Tag: Browns

Browns release LB Christian Kirksey

The Browns have released LB Christian Kirksey.
Kirksey has spent his entire career with the Browns since being a third-round pick in 2014.
He’s racked up 484 tackles in six seasons but has played just nine total games the last two years

The Browns have released LB Christian Kirksey.
Kirksey has spent his entire career with the Browns since being a third-round pick in 2014.
He’s racked up 484 tackles in six seasons but has played just nine total games the last two years

Browns release LB Christian Kirksey

The Browns have released LB Christian Kirksey.
Kirksey has spent his entire career with the Browns since being a third-round pick in 2014.
He’s racked up 484 tackles in six seasons but has played just nine total games the last two years

The Browns have released LB Christian Kirksey.
Kirksey has spent his entire career with the Browns since being a third-round pick in 2014.
He’s racked up 484 tackles in six seasons but has played just nine total games the last two years

Baker Mayfield’s Heisman Trophy statue to be unveiled during spring game inside the stadium

Nearly three years after Baker Mayfield last played at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, he will be enshrined forever.

Nearly three years after Baker Mayfield last played at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, he will be enshrined forever.

Head coach Lincoln Riley told reporters on Monday that Mayfield’s Heisman Trophy statue will be unveiled during the Sooners’ spring game. As has become a tradition at Oklahoma, those who have won Heisman Trophies have been enshrined with full-size bronze statues on the east side of Owen Field.

Mayfield’s statue will be unveiled inside the stadium as part of the spring game held April 18th at 5p.m.

In his three seasons at Oklahoma, Mayfield was a Heisman Trophy finalist twice. In 2016 alongside Sooners wide receiver Dede Westbrook, Mayfield finished second to Louisville’s Lamar Jackson before winning the covenant award in 2017.

Mayfield posted 12,292 yards, a 69.8% completion percentage, 138 total touchdowns, and a 189.4 passer rating in his three seasons at Oklahoma.

Mayfield was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, picked by the Cleveland Browns to become the fourth Sooner drafted No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft and the first since Sam Bradford in 2010.

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2020 NFL Futures Betting: AFC North Division Winner

Analyzing the 2020 NFL futures odds for which team will win the AFC North Division, with sports betting picks, tips and best bets.

It’s never too early to get into NFL Futures betting, even if we are just completing the scouting combine in Indianapolis and the draft and free agency hasn’t yet occurred. In fact, sometimes you can get a good price on a team before all hell breaks loose.

Case in point – the 2019 Cleveland Browns. They were near the bottom of the pack last spring before landing WR Odell Beckham Jr. from the New York Giants. After several other moves, which appeared to be shrewd, they went from long shots to one of the favorites two win the Super Bowl, seeing their number shrink exponentially. We see now that it was foolish to take them early or late, as they wet the bed and didn’t even come close to making the postseason.

Below, we look at the futures odds to win the AFC North.

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Tuesday, March 3 at 10:25 p.m. ET.

2020 AFC North odds: Baltimore Ravens (-250)

The Ravens are one of just four division favorites with minus-odds, meaning you need to lay more than your potential return. That’s how heavily favored they are. In fact, they’re tied with the New Orleans Saints (NFC South) with the third-best chance of winning their respective division based on the odds – behind only the New England Patriots (AFC East) and defending champ Kansas City Chiefs (AFC West).

Get some action on 2020 NFL division winners by betting at BetMGM. New customer offer: RISK-FREE First Bet (up to $500!) paid in free bets.

QB Lamar Jackson took the NFL by storm last season, and there is no reason to believe he will be slowing down anytime soon. Plus, the Ravens defense is nasty. Couple that with the fact the Pittsburgh Steelers are still not hitting on all cylinders, the Browns are still the Browns, and the Cincinnati Bengals are picking No. 1 overall in the draft, and this should be a slam-dunk play.

2020 AFC North odds: Pittsburgh Steelers (+340)

The Steelers are expected to have QB Ben Roethlisberger back under center after losing him to a season-ending elbow injury in Week 1 last season. While he is getting a bit long in the tooth, he is much better for the team’s outlook than if Mason Rudolph or Devlin Hodges were taking snaps. They just missed out on a playoff spot with that duo at the helm. If the Steelers can grab a wideout playmaker in free agency or the draft, and plug a few holes, they could easily challenge the Ravens for the top spot. Coach Mike Tomlin seems to always have his team right there challenging in the end.

2020 AFC North odds: Cleveland Browns (+650)

The Browns still have an impressive offensive core with QB Baker Mayfield, RBs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, Beckham and WR Jarvis Landry, etc. Plus, their defense is sick, too, returning DE Myles Garrett from his helmet-swinging suspension. They’re worth a small-unit wager, especially if they can add some beef to the O-line so Mayfield isn’t running for his life every down. The Browns will face a semi-favorable schedule due to their tumble down the standings to third place in 2019. Will they win the division? Probably not. But stranger things have happened, and their skill position players rival anyone in the NFL.

