, Robert Griffin III said that he nearly signed with the Ravens this year. Thanks to being benched in his final year with the Redskins, injuries in 2016, and his lack of employment in 2017, Griffin has appeared in just five games over the last three seasons.

Patriots Sign Kenny Britt

December 13th, 2017 at 1:14pm CST by Zachary Links

The Patriots have signed former Browns wide receiver Kenny Britt to a two-year deal, as first reported by Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter) and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). The team confirmed the move in a press release on Wednesday.

Britt visited the Pats on Tuesday and it didn’t take long for the two sides to get down to brass tacks. Rapoport hears that New England was Britt’s preferred landing spot.

The Patriots stood out as a strong contender to land Britt after he cleared waivers. After all, the Patriots have an affinity for ex-Rutgers players (likely fueled by their connection to former RU head coach Greg Schiano) and they have a clear need at receiver with multiple injuries in that unit.

Bill Belichick also has a track record for getting the most out of players with perceived attitude problems. Back in 2007, many in the football world figured that Randy Moss‘ best days were behind him after a rocky stint in Oakland. For the low price of a fourth-round pick, the Patriots wound up with one of the game’s most lethal offensive weapons. Britt does not have the talent of Moss in his prime, but he has demonstrated game-breaking ability in the past. Britt was an abject bust for the Browns, and an expensive one at that. Still, he’s just one year removed from a 1,000+ yard campaign with the Rams.

If he can quickly familiarize himself with the playbook, Britt could be in for a prominent role right off of the bat. Top targets Malcolm Mitchell and Julian Edelman have been parked on IR, leaving Britt an opportunity to crack the rotation. Brandin Cooks, Chris Hogan, Danny Amendola, Phillip Dorsett, and Matt Slater currently stand as the team’s top five receivers.

The Patriots, who fell to 10-3 after being upset by Miami, are seeking to lock down a first-round bye in the final three games of the season. Meanwhile, Britt’s former team continues to look for its first win of the 2017 season.

In related moves, the Pats signed defensive lineman Ricky Jean-Francois and cut wide receiver Bernard Reedy. Meanwhile, offensive lineman Marcus Cannon has been placed on IR.

Kenny Britt Becomes Free Agent

December 11th, 2017 at 4:14pm CST by Zachary Links

Former Browns wide receiver Kenny Britt has gone unclaimed on waivers (Twitter link via Field Yates of ESPN.com). He is now a free agent and eligible to sign with another team immediately.

In his first act as Browns GM, John Dorsey released Britt. The Rutgers product was regarded as one of this offseason’s top free agents, but he failed to produce in Cleveland. The Browns erased him from the roster, but they could not erase their financial obligation to the mercurial wide receiver. Since no one claimed Britt on waivers (as expected), the Browns are still on the hook for $10.5MM in total.

No one wanted to take on Britt’s four-year, $32.5MM contract, but he could be an intriguing low-cost addition for playoff teams. The Patriots have a history of going for ex-Rutgers players and they use a receiver like Britt in the wake of multiple injuries to their WR group. Britt may be perceived as a threat to the balance of the locker room, but Bill Belichick has successfully gambled on unusual personalities in the past.

Britt had just 18 catches for 233 yards and two touchdowns for the Browns. However, he’s just a year removed from a 1,000+ yard season with the Rams.

AFC North Notes: Shazier, Britt, McCarron

December 10th, 2017 at 12:22pm CST by Rory Parks

Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier underwent spinal stabilization surgery Wednesday night in Pittsburgh, and Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports that Shazier continues to show gradual improvement, though he remains hospitalized. Per Schefter, doctors are controlling and limiting Shazier’s movement as they wait for the swelling and bruising in his back to subside, and it is of course too soon to determine if he will be able to play again. Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports adds that Shazier is expected to remain in the hospital for a few more days, but that his prognosis is “optimistic.”

Now let’s take a swing around the rest of the AFC North:

Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun writes that, before Jimmy Smith‘s season-ending Achilles tear last week, there was talk that the Ravens could release Brandon Carr to create cap space and rely on Smith and the team’s cadre of young and talented corners. Zrebiec, though, thought that was a bad idea before the Smith injury, and he believes it’s even worse now. Carr has played reasonably well, and Smith’s latest injury is just further proof that Baltimore cannot count on him for a full season (he may not even be ready for the start of 2018). Zrebiec thinks the Ravens should not only retain Carr, but they should also continue to bolster their CB corps.
It does not sound as if the Browns will face any discipline for their alleged violation of the Rooney Rule in their hiring of John Dorsey. La Canfora reports that he spoke last night with John Wooten, chairman of the Fritz Pollard Alliance, and Wooten indicated that his concerns with Cleveland’s GM search have been addressed. Wooten added that he has no issue with the hiring of the highly-qualified Dorsey (Twitter links).
The waiver period for claiming the contract of former Browns wide receiver Kenny Britt ends tomorrow at 4pm, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk observes. While Cleveland would love for someone to claim Britt off waivers, thereby absolving the Browns of the balance of his salary, that seems unlikely at this point. Florio writes that Britt wants to sign with a playoff contender if he clears waivers, and that the Patriots could be a team to watch in that scenario.
A ruling on A.J. McCarron‘s grievance will be made in February, as La Canfora reports. The Bengals‘ backup QB has argued that he should be an unrestricted free agent when the 2018 league year opens, while the league feels he should be a restricted free agent. In any event, the matter will be resolved before free agency gets underway.

Browns Release Kenny Britt

December 8th, 2017 at 3:05pm CST by Zachary Links

The Browns have released Kenny Britt, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears. Because the trade deadline has come and gone, Britt will be subject to waivers.

This marks John Dorsey‘s first move as Browns GM, and it’s a massive one. This past offseason, the Browns signed Britt to a four-year, $32.5MM deal. He was a monumental disappointment, however, with just 18 catches for 233 yards and two scores to date.

The story on Britt hasn’t changed much since his collegiate days. Although he is a tremendously talented athlete, his suspect work ethic has prevented him from fulfilling his true potential. The Titans used a first-round pick on him in 2009, but he floundered after his first two NFL seasons. The light appeared to go on for Britt last year when he eclipsed 1,000 yards for the Rams, but one has to wonder if he was motivated strictly by his impending free agency.

There was internal conflict between head coach Hue Jackson and former Browns czar Sashi Brown about whether to play Britt, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. Jackson was not a fan of the temperamental wide receiver, so it sounds like Dorsey is off on the right foot with his coach. Jackson benched Britt on Oct. 29 against the Vikings and sent him home early when he missed curfew on the eve of their Oct. 15 game against the Texans (Britt was injured, but did not make it back to the team hotel until 1 a.m.).

The league’s 31 other teams will have an opportunity to claim Britt, but it’s not terribly likely that anyone will take on his contract. Meanwhile, the Browns are out $10.5MM – the amount fully guaranteed to him at the time of signing.

AFC Rumors: Browns, Lynch, Broncos, Jets

October 21st, 2017 at 8:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

Kenny Britt is now on thinner ice with the Browns despite his lucrative free agent deal, but there’s now a report that the Browns made an exception to their curfew policy. Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports the Browns previously did not enforce their 11 p.m. curfew on injured players. Both Britt and Corey Coleman were declared out for the Texans game, and Schefter reports Britt did not get back to the team hotel until around 1:15 a.m. It’s unclear why the Browns apparently changed their policy, which resulted in Britt and Coleman being sent home. Although, Schefter reports the wideouts returned to Cleveland at the same time as their team. However, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk doesn’t believe the team that employs Josh Gordon and the one that drafted Johnny Manziel would have a double standard like this, where injured players could stay out much longer than their teammates who are preparing to play.

Here’s the latest from around the AFC.

The NFL revealed Friday it planned to explore fines and a suspension for Marshawn Lynch, and it came forth with a one-game ban for the Raiders running back. However, Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports the league will not impose any additional fines on Lynch — other than the docked game check he’ll miss if this suspension is upheld. Lynch stands to lose $110K, from a portion of his base salary and $500K roster bonus. The maximum fine he was facing, if the NFL didn’t go through with the suspension, was $60K.
The Broncos cut both Ahtyba Rubin and Kyle Peko from their 53-man roster this week, and some of the reasoning behind these moves centered on Zach Kerr improving to the point he can contribute after a lengthy injury absence, Mike Klis of 9News notes (on Twitter). Signed in March after the Colts non-tendered him, Kerr was expected to be a key rotation presence at defensive end and nose tackle prior to suffering a preseason knee malady. He’s played in one game for the Broncos this season.
A Muhammad Wilkerson release has emerged as a key Jets topic this week, and ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini indeed expects Gang Green to follow through with this after the season (Twitter link). Wilkerson has not been the same player since signing his landmark extension at the 2016 franchise tag deadline, with injuries playing a role in that. While the Jets would incur a $9MM dead-money charge — which could be spread out over multiple years if Wilkerson is a post-June 1 cut — they would also save $11MM by parting with the seventh-year veteran.
Jay Ajayi‘s chemistry with Jay Cutler may be suffering because of a chronic knee condition that keeps the Dolphins running back out of at least one practice per week, Roy Cummings of FloridaFootballInsiders.com notes. Miami OC Clyde Christensen said Ayaji’s condensed practice time is limiting his development as a pass-catcher. Ajayi has just seven receptions (on 12 targets) for 23 yards through five games. He wasn’t used much in the passing game last season, but the third-year running back remains productive on the ground with his 391 rushing yards ranking seventh in the league.

Kenny Britt’s Roster Spot In Jeopardy?

October 21st, 2017 at 2:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

While neither Kenny Britt nor Corey Coleman were going to play in what turned out to be a 16-point Browns loss against the Texans, the wide receivers did not get to view the game from NRG Stadium.

The Browns sent both of their Week 1 starters home because of curfew violations, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com reports. Both injured players were not allowed to be with the team during the 33-17 loss, adding more tumult to a Browns season that’s been chock full of it.

Britt, who has battled injuries and poor play this season, received a warning from the Browns, with Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reporting newly acquired pass-catcher’s roster spot is not a given any longer. Cabot reports Britt was told he could be cut if he doesn’t “shape up.”

Knee and groin maladies sidelined the underperforming free agent signing the past two weeks. Those ailments stood to make Britt inactive in Houston, but Cabot reports Britt’s play was a factor in the Hue Jackson-led staff deeming him inactive against the Texans.

Britt is questionable for Sunday’s Titans game in Cleveland.

Both Britt and Coleman met with Cleveland’s coaching staff and apologized, Garafolo reports. Coleman is on IR with a broken hand. Britt has been a disappointment since signing a four-year, $32.5MM deal in March, making just eight catches for 121 yards through four games, and this incident did not help the ninth-year veteran’s stock with the franchise.

North Notes: Long, Browns, Lions, Harrison

September 23rd, 2017 at 4:49pm CST by Sam Robinson

Kyle Long will return to action Sunday after missing 10 games, between the 2016 and ’17 seasons, with a severe ankle injury. The veteran Bears guard shed some light on why the recovery took so long after the November 2016 setback. Long said (via Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune) he “tore everything but his Achilles” during a gruesome sequence in the Bears’ eighth game last season. This included four ankle ligament tears. No broken bones occurred, but this induced the lengthy rehab process. It’s been more than 10 months since the Bears’ three-time Pro Bowl blocker stepped on a field for a game. Long’s father, Hall of Famer Howie Long, said he should have started training camp on the PUP list to prevent from attempting to come back too early.

Here’s the latest from the North divisions as its teams make final preparations for their third regular-season games.

Kenny Britt‘s Browns tenure has not started off well. The 29-year-old wide receiver has just two receptions for 15 yards, on five targets. Recent practice squad promotion Rashard Higgins more than doubled Britt’s season target figure in Week 2. When the Browns signed Britt to a four-year, $32MM contract in March, an anonymous NFL executive told cleveland.com’s Terry Pluto the deal came with risk because Britt could become an “attitude problem.” Pluto characterizes Britt as having trouble in this department while with the Titans before re-routing his career with the Rams with a 1,000-yard season in 2016. Now paid handsomely by a non-contending team, Britt has an uphill battle to prove he’s worth the investment. The bulk of Britt’s guaranteed money will be paid out this season, but the ninth-year veteran’s 2018 dead-money figure is higher than the cap savings that would come the Browns’ way with a release.
DeShone Kizer left last weekend’s game due to migraine headaches. Pluto notes the Browns were aware of this trouble, but since the issue never impeded the quarterback during a game at Notre Dame, the Browns didn’t deem it a medical red flag. A waiver claim last year, 2016 fifth-round pick Kevin Hogan came on in relief of Kizer and has usurped Cody Kessler for the backup job.
Teryl Austin‘s been a frequent visitor for teams seeking head coaching interviews in recent years. He met with the Chargers in January and spoke with the Browns, Dolphins, Giants and Eagles in 2016. The veteran Lions DC has yet to receive a chance to lead a team, and while Austin said last year he felt only two of his 2016 interviews were legitimate, some teams may have had issues with the DC’s ideas for a staff, Kyle Meinke of MLive.come notes. However, Meinke adds Austin has rectified those seemingly minor concerns, and teams “love the way he’s interviewed.” If the Lions turn in a solid defensive performance this season, Meinke envisions the 52-year-old defensive mind landing a coaching gig in 2018.
When T.J. Watt went down with a groin injury in Week 2, Anthony Chickillo, not James Harrison, replaced the rookie. The Steelers have Harrison his first DNP-CD since 2003, and the 39-year-old linebacker addressed these concerns this week. “Just doing what I’m asked,” Harrison said, via Chris Adamnski of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “You’re not going to get any other answer than that. So if you have any other questions about playing time, you ask coach T (Mike Tomlin).” Tomlin said Chickillo’s insertion into the game came because he wanted to “leave the hot hands in there.” Harrison started seven games last season and rated as one of Pro Football Focus’ best edge defenders. Steelers outside linebackers coach Joey Porter said earlier this year he plans to use Harrison as a relief pitcher of sorts despite the two-year deal the outside ‘backer signed in March. The franchise is following through with that plan so far.

Contract Details: Britt, Wagner, Broncos

March 11th, 2017 at 10:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

Let’s take a look at the details of some recently signed free agent contracts:

Kenny Britt‘s four-year Browns deal will provide the ninth-year wide receiver with $10.5MM fully guaranteed at signing, per Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Britt will collect $17MM over the first two seasons of this deal, Caplan reports.
The Lions‘ lavish accord for Ricky Wagner raises the right tackle ceiling, although the base salaries in this contract don’t reflect that early. Wagner will see $3MM in base salary in 2017 and ’18 before those figures spike to $9MM per year from 2019-21, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports. Wagner’s deal provides $17.5MM in true guarantees, with his 2018 salary being fully guaranteed on the fifth day of the ’18 league year, per Birkett. Wagner’s 2019 base salary is guaranteed against injury. He received a $14.5MM signing bonus, while the former Raven’s cap hits will be $5.9MM in each of the next two seasons.
D.J. Fluker‘s one-year Giants pact is expected to be worth $3MM, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv reports. That’s quite a bit lower than what the Chargers would have paid him ($8.82MM) if they kept him after picking up his fifth-year option.
Menelik Watson‘s three-year, $18.75MM Broncos accord will give the British blocker $5.375MM in fully guaranteed money at signing, Mike Klis of 9News reports. Watson received a $4MM signing bonus. The former Raider will have a $5.5MM guaranteed-against-injury salary in 2018 and is due a nonguaranteed $5.5MM amount in 2019.
Ronald Leary‘s four-year contract with the Broncos also comes with a fully guaranteed 2018 salary, which will pay former Cowboy $7.65MM for his age-29 season, per Klis. Leary is slated to make $8.15MM in 2019 and ’20, respectively. His 2019 base salary is guaranteed against injury only, with the ’20 slate being nonguaranteed.
Russell Shepard‘s three-year Panthers deal will be worth $10.5MM, Jenna Laine of ESPN.com reports. The contract includes a $2MM signing bonus and $2.5MM guaranteed. Laine notes the former Bucs wideout will make $4MM in 2017.
Sealver Siliga‘s one-year Buccaneers deal can max out at $1.5MM, Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times tweets. The contract contains a $200K signing bonus and a $100K roster bonus for the nomadic defensive lineman.

Browns To Sign WR Kenny Britt

March 9th, 2017 at 8:39am CST by Zachary Links

They’re really starting to fly off the board now. The Browns are expected to sign wide receiver Kenny Britt, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. Once finalized, Britt’s deal is expected to be a four-year, $32.5MM pact with $17MM guaranteed.

The signing could mean that Terrelle Pryor will end up elsewhere. There was strong mutual interest in a return, but it’s not likely that there is room for both receivers. It’s possible that agent Drew Rosenhaus overplayed his hand, but we won’t know until Pryor lands and his contract terms are made public.

Britt managed to turn in his first career 1,000+ yard campaign in 2016, despite playing in the NFL’s worst offense. A skeptic might wonder why Britt waited until his contract year to break out in this fashion. Before last season, Britt’s previous watermark was 775 yards receiving (in 2010).

I predicted Britt would fetch the fourth-highest deal of any receiver on the open market and also had him as the fourth-best receiver in free agency based on ability. Britt made just a shade over $4MM in 2016, so his new deal represents a significant pay bump.

The 49ers, Cowboys, and Giants were among the teams with Britt on the radar, but he’ll be going to Cleveland instead.