Category: Latest Browns News

Ndamukong Suh still an option for Browns

With a lot of cap space and a perceived need, it is not surprising to see Suh linked to the Browns again before training camp:

The Cleveland Browns still have some potential needs on their roster with training camp right around the corner. The defensive tackle room might be the team’s weakest position with former third-round pick Jordan Elliott a candidate to start but also having a chance to miss the roster all together.

Slot cornerback is another place that Cleveland could look to upgrade with Chris Harris Jr. a free agent candidate after a great 2021 season.

At defensive tackle, the options are thin on the roster and in free agency. GM Andrew Berry hasn’t spent significant resources on the position since being hired. Andrew Billings and Taven Bryan have gotten one-year contracts while Elliott is the highest drafted at the position.

Ndamukong Suh has been discussed as an option to help a couple of times this offseason. He could be a good fit and the team could have an interest. The Browns are once again being linked as a team interested in Suh:

It is possible that Suh’s agents are using Cleveland’s perceived need and the massive amount of cap space as leverage to try to get another team to up their offer. Brad Stainbrook has reported that the team is out of the running for Suh.

Adding Suh would add another physical marvel who has stayed healthy the majority of his career. While he would be a full-time player, Suh could give a boost to an area of concern for the team. With only a couple of weeks before training camp, we should know Suh’s destination soon.

Browns rank near the top of ticket price inflation over the last 15 years

The cost of an average Browns ticket at FirstEnergy Stadium has gone up over 100 percent since 2006

Anyone who has attended a Cleveland Browns game at FirstEnergy Stadium knows it’s not a cheap date. The Browns’ average ticket price crept over $100 in 2021, not counting parking or concessions.

The rate at which the price to see the Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium has gone up significantly over the last 15 years. Back in 2006, the average ticket rate was just $48.97. The price has gone up 106 percent in the ensuing 15 seasons.

That high inflation rate ranks sixth in the NFL in that time period. The highest increase comes from the Raiders, who moved from Oakland to Las Vegas and rocketed ticket prices by 147 percent from 2006-2021.

The Browns haven’t renovated their home stadium significantly since 2015, and there are reports the team is looking for a potential new home facility.

Browns will break staff turnover streak in Week 1

Stefanski, Van Pelt and Woods will break a very long streak for the Browns when they coach together in Week 1:

The Cleveland Browns have been the model of inconsistency while being consistently bad for years. Cleveland has turned over almost every part of its organization since returning to the NFL in 1999. The only thing left is the practice facility in Berea and the stadium by the lake, which could be changing in the future as well.

The turnover on the football operations side of things, including the coaching staff, has made it hard to even remember how many different general managers and head coaches there have been much less lower-level positions. This offseason saw a slew of former Browns employees rise up in ranks, some of which many fans struggle to remember being a part of the team.

For the first time since even before the return, Cleveland will have the same head coach, offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator for the third straight season:

Some teams, like the Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams have lost coaches when the team has struggled as well as when it has succeeded and coordinators have taken head coaching jobs.

In 1993, Bill Belichick was the head coach, Ernie Adams was the offensive coordinator and Nick Saban ran the defense. Now coaching legends Jim Schwartz and Kirk Ferentz were also on the staff.

With Kevin Stefanski, Alex Van Pelt and Joe Woods set to reprise their roles for the third straight year, Cleveland has no excuse to not be a well-run outfit. Special teams coordinator Mike Priefer also returns for his third year with the team.

JOK not changing jersey despite college number now available

While he could grab his college number all of a sudden, JOK says he is sticking with #28. Will we see a Browns #6 on the field this year?

Cleveland Browns linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah had a great rookie year and looks like a steal as a second-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft. He just barely missed ESPN’s top 10 off-the-ball linebacker list and, along with CB Greg Newsome II, gives the Browns a foundation for the future of the defense.

Owusu-Koramoah has also shown off his struggles on the basketball court. First, the Notre Dame product was lowlighted in a preview video for ‘Building the Browns,’ then DE Myles Garrett pushed him around on the court in a recent Instagram video.

With the recent trade of QB Baker Mayfield, some wondered if JOK would return to his college jersey number, #6. With fellow LB Anthony Walker switching to #5, Cleveland’s starting linebackers could have had consecutive numbers.

Instead, Owusu-Koramoah took to Instagram today to let fans know that he would be sticking with his number from his rookie season, #28:

Given the difficult ending to the relationship, it will be interesting if any player switches to Mayfield’s old number in 2022. If JOK isn’t taking back his college number, it seems unlikely we will see #6 on the field for Cleveland this year.

In a fun video, Browns David Bell joins other rookie drawing team logos

For many, the Browns logo is sacred. In a fun video, the rookie WR draws another option for the team to use:

That the Cleveland Browns logo is the team’s helmet is a source of pride for many Browns fans. The simplicity and the legacy of the orange helmet with the oreo stripe down the middle perfectly encapsulate the franchise’s history. It also highlights the difficulty of making a logo for a team called the Browns.

A silhouette of Paul Brown despite the fact he later started the rival Cincinnati Bengals which his family still owns? Probably not. The other two identifiable characters for a logo, the elf and multiple variations of a dog, could be okay but don’t represent the word “Browns” per se.

With the NFL allowing more flexibility with helmets moving forward, some have wondered if Cleveland would add something to their iconic ones. It seems unlikely but rookie WR David Bell had an idea.