2020 AFC North odds: Cincinnati Bengals (+2000)

The Bengals are going to improve their personnel with the No. 1 overall pick, but they’re still much further away from the competition even with possibly adding a Heisman Trophy winning quarterback. In fact, QB isn’t really their biggest issue, as Andy Dalton was more than serviceable for many years. He is expected to be dealt, perhaps to the Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts or New England Patriots. They might get more draft picks in return from someone, helping them improve even quicker. However, they have so many holes to fill that it’s not worth taking a flier on them, even at this rate, which is sure to decrease slightly after some additions.

Want action on the AFC North Division winner? Sign up and bet at BetMGM. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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7 pending free agents with connections to Browns DC Joe Woods

7 pending free agents with connections to new Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Joe Woods

With a few days to go before the start of free agency, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry are preparing to make their first additions to the roster of their tenure. One of the main focuses will be regarding the defense.

With help needed on all three levels of the defense, new defensive coordinator Joe Woods will definitely have input on who the team adds starting March 18th.

In his 16 seasons coaching in the NFL, Woods has made a few stops along the way. He started as a defensive quality control coach in Tampa Bay for the 2004 and 2005 seasons. Following his start, he went onto the Minnesota Vikings where he was the defensive backs coach from 2006 until 2013. This is also the same time that he and Stefanski started with the Vikings.

Woods went on to be the defensive backs coach in Oakland for the 2014 season before leaving for the same position in Denver in 2015. He was promoted to the role of defensive coordinator in 2017 and was not retained by Broncos head coach Vic Fangio following the 2018 season.

He landed with the San Francisco 49ers in 2019, returning to his role of defensive backs coach while also being named the passing game coordinator.

With all that being said, here are seven free agents with ties to Woods the Browns could target…

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5 wide receivers Jets should target on the trade block

The Jets need better wide receivers. These five players could be good options on the trade block.

Every offense needs playmakers and the Jets are in prime position to add several in free agency and the draft.

With Le’Veon Bell entrenched at running back and a quartet of tight ends led by Chris Herndon, Joe Douglas needs to shore up the wide receiver group, especially if he lets Robby Anderson and Demaryius Thomas leave in free agency. There are several free agent wideouts the Jets can target this offseason, as well as a dearth of prospects in the upcoming draft, but Douglas would be wise to scour the trade block as well for some players that could immediately upgrade his receiving corps.

The Jets aren’t tied directly to any of the following players, but all options should be on the table for Douglas his offseason. With that, here are five wide receivers the Jets should look at for potential trades.

(Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports)

Eagles WR Alshon Jeffery

Adam Gase needs playmakers on offense for Sam Darnold to work and Jeffery would be a solid addition to the Jets given his veteran skillset and connection to both Gase and Joe Douglas.

Jeffery caught 54 receptions for 807 yards and four touchdowns in 2017 with the Bears when Gase was his coach and when Douglas was the director of pro scouting. Jeffery also played for the Eagles for two years during Douglas’ tenure in Philadelphia.

Jeffery would become the Jets’ best wide receiver option with his 6-foot-3, 218-pound frame, but there are obvious concerns when it comes to his production and durability. He’s coming off his least productive season since his rookie year in 2012, hasn’t turned in a 1,000-yard receiving season since 2014 and hasn’t played a full 16-game schedule since 2017. 

Jeffery reportedly “would welcome the change of scenery,” according to The Athletic’s Connor Hughes, but there’s no telling what the Eagles would want in return for his services. Given his injury history – he just had Lisfranc surgery for his foot in December that comes with a nine-month recovery period – and the $9.910 million base salary the Jets would take in, it wouldn’t take much to acquire Jeffery, though it would be a huge risk.

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Packers to welcome Browns to Green Bay for joint practices

The Packers will welcome the Baker Mayfield, Odell Beckham, Myles Garrett and the Browns to Green Bay for joint practices.

Another AFC team with a first-round pick at quarterback, a dominant wide receiver and a game-wrecking defensive lineman will be heading to Wisconsin for joint practices with the Green Bay Packers.

According to Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Packers are planning to host Baker Mayfield, Odell Beckham, Myles Garrett and the Cleveland Browns for a set of joint practices in August.

Last summer, the Packers welcomed Deshaun Watson, DeAndre Hopkins, J.J. Watt and the Houston Texans to Green Bay for two practices.

Although quarterback Aaron Rodgers objected to the practices, noting injury worries and blandness of the schemes, both coach Matt LaFleur and GM Brian Gutekunst like the idea of bringing another team to Green Bay for a controlled but competitive practice environment, especially with the NFL likely to eliminate one preseason game under the new CBA.

The Browns had big expectations in 2019 but finished 6-10 under first-year coach Freddie Kitchens, who was fired. The franchise hired Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski as the new coach in January.

Other standouts from the Browns include Pro Bowl running back Nick Chubb and Pro Bowl slot receiver Jarvis Landry, plus former Packers players such as Damarious Randall, JC Tretter, Morgan Burnett, Justin McCray and J’Mon Moore.

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Ex-Rams bust Greg Robinson arrested with 157 pounds of marijuana in car

Greg Robinson faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

Former St. Louis Rams left tackle Greg Robinson was arrested Wednesday after authorities busted him with approximately 157 pounds of marijuana in his car in El Paso, Texas. Robinson was placed in a West Texas jail and held without bond.

He’s being charged with conspiracy to possess marijuana with intent to distribute. If convicted, Robinson could face up to 20 years in federal prison.

Former NFL wide receiver Quan Bray, who Robinson played with at Auburn, was also in the vehicle and was arrested. He, too, faces the same charges and up to 20 years in prison. There was a third unidentified individual in the car, too.

Robinson and Bray rented the vehicle in Los Angeles and arranged for the third person to drive them to Louisiana but they were stopped at a checkpoint in El Paso where a drug-sniffing dog alerted the patrol agent.

Robinson was selected by the Rams with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. He played three seasons with the Rams, starting 42 games across those years. Los Angeles traded him to the Lions in 2017 for a sixth-round pick.

For the last two years, Robinson has been with the Browns, starting 22 games at left tackle for Cleveland.

Chiefs could seek reunion with newly-released TE Demetrius Harris

The signing would make a lot of sense given the Kansas City Chiefs’ needs and the timing of Harris’ release.

The Kansas City Chiefs won’t have a lot of money to spend in free agency for the 2020 season, but they’ll have a few key spots they could look to fill. One of those spots will come at the tight end position.

It just so happens that a player they replaced in 2019 is now a free agent, just one season into a multi-year contract. The Cleveland Browns have moved on from TE Demetrius Harris ahead of the 2020 league year. The Chiefs spent the 2020 offseason working to replace Harris with various players.

“I think we’re going to be okay,” Reid said of the depth of the tight end position in June. “I would have liked (Deon) Yelder not to have been hurt, but he was… I think that group, again, saw progress. I think putting the pads on, who’s going to be able to play on the line of scrimmage and do what Demetrius (Harris) did there. Who’s going to be able to do that is hard to tell that right now, but we’ll find out.”

Ultimately, the Chiefs chose TE Blake Bell to become the replacement and not just on offense. Bell also took over Harris’ snaps on special teams and did a good job there.

“Right now, Blake Bell is playing all of (Demetrius Harris‘) positions,” Special teams coach Dave Toub explained in August. “Right now, the plan is to have him be that guy. We got a lot of out Demetrius last year. He played three phases for us. I think he had the most special teams plays for a tight end in the whole league. He was setting the bar really high. We are not going to necessarily ask (Bell) to be that guy, but he’s going to be playing a lot of those same positions. He might be just a two-phase guy, but we’ll see.”

Bell is now a Super Bowl champion, and like it or not, that means his price has gone up as a free agent. It’s unlikely that he’ll be back with the Chiefs in 2020.

Harris might be maligned among fans in the Chiefs Kingdom for dropped passes, but the coaching staff and locker room love the guy. In 2018, Harris started three games for Kansas City and appeared in 15 games. He caught 12 passes for 164 yards and three touchdowns. He clearly has some chemistry built up with Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes.

Because Harris was released from his contract, he is now free to sign with any team, which is important for the Chiefs. He wouldn’t count against the compensatory pick formula and Kansas City should be in line for multiple compensatory picks in 2021.

The Bill Belichick tree is expanding around the league

For all the jokes made about coaches from Bill Belichick’s staff not exactly doing well – we may have contributed here as well – it sure seems like that tree is expanding at a rapid pace. In 2019 the following Belichick acolytes held head coaching …

For all the jokes made about coaches from Bill Belichick’s staff not exactly doing well — we may have contributed here as well — it sure seems like that tree is expanding at a rapid pace.

In 2019 the following Belichick acolytes held head coaching gigs: Bill O’Brien, Matt Patricia, Brian Flores, and Mike Vrabel — and yes we are counting Vrabel because he played under Belichick and cut his teeth in the pros under O’Brien. This doesn’t even count general managers who learned under the Patriots head coach and de facto GM which include Bob Quinn (Lions), Jon Robinson (Titans), Thomas Dimitroff (Falcons) and Jason Licht (Buccaneers).

That joke about Belichick’s assistants being failures may be going by the wayside. Yes, Charlie Weiss didn’t live up to expectations at Notre Dame. Romeo Crennell was probably not cut out to be the head guy — and that’s fine neither was Norv Turner and they both had pretty good careers. Eric Mangini has been excommunicated from anything to do with Belichick at this point. Even Josh McDaniels struggled in his first go-round as a head coach in Denver.

Speaking of McDaniels, he’s under consideration for the Browns head coach position. Others getting interviews include Brian Daboll and Jim Schwartz. Daboll worked under Belichick in New England and Schwartz did the same for the Browns when he was starting his career. That’s three Belichick coaching tree members shooting for the same job. Add that to Joe Judge — the new Giants head coach — and that means that 19 percent of the league could have someone from the Belichick coaching their team. So much for a failure of Belichick assistants.

Even if Patricia is fired — he’s the only person on the list who is even on the hot seat — it’s insane to imagine that so much of the league comes under Belichick’s influence which only seems to be growing.