Cleveland has not been a hot NFL free agent destination for most of the 21st century. The Browns have attracted a particular type of free agent, and it’s not the kind who are looking to win championships in the immediate future.
But that’s precisely the kind of free agents the Browns are luring in now. Winning is contagious and it’s also attractive to players in search of a new team.
Take the quotes from three of the newest Browns, all of whom kept the same basic vibe going during their introductory press conferences with the team.
Safety John Johnson, who came from being a starter on the Los Angeles Rams and played in a Super Bowl for L.A., stated “it’s the opportunity of a lifetime to come to Cleveland.”
Linebacker Anthony Walker was drawn into the promise in Cleveland. “I chose Cleveland because I want to win,” he said. Coming from the Colts, a playoff team, and feeling like he’s climbing the ladder of NFL success in Cleveland is a very telling statement.
Cornerback Troy Hill joined Johnson in jumping from a Rams team that made the NFC divisional round last year to come to the Browns. He already had a strong feeling for Cleveland as a northeast Ohio native, but the winning atmosphere made it so much easier to choose to come home for Hill–for less money than expected.
“It was time for me to come home and do something big for my community, for Cleveland and be a part of this special journey they’re on,” Hill said.
Even better, when these defensive starters all made the claim that they wanted to come to Cleveland to be part of the rising success, nobody blinked an eye. These are not the Browns of years past, the ones who took leftovers or players who simply wanted to cash checks in free agency. Browns fans know the names and know the negative outcomes all too well.
Give GM Andrew Berry and the staff credit for changing the emotional reaction and national perception of the Cleveland Browns. Cleveland is a positive destination team now.