Browns at it again

[Slapstick]

Buffalo is looking for a starter. If Rex wants to get his tattoo redone, Sanchez is available...but, Hoyer might be the best option....

[fordfixer]

Buffalo is looking for a starter. If Rex wants to get his tattoo redone, Sanchez is available...but, Hoyer might be the best option....

Rex already got it fixed


[url]http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/03/rex-ryan-tattoo-new-york-jets_n_6603350.html[/url]

[feltdizz]

O-H-I-O

only in Ohio.. smh.

[url]http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/12/man-poops-on-19-cars_n_6854396.html[/url]

Browns need to sign this guy up... he has moves.

[RuthlessBurgher]

O-H-I-O

only in Ohio.. smh.

[URL]http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/12/man-poops-on-19-cars_n_6854396.html[/URL]

Browns need to sign this guy up... he has moves.

Najeh Davenport would be proud.

I especially love the serial pooper map like this is an episode of Criminal Minds or something.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Report: Browns inquired about trading for Larry Fitzgerald

Posted by Mike Wilkening on March 16, 2015, 1:29 PM EDT

The Browns — the Browns? — making a play for a star wide receiver?

According to a published report, the Browns indeed went after one of the game’s long-time pass-catching standouts.

Cleveland attempted to acquire Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports. The talks occurred before Fitzgerald restructured his contract, the Plain Dealer said.

An eight-time Pro Bowler, the 31-year-old Fitzgerald is widely respected for his production and the way he plays the game. Though he was set to make $16 million in 2015, his acquisition would have helped the Browns’ credibility, not to mention their passing game.

The Browns have added ex-Dolphin Brian Hartline to their receiving corps, and they have also meet with ex-Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne Bowe. Both are nods to the Browns’ need for more pass-catching talent.

Fitzgerald would not have solely solved the issue, but he assuredly would have made Cleveland better, and in numerous ways.

[URL]http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/03/16/report-browns-attempted-to-deal-for-larry-fitzgerald/[/URL]

[RuthlessBurgher]

Randy Starks reaches two-year deal with Cleveland

Posted by Mike Wilkening on March 16, 2015, 2:45 PM EDT

The Browns have added another ex-Dolphin.

Cleveland has agreed to a two-year contract with former Dolphins defensive lineman Randy Starks, Jason La Canfora of CBS reported Monday. According to La Canfora, the deal is worth $8 million.

The 31-year-old Starks will likely play defensive end in Cleveland’s 3-4 front. A 10th-year pro from Maryland, Starks (6-3, 305) notched 28 tackles and 4.5 sacks a season ago.

The Dolphins released Starks last week. He is the second Miami player released to land with Cleveland. Last Monday, the Browns reached a two-year deal with former Dolphins wide receiver Brian Hartline, who could figure as a starter.

[URL]http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/03/16/randy-starks-reaches-two-year-deal-with-cleveland/[/URL]


Browns land Tramon Williams

Posted by Mike Wilkening on March 16, 2015, 3:09 PM EDT

The seventh day of free agency finds the Browns as deal-makers.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Cleveland has reached a three-year agreement with Packers cornerback Tramon Williams.

It’s a $21 million deal for Williams, NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reports.

The 32-year-old Williams was a defensive regular for Green Bay the last seven seasons, notching 447 tackles and intercepting 28 passes. He is the second cornerback to leave the Packers in free agency, with Davon House (Jacksonville) also departing.

Williams seems likely to start opposite of Joe Haden in Cleveland. His addition could leave 2014 first-round pick Justin Gilbert competing for time in “sub” packages.

Williams’s arrival should help offset the loss of cornerback Buster Skrine, who signed with the Jets.

Williams was PFT’s 47th-ranked free agent.

UPDATE 3:11 p.m. ET: The Browns have announced the signing of Williams.

[URL]http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/03/16/browns-land-tramon-williams/[/URL]

[RuthlessBurgher]

Reports: Browns offered 19th overall pick for Sam Bradford

Posted by Josh Alper on March 17, 2015, 3:13 PM EDT

After the Eagles traded for quarterback Sam Bradford, Eagles coach Chip Kelly said that he’d already been offered a first-round pick in a trade for Bradford.

Mike Florio wondered about which team might have been willing to make such an offer and came up with the Browns as a best guess. It may have been the right one.

Charley Casserly of NFL Media reported that it was the Browns, who own two first-round picks this year and an uncertain quarterback situation even after signing Josh McCown following his release by the Buccaneers, who made the offer. Adam Caplan of ESPN reported the same on Tuesday and added it was the 19th pick that they received in a trade with Buffalo during the first round last year that they were willing to deal.

It’s not clear whether they made the offer to the Rams, Eagles or both teams, but Bradford’s in Philadelphia and Kelly said last week that he didn’t bring Bradford to Philly to be a chip for another trade. The notion that could change has persisted because Marcus Mariota is available in the draft and reports of interest from Cleveland probably won’t do much to change that.

[URL]http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/03/17/reports-browns-offered-19th-overall-pick-for-sam-bradford/[/URL]

[RuthlessBurgher]

By Mike Florio
March 23, 2015, 7:52 PM EDT
Browns deny suggestion Haslam would trade for Titans

Under owner Jimmy Haslam, the Browns have become very active when it comes to making trades. And since they nearly traded in 2014 for a head coach, why not trade the entire franchise?

Via Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, a Browns spokesman has flatly denied a report from Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports that Haslam could potentially trade the Browns for the Titans.

“It’s 100% false,” the spokesman said. “There is no truth to the careless speculation from the reporter.”

With all due respect to the Browns, it feels like a lot more than “careless speculation” from La Canfora. For years, Haslam was believed to be one of the candidates to purchase the Titans, if/when the late Bud Adams or his estate ever opted to sell. Instead of waiting for the Titans to become available, Haslam opted to pounce on the Browns, selling a double-digit interest in the Steelers in order to acquire the Cleveland franchise.

Haslam didn’t buy the Browns because he wanted to buy the Browns. He bought the Browns because he wanted to own and operate an NFL team. If there were a way for Haslam to parlay his ownership of the Browns into the ownership of another franchise (like the one in his home state of Tennessee) why wouldn’t he consider it?

It wouldn’t be the first time NFL owners traded franchises. In the 1970s, Carroll Rosenbloom traded the Colts to Robert Irsay for the Rams. In this specific case, someone more interested in owning the Browns than owning the Titans would have to buy the Titans and trade the franchise to Haslam for the Browns.

The chances of another franchise swap are undoubtedly slim. But it would be naive to assume Haslam wouldn’t jump at the chance to get the team he would have bought instead of the Browns, if that team were also available when he bought the Browns.

It also would be naive to assume that the Browns would say anything other than the suggestion of a franchise swap is false unless and until it becomes something that definitely will happen.

[Discipline of Steel]

Report: Cleveland Browns could be 'Hard Knocks' favorites

Oh. So yeah, there might be one or two storylines with this year's program. It would almost be a major disappointment — short of the madball Philadelphia Eagles or Rex Ryan's Buffalo Bills circus landing the show — if HBO didn't come to Berea, Ohio this summer.
Here's a random sampling of what we could be in store for this August:
• Is Johnny Manziel healthy, (still) wealthy and wise?
• Will Josh Gordon be selling used cars outside the team facility in a Terrell Owens-esque bird to the team and league?
• Can Josh McCown use his powers of motivation and extreme mediocrity for good?
• How many times will team owner Jimmy Haslam speak, and of those times, how many will his foot stay out of his mouth?
• Can a Browns receiver score a touchdown? (This is no farce.)
• Will all of head coach Mike Pettine's hair fall out?
OK, so that last one might be a bit anticlimactic. But this is a team that is made for this sort of spectacle, and things could go horribly wrong, as many people believe, or things could turn upside down and this could be the start of the feel-good story of the fall.
Either way, we're watching it. You know, if it happens.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Report: Browns expect Johnny Manziel back for April workouts

Posted by Curtis Crabtree on March 24, 2015, 12:43 AM EDT

Johnny Manziel has spent over seven weeks in a rehab program for alcohol and substance abuse. However, the Cleveland Browns expect Manziel to be with the team for offseason workouts that are set to begin on April 20.

According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com, Manziel is an anticipating his release from the program in early April.

Browns general manager Ray Farmer did say Monday that the final decision on Manziel’s release remains with the personnel handling his rehabilitation. Nevertheless, the team expects he’ll be released in time to rejoin the team.

“I don’t think it’s in doubt,” Farmer said. “Again, I’m not the point person in that. So I would defer to those kind of controlling his care and let them decide what that looks like.”

Manziel had a dismal rookie season with Cleveland last year. He started only two games and did not throw a touchdown. Both starts resulted in Cleveland losses, including a 30-0 defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 16.

Despite the addition of Josh McCown this offseason, the Browns quarterback position isn’t vastly different from the group that finished last season. It leaves the door open for Manziel to make another push for the team’s starting job if he can get his off-field issues in order.

[URL]http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/03/24/report-browns-expect-johnny-manziel-back-for-april-workouts/[/URL]

[RuthlessBurgher]

Dwayne Bowe gets $9 million guaranteed from Browns

Posted by Nick Mensio on March 24, 2015, 10:35 AM EDT

Following his release from the Chiefs, Dwayne Bowe became one of the Browns’ “top offseason priorities.” The two sides eventually agreed to terms on a two-year contract, and by the looks of the money, Cleveland definitely valued Bowe.

According to Joel Corry of CBS Sports, Bowe’s two year deal is worth a total of $12.5 million and includes a whopping $9 million guaranteed. Entering his age-31 season, Bowe scored a $3.5 million signing bonus and gets 72 percent of his entire contract guaranteed. Among receivers, that’s the highest percentage guaranteed to a player not operating on his guaranteed first-round rookie deal or the fully guaranteed franchise tag.

It’s a sign the Browns are comfortable going into the season with Bowe and Brian Hartline as their starting outside receivers with Andrew Hawkins in the slot. The three players combined to score a total of four touchdowns on 162 catches last season.

Checkdown artist Alex Smith was a big drain on Bowe’s statistics in Kansas City, but going to Josh McCown isn’t viewed as an upgrade. McCown was one of the least-accurate passers in the league last season, though he did have a propensity for taking plenty of shots downfield. That’s something Smith would never consider.

[URL]http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/03/24/dwayne-bowe-gets-9-million-guaranteed-from-browns/[/URL]

[hawaiiansteel]

March 24 Updates

Browns sign WR Dwayne Bowe (2 years, $12,5M; $9M guaranteed): D Grade

Someone stop Ray Farmer before he hurts himself. The man is obviously crazy, as evidenced by some of his nonsensical moves this offseason. This latest signing might be the worst one yet.

What in the world made Farmer believe that Bowe should be given $9 million guaranteed? Long known as one of the most overrated receivers in the NFL, Bowe failed to score a touchdown last season with Alex Smith, so how can he be expected to be productive with an inferior Josh McCown? Bowe, who is unreliable because of poor hands and inconsistent route-running, turns 31 in September, so his best days are actually behind him.

I figured Bowe would have to settle for a 1-year "prove it" deal this offseason, but the Browns think giving him $9 million in guaranteed is a good idea. It's not. Bowe's sole motivation is clearly money; otherwise, he would've taken less to join a team with a talented quarterback to revive his career. Instead, he has signed in Cleveland, where he will slack off and effectively steal an incompetent owner's cash.

[URL]http://www.walterfootball.com/freeagentsigninggrades.php[/URL]

[K Train]

I dont really think its a bad signing or a bad deal.

Bowe was miscast in Andy Reids offense with a QB who didnt throw to WRs. Reid RAVED about him thought and how hard he worked, what a high effort player he is even thought they werent giving him the ball, and what good shape he was in.

I think bowe can easily still be a 1000+ yard receiver

[RuthlessBurgher]

Adam Schefter
5 mins ·
Browns and Falcons officials were informed at this week’s owners meetings of the discipline that is expected to be announced next week, per league sources. One source said the discipline is expected to be “severe.”

[RuthlessBurgher]

Sounds like Urban forgot to add "April Fools!" when he told reporters this.

Urban Meyer: Browns are “fantastic” at pre-draft due diligence

Posted by Josh Alper on April 1, 2015, 10:24 AM EDT

Ohio State coach Urban Meyer has dealt with a lot of NFL scouts over the course of his career with the Buckeyes and other teams and he knows that they aren’t all created equal.

Meyer said Tuesday that some of the teams “do a phenomenal job” when it comes to asking questions and finding out everything there is to know about a prospect. He’s also had teams pick his players without ever speaking to him and says that those teams that don’t do the legwork also fail to “win a bunch of games.”

Based on 2014 experiences, you might think Meyer would put the Browns in the latter category. First-round picks Johnny Manziel and Justin Gilbert both struggled in their first NFL seasons with Manziel winding up in rehab and Gilbert dealing with a “very personal” issue that the Browns first became aware of once he was already on the team. Meyer says that’s not the case, however.

“Not good, fantastic,” Meyer said, via Cleveland.com. “I really like their head coach. He’s knee deep in it.”

The Browns did hit on later picks with guard Joel Bitonio, linebacker Christian Kirksey and running back Terrance West contributing to the team and Isaiah Crowell joined West in the backfield after signing as an undrafted free agent. As anyone familiar with recent Browns history will tell you though, missing on big pieces like quarterbacks often sets you back more than those kinds of hits spring you forward and the Browns need one of those big hits to become a team that wins a bunch of their future games.

[URL]http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/04/01/urban-meyer-browns-are-fantastic-at-pre-draft-due-diligence/[/URL]