More of the latest Browns news and notes from around the web in today’s dose of the Saturday Dawg Chow.
- Browns’ pursuit of Jadeveon Clowney, Jarvis Landry won’t affect NFL Draft plans, GM says (Beacon Journal) – Last month at the NFL owners meetings, there was mutual interest in the Browns bringing back defensive end Jadeveon Clowney and receiver Jarvis Landry. Browns General Manager Andrew Berry wouldn’t say Friday if that is still the case, offering only, “I would not comment on that specifically.”
- GM Andrew Berry says trade back into first round “unlikely” but won’t rule out anything (Browns Zone) – General manager Andrew Berry’s one year away from the Browns since 2016 was spent with the Eagles in 2019. Then-general manager John Dorsey traded Cleveland’s first-round pick for receiver Odell Beckham Jr. So Berry had to go back to 2014 during his time with the Colts for a draft in which his team didn’t have a first-rounder. Indianapolis had sent it to the Browns for running back Trent Richardson.
- Taking a look at new look Browns, are they really better? (cleveland.com) – There is more going on with the Browns than the drama around Deshaun Watson and Baker Mayfield. Of course, QBs will usually dominate the news. But I found myself thinking about the entire team as the Browns had some press conferences for the opening of their voluntary spring workouts.
- Browns GM says team was ‘transparent’ with Baker Mayfield about Deshaun Watson trade (Bleacher Report) – Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry told reporters Friday that the team was “transparent” with quarterback Baker Mayfield regarding its intentions to pursue Houston Texans signal-caller Deshaun Watson.
NFL:
- Buccaneers restructure QB Tom Brady’s contract to create $9M in cap space (NFL.com) – The Tampa Bay Buccaneers restructured Tom Brady’s contract to clear cap space ahead of next week’s draft. The Bucs turned Brady’s base salary into a signing bonus and added voidable years on the back end, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Friday, per a source informed of the situation. The move created $9 million in cap space.
- Veteran safety Earl Thomas, who last played in 2019, seeks to resume NFL career (ESPN) – Seven-time Pro Bowl safety Earl Thomas wants to resume his NFL career after being out of the league for the past two seasons. “I’m ready,” Thomas texted ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Friday. “I’m in shape. My timing is on point — I’m proud of that.”
- Daryle Lamonica, hard-throwing quarterback, is dead at 80 (New York Times) – Known as the Mad Bomber for his powerful arm, he led the Oakland Raiders to the Super Bowl and was among pro football’s top passers in the late 1960s and early ’70s.
- The eight best landing spots for Deebo Samuel (The Ringer) – Every team could use a player like Samuel, but some make more sense than others.