NFL.com posted a video of team rookies attempting to draw their team’s logos. Early in the video, it was easy to wonder if any Browns player would be a part of it. Bell, as a part of the rookie premiere event, did his best to create a new logo for the team:

You can see the entire video here and see how few of this year’s rookies show artistic talent:

Bell’s part of the video comes up around the 1:40 mark.

Do you have a strong opinion about the Browns adding a logo to their helmet even for just one game?

Browns get some financial relief from Baker Mayfield and Panthers in the trade for the QB

Both Baker Mayfield and the Carolina Panthers took financial hits in the pending trade with the Cleveland Browns

One of the key holdups for the Cleveland Browns in their efforts to trade away erstwhile starting quarterback Baker Mayfield was the QB’s big salary. Mayfield is due to make $18.9 million in 2022 on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract, a move the Browns executed last offseason.

Per the reported details of the pending trade from NFL.com, both Mayfield and the Carolina Panthers have agreed to help out the Browns on the financial front in the pending deal. Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network indicates that Mayfield lowered his salary and the Panthers will also pick up some of the tab on his contract.

Cleveland will still be on the hook for $10.5 million of Mayfield’s fully guaranteed salary. Carolina is now obligated for roughly $5 million according to the trade terms. Mayfield helped facilitate the trade by shaving around $3.5 million from his salary, too.

Mayfield was slated to be the Browns’ highest-paid contractual obligation in 2022. Saving over $8 million –presuming the reported contractual details are accurate–will give the Browns right around $49 million in cap space once the pending trade is completed.

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Watch: Breaking down some Browns with Sports 4 CLE

Browns Wire’s Jeff Risdon joined Sports 4 CLE to break down some pertinent Browns topics

The good folks at Sports 4 CLE at cleveland.com were kind enough to invite me for another appearance on Tuesday’s program.

My segments dealt with the ongoing developments, or lack thereof, in the Deshaun Watson proceedings with the NFL and arbiter Sue L. Robinson. We also delved into an odd trade suggestion involving an oft-injured quarterback and the offensive spending habits of several NFL teams. It’s another testament to the salary management skills of the Browns front office.

The show continues with excellent guests Fred Greetham and Ashley Bastock following the Browns Wire segment at the beginning. Check it out and make sure you follow along with Sports 4 CLE.

Browns secondary gets very high ranking from PFF

Cleveland has both premium talent and enviable depth around the defensive backfield

The past few offseasons have seen the Cleveland Browns devote a lot of resources to building up the defensive secondary. It’s paid off nicely for Cleveland already, and has the potential to soar even higher than the No. 3 ranking the Browns’ DBs earned from Pro Football Focus.

PFF’s latest rankings cover the defensive backfields. The Browns made the top tier, coming in third in the “where do offenses even attack?” subheading. It’s a valid question when facing a unit that trots out first-round CBs Denzel Ward and Greg Newsome in front of highly promising young safety combination John Johnson and Grant Delpit. With an ever-improving Greedy Williams in the slot, the Browns have rightly earned their place in the top three.

This unit not only has proven studs in Ward and Johnson, but also three ascending top-50 draft picks who have all played two or fewer NFL seasons. What this unit could be is scary to think about, as we already saw quality play from Newsome, Williams and Delpit down the stretch in 2021.

Even better, the Browns have enviable depth with the likes of Ronnie Harrison, A.J. Green and third-round rookie Martin Emerson all capable of playing bigger roles than projected.

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Joe Haden hints on social media of Browns discussions

Joe Haden may have been stirring the pot or hinting at a return (or something else) with his social media post but it has Browns fans talking:

One of the best parts of social media is that it can bring fans into the worlds of professional athletes. One of the worst parts of social media is that it can bring fans into the worlds of professional athletes.

Either way, social media helps the 24/7 news cycle that has been made possible by smartphones and constant access to information. It leads to more conversations, more thoughts and more ‘what ifs’ than ever before but, now, on a more wide-reaching scale.

Former Cleveland Browns cornerback Joe Haden used Instagram Wednesday night and started a conversation for Cleveland Browns fans. Via his IG story, Haden seems to be hinting at a reunion with the team:

Cleveland released the then-28-year-old cornerback after seven seasons with the team. Haden latched on quickly with the rival Pittsburgh Steelers where he enjoyed five more seasons.

At 32 years old, the former first-round pick is nearing the end of his career but may still have something to give the team. With Denzel Ward, Greg Newsome II and Greedy Williams at the top of the CB depth chart, perhaps a transition to safety in returning to the Browns would make sense. John Johnson III and Grant Delpit are starters there with Ronnie Harrison returning on a one-year contract.

It is possible that Haden is just stirring the pot or had something else in mind but his post certainly has people talking.

Browns sign LB Dakota Allen who starred in ‘Last Chance U’ show

Last Chance U star has been a staple on special teams the last two years in the NFL:

The Cleveland Browns filled a spot on their 90-man roster Tuesday with the addition of LB Dakota Allen. Allen was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in 2019 but never played for the team. Instead, Allen played two games for the Oakland Raiders and three for the Jacksonville Jaguars during his rookie season.

Allen then spent the last two years with the Jaguars playing in 27 games for the team. Primarily a special teams player, playing in 74% of Jacksonville’s snaps in that phase of the game, Allen has combined for 38 tackles in his three seasons.

With the Browns having a lot of turnover at the bottom of their roster, special teams units may have a big need that Allen can fill.

Prior to entering the NFL, Allen was a star on the Netflix hit show “Last Chance U” where he took advantage of the second chance to showcase his talents. He showed some hitting ability during the preseason with the Rams:

Allen could have an uphill climb for a roster spot but his special teams ability gives him a chance.