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Browns | Dawand Jones on the field Sun May 18, 05:26 PM
Cleveland Browns OT Dawand Jones (leg) has been participating in offseason workouts.
Link to storyCleveland Browns DT Michael Hall Jr. (knee) is making progress in his recovery from knee surgery but is not expected to participate in offseason workouts. The team hopes he will be ready to practice when training camp begins.
Link to storyMatt Connolly, from PennLive.com, reports Cleveland Browns HC Kevin Stefanski said rookie QB Shedeur Sanders is â€"willing to put in the work†this offseason.
Footballguys view: Sanders' work ethic has never been in question...or at least it should not have been part of the conversation before the draft. He's an incredibly accurate passer with pro level pass placement right now. Sanders holds onto the ball a bit too long, and he needs to get it out of his hands faster to avoid the rush. We'll see how Sanders stacks up in training camp battling with guys like Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel. |
Joe Flacco player page
Cleveland Browns third-round pick TE Harold Fannin Jr. signed his four-year, $6.7 million deal Friday, May 16. Fannin set FBS single-season records for receptions (117) and receiving yards (1,555) by a TE at Bowling Green last season.
Footballguys view: Fannin was a great player in college at Bowling Green, and he showed flashes against great college competition at the Senior Bowl. David Njoku is entrenched as the starter for the 2025 season, but Fannin could be an eventual starter - and star - for the Browns. We like the way he uses his body to box out smaller defenders, and he can turn to run quickly after the catch. |
Cleveland Browns WR Ja'Seem Reed (undisclosed) moved to the Reserve/Injured list Tuesday, May 14, after clearing waivers.
Link to storyUndrafted free-agent WR Luke Floriea (Kent State), WR Kisean Johnson (Western Kentucky) and WR Cade McDonald (Miami (Ohio)) signed with the Cleveland Browns Monday, May 12. Terms of the contracts were not disclosed. The team also waived FB Eli Wilson, DE Marcus Haynes and S Trey Dean as well as waived/injured WR Ja'Seem Reed (undisclosed).
Link to storyCleveland Browns LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (neck) will be placed on the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list on Monday, May 12, and will remain there throughout the completion of the 2025 season.
Footballguys view: A second-round pick out of Notre Dame in the 2021 draft, Owusu-Koramoah was named to his first Pro Bowl after recording a career-high 101 tackles in the 2023 season. The Browns signed him to a three-year extension worth up to $39 million last August. Last month, the Browns drafted former UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger with the 33rd pick. This offseason, Cleveland re-signed linebacker Devin Bush to a one-year deal and signed veteran linebacker Jerome Baker to a one-year contract. |
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah player page
Free-agent S Rayshawn Jenkins (Seahawks) has reportedly agreed to terms on an undisclosed contract with the Cleveland Browns, according to a source.
Link to storyRayshawn Jenkins player page
Free-agent S Damontae Kazee (Steelers) agreed to an undisclosed deal with the Cleveland Browns Monday, May 12.
Footballguys view: Kazee had 14 starts over the last three years with the Steelers. He can get his hands on the ball, either interceptions or pass breakups, but Kazee is likely competing for a reserve spot only with the Browns. |
Damontae Kazee player page
Cleveland Browns QB Dillon Gabriel said he loves that the Browns selected QB Shedeur Sanders in the 2025 NFL Draft because they can learn from each other.
Footballguys view: What else is he supposed to say? The Browns have an unsettled quarterback situation, with Gabriel, Sanders, Joe Flacco, and Kenny Pickett all set to establish a pecking order. The Sanders pick was much later than expected, and he may not get much of a chance to impress when all four quarterbacks are at minicamp later this spring. One or both of the rookies may be bound for third-string duties or a practice squad spot. |
Cleveland Browns second-round draft choice LB Carson Schwesinger and fourth-round draft choice Dylan Sampson signed four-year contracts with the Browns Friday, May 9. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Footballguys view: Both players will be expected to contribute early. Schwesinger could push to start in a linebacking corps that will likely be without Pro Bowler Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah for a still-unknown amount of time. Sampson was the second running back the Browns picked, the first being Quinshon Judkins in Round 2. Sampson may have been selected higher in another class, but the 2025 running back prospect class was deep, so he fell into the fourth round. Sampson will have to battle Jerome Ford for reps behind Judkins this season. |
Updating previous reports, Cleveland Browns WR Diontae Johnson's one-year deal is for the veteran's minimum of $1.17 million and includes no guaranteed money.
Footballguys view: The Browns could cut Johnson at any point before the first week of the regular season and avoid being on the hook for any of that salary. Remember, Johnson was traded by the Steelers to the Panthers ahead of the 2024 season and played seven games for Carolina before being dealt to the Ravens. He was waived in December after refusing to enter a game and was claimed by the Texans. Houston cut him during the playoffs, and the Ravens claimed him in order to position themselves for a potential compensatory pick. They won't be getting that pick, and Johnson has work to do before he can be viewed as fantasy-relevant again. |
Diontae Johnson player page
Free-agent WR Diontae Johnson (Ravens) officially signed an undisclosed contract with the Cleveland Browns on Monday, May 5.
Footballguys view: After playing for three different teams last year, Johnson hopes to find a role in a Cleveland receiving corps led by Jerry Jeudy and featuring DeAndre Carter, Cedric Tillman, Michael Woods II, Jamari Thrash, David Bell, and Kaden Davis. The Browns also have to figure out their starting QB, so any help they get on the outside is a plus. |
Diontae Johnson player page
Cleveland Browns LB Devin Bush was arrested Sunday, May 4, for simple assault and harassment by Bell Acres Police in Pennsylvania.
Footballguys view: In his first season in Cleveland in 2024, Bush started 10 games and totaled 76 tackles, which ranked fourth on the team. In March, the Browns re-signed Bush to a one-year, $3.25 million deal. We'll follow up on this situation as developments warrant. |
Devin Bush player page
Free-agent RB Nick Chubb (Browns) appears to be an unlikely option for the Cleveland Browns now that RB Jerome Ford agreed to take a pay cut, according to a source.
Footballguys view: The Browns re-worked their RB corps in the NFL Draft with Quinshon Judkins (Ohio State) added in the second round. Judkins is likely to be the lead back for the team this season, and he brings a blend of power and speed to the field. They also selected Dylan Sampson (Tennessee) in the fourth round. We should see Ford and Sampson compete to be the primary backups and/or change-of-pace backs behind Judkins in training camp. |
Nick Chubb player page
Cleveland Browns RB Jerome Ford reportedly agreed to a reworked contract on Friday, May 2, that will lower his base salary from $3.486 million in 2025 to a guaranteed $1.75 million, according to a source.
Footballguys view: The Browns revamped their running back room with the addition of second-round RB Quinshon Judkins (Ohio State). We should see Judkins as the lead back, and he brings a blend of power and speed to the field. Ford is competing to be the primary change-of-pace back for the Browns this year. He'll compete with another rookie, Dylan Sampson (Tennessee) for that spot. |
Cleveland Browns DT Mason Graham weighed 296 pounds at the NFL Scouting Combine but said he now weighs 310 pounds.
Link to storyCleveland Browns QB Shedeur Sanders' fall into the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft was addressed by SI.com's Albert Breer, who cited several factors in the slide. Breer highlighted one coaching staff intentionally planted mistakes in a drawn-up play that Sanders didn't catch. When called out on it, the Colorado prospect's response didn't sit well with the unnamed organization. Sanders also reportedly didn't take responsibility at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine when a coaching staff asked him about his on-field mistakes, leading to Sanders saying maybe the two parties weren't a good fit. Breer went on to mention that NFL executives simply didn't hold Sanders' ability in as high regard as the general public, and once the draft-day fall began, many possible suitors may have opted to pass on Sanders as a backup to avoid an ensuing media circus.
Footballguys view: It's hard to argue that Sanders' precipitous fall was solely about his level of play; he was widely viewed as one of the top prospects at his position heading into the week. So, the interest in all the behind-the-scenes pre-draft gossip is understandable. But it's time to put the post-mortems behind us. Sanders joins fellow rookie, third-round pick Dillon Gabriel, Joe Flacco, and Kenny Pickett in a four-way competition for the starting job in Cleveland. While his past attitude might offer insight into how Sanders will handle that competition, we'll keep most of our focus on the field, where we have Flacco currently projected as the starter. |
Cleveland Browns DE Alex Wright (triceps) said he has been medically cleared to play again.
Link to storyFree-agent WR Elijah Moore (Browns) has received an unrestricted free agent tender from the Cleveland Browns and will receive a one-year contract from the Browns worth $3.428 million if he does not sign with another team.
Link to storyElijah Moore player page
Free-agent WR Diontae Johnson (Ravens) agreed to terms with the Cleveland Browns Monday, April 28, according to sources. Terms of the contract were not disclosed.
Footballguys view: The Steelers made Johnson a third-round pick in 2019, and he has 424 receptions for 4,738 yards and 28 touchdowns. He earned Pro Bowls honors in 2021 with his lone 1,000-yard season and a career-high eight touchdowns. But over the past year, Johnson has bounced between four teams. He began last season with the Panthers, who traded him to the Ravens. Baltimore later waived him after a suspension stemming from his refusal to enter a Dec. 1 game against the Eagles. The Texans claimed him on Dec. 23, but released him during the postseason. In total, Johnson appeared for three teams in 2024, recording 33 receptions for 375 yards and three touchdowns. Although the Browns' depth chart at wide receiver remains thin, expectations for Johnson should be tempered. |
Diontae Johnson player page
Free-agent WR Diontae Johnson (Browns) recently met with the Cleveland Browns.
Link to storyDiontae Johnson player page
Undrafted free-agent TE Mitch Van Vooren (St. Norbert) has been invited to participate in the Cleveland Browns rookie minicamp on a tryout basis, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.
Link to storyMary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reports that the Browns will not exercise their fifth-year option on Kenny Pickett's contract.
Footballguys view: Pickett was a Steelers first-round pick in 2022, and the option went with him when he was traded to the Eagles and the Browns at the end of the 2022 season. As PFT notes, Pickett went into last week set to compete with Joe Flacco for the starting job in Cleveland, but the picture looks quite different this week. The Browns drafted Dillon Gabriel in the third round and then traded up to select Shedeur Sanders after passing on the chance to draft him several times. How those pieces fit will be the object of much attention over the coming months, but the Browns passing on the options is unsurprising regardless of how things shake out. Pickett would be guaranteed $22.117 million under the terms of the option, and that's too high a price, given how things have played out over his first three seasons. |
Undrafted free-agent RB Ahmani Marshall (Appalachian State) and TE Eli Wilson (Appalachian State) agreed to terms on undisclosed contracts with the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, April 27.
Link to storyIrie Harris, from Cleveland.com, reports Cleveland Browns GM Andrew Berry says fifth-round QB Shedeur Sanders is going to have to come in and compete for his spot on the roster. "I think obviously Shedeur has kind of grown up in the spotlight, but our expectation is for him to come in here and work and compete. Nothing's been promised. Nothing will be given...we are excited to work with him.†Berry said.
Footballguys view: Many felt Sanders would be a first- or second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, but he fell to Day 3 and the Browns scooped him up in the fifth round. He joins fellow rookie, third-round pick Dillon Gabriel, and an already crammed room with Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett. Hard Knocks should head to Cleveland this summer, because with a polarizing player like Sanders, everyone is going to be watching how he performs in camp. |
Joe Flacco player page
Irie Harris, from Cleveland.com, reports Cleveland Browns GM Andrew Berry believes second-round pick RB Quinshon Judkins can be their featured back. "Really a bell cow, versatile runner who can run through you, run by you, run around you. We're really excited to have him available to us at the 36 pick." Berry said.
Footballguys view: Judkins runs with violence, and he has bad intentions for would-be tacklers on every carry. In addition to his powerