HEADLINES

Ricardo Louis

Browns To Waive WR Ricardo Louis

April 1st, 2019 at 9:19am CST by Zachary Links

The Browns have waived yet another relic of the Sashi Brown era. On Monday, the Browns released wide receiver Ricardo Louis, according to a source who spoke with Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). 

The former fourth-round pick missed the entire 2018 campaign with a neck injury and his status going into 2019 is not entirely clear. In 2017, Louis enjoyed the best season of his young career with 27 catches for 357 yards, a step up from his 18 grabs for 205 yards as a rookie.

Louis’ rookie deal is inexpensive, so it’s possible that another team could pick him up off of waivers if he’s healthy. Louis’ contract, which has just one year to go, calls for just $720K in base salary. Meanwhile, the Browns are looking at $142K in dead money by releasing him.

In other Browns receiver news, new pickup Odell Beckham Jr. reported to the team on Monday. While Louis showed some flashes of potential, the Browns are expecting much larger results from OBJ, one of the league’s premier receivers.

Browns’ Ricardo Louis Done For Season

July 25th, 2018 at 12:25pm CST by Zachary Links

Browns wide receiver Ricardo Louis will not be able to suit up this season due to a neck injury that has not improved after surgery, head coach Hue Jackson told reporters on Wednesday. The Browns will place Louis on injured reserve, potentially leaving them without two key wide receivers to start the year. 

Already, the Browns were without star Josh Gordon this week after he suffered a setback in his recovery from substance abuse. With Gordon in limbo and Louis sidelined, Browns GM John Dorsey says that he is considering out-of-house options, including free agent wide receiver Dez Bryant.

Louis had 27 catches for 357 yards last season, a solid follow up to his 18 catches for 205 yards as a rookie. After sitting out the 2018 season, he’ll have two more years to go on his contract with Cleveland.

Minus Gordon and Louis, the Browns’ receiver group is projected to include Jarvis Landry, Corey Coleman, Rashard Higgins, Antonio Callaway, and potentially Jeff Janis and sixth-round pick Damion Ratley.

AFC North Notes: Bengals, Steelers, Browns

July 27th, 2017 at 5:49pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

When the NFL handed Bengals cornerback Adam Jones a one-game suspension last week, it appeared he would fight the ban. That won’t be the case, though, Jones announced Thursday. “You know, I take all accountability for what I did and my actions and my words. I accept it — the one game suspension — and I’m ready to move on, man,” Jones told reporters, including Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer. The 33-year-old’s suspension came after he was charged with three misdemeanors and a felony, though he was able to avoid jail time after pleading guilty to a lesser offense.

More from Cincinnati’s division…

  • Although the league conditionally reinstated Steelers wide receiver Martavis Bryant from a year-plus suspension in April, it still hasn’t cleared him to participate in training camp. General manager Kevin Colbert addressed the situation Thursday, stating: “Upon his conditional reinstatement in April, Martavis Bryant was made aware it was only the beginning of a process toward a return to being a full contributing member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. We have been informed by the NFL that Martavis is still in the process of being fully reinstated. Until that time, Martavis will be permitted to take part in off-the-field team activities at training camp, but he will not be permitted to practice or play in any games.”
  • As expected, Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell did not show up at training camp Thursday, as Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com was among those to report. The franchise-tagged star has not signed his $12.12MM tender, meaning he’s under no obligation to attend camp. Bell could follow in the footsteps of Chiefs safety Eric Berry and not report until the regular season is on the verge of beginning. That’s what Berry did last summer when he was unhappy with the fact that he had to play the season under the tag in lieu of a multiyear contract.
  • Browns wide receiver Ricardo Louis has hired super-agent Drew Rosenhaus to represent him, per Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com (Twitter link). As a fourth-round rookie last year, Louis started in three of 16 appearances and logged 18 catches for 205 yards. With three years left on his rookie deal and unspectacular production to date, a pay raise isn’t imminent for Louis.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

North Notes: Golson, Browns, Lions

June 18th, 2017 at 9:09am CST by Rory Parks

In the past few drafts, the Steelers have made a concerted effort to bolster their defensive backfield, an area that has been something of a weakness in the second half of the Ben Roethlisberger era. The team selected a cornerback on the first or second day of the last three drafts (Cam Sutton in 2017, Artie Burns in 2016, and Senquez Golson in 2015), and safety Sean Davis was selected in the second round of the 2016 draft. Pittsburgh’s secondary was improved last season, but after it was gashed by the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game, the Steelers’ coaching staff plans to implement more man coverage in 2017, as Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes. Dulac says the team is confident that Sutton and Burns can handle those concepts, but the staff is openly pessimistic about Golson, who has not played in a preseason or regular-season game in his two years in the league due to injuries. Golson, who is at least healthy enough to practice at the moment, seems to be on the verge of losing his roster spot altogether, and he may need to prove his worth on special teams just to make the club.

Now for more from the North:

  • Kenny Britt and Corey Coleman sit squarely atop the Browns‘ wide receiver depth chart, but the No. 3 job is wide open, and there are a number of second-years players who could fill that role. However, Dan Labbe of Cleveland.com says the team hopes Ricardo Louis, last year’s fourth-round selection, can be the guy. Though Louis appeared in all 16 games for the club last season, he caught just 18 passes for 205 yards, but given the big-play potential he flashed at Auburn, Cleveland will give him every opportunity to earn a key role this summer.
  • Speaking of Coleman, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com says he will be eased into the grind of training camp, and he may not be a full-go from the first day of camp. The same is true of 2017 No. 1 overall selection Myles Garrett, who suffered a left lateral foot sprain in minicamp.
  • Lions safety Miles Killebrew, a fourth-round selection in 2016, was a fixture in the team’s dime package last season, but as Kyle Meinke of MLive.com writes, Killebrew could be in for a much bigger role in 2017. The Southern Utah product is currently listed as the third safety on the depth chart behind Glover Quin and Tavon Wilson, but Meinke believes Killebrew could push Wilson for the starting strong safety job with a solid training camp. As we learned yesterday, the Lions and Quin are discussing a new contract.
  • Jake Rudock lost the Lions‘ backup quarterback competition to Dan Orlovsky last season because of Orlovsky’s experience and knowledge of the team’s offense, but now Rudock himself is the player with the experience advantage. As Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com writes, Rudock’s grasp of OC Jim Bob Cooter’s scheme is miles ahead of rookie Brad Kaaya‘s, thereby making Rudock almost a lock for the backup job.

Draft Rumors: Goff, Wentz, Cardale, Dixon

April 21st, 2016 at 9:44pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Rams have completed their predraft visits with Jared Goff and Carson Wentz, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). After trading up the No. 1 overall pick, there’s no doubt Los Angeles will select a quarterback, but there’s still a little mystery as to which one. Goff seems to be the favorite, but with the Rams meeting with both he and Wentz this week, we aren’t likely to know definitely unless the club announces their pick ahead of next Thursday:

Here’s the latest on the draft (one week away!):

  • Goff and Wentz are two of several quarterbacks expected to be taken in the first round, but Ohio State’s Cardale Jones is one of the more interesting options that figures to be available on Day 2 or 3. As Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com writes, Jones has attracted the attention of both the Cardinals and the Chargers — each club will make the trek to Columbus to meet with the signal-caller. Arizona and its downfield passing attack, particularly, would mesh well with Jones’ skill-set.
  • Louisiana Tech running back Kenneth Dixon has had a pre-draft visit with the 49ers, a source tells Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. In 2012, Dixon’s 27 rushing touchdowns led the nation and set an NCAA record for freshmen. The powerful back is expected to be a mid-round pick at the end of this month.
  • Southern Utah safety Miles Killebrew had a private workout with Buccaneers secondary coach Brett Maxie, according to Jenna Laine (Twitter link). Killebrew has had a busy schedule, as he’s had workouts with the Patriots, Cardinals, Titans, Panthers, and Browns, per Laine (Twitter link).
  • Auburn wide receiver Ricardo Louis visited the Texans this week, reports Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Louis is considered a pass-catcher, but per Wilson, he has done defensive back drills for some clubs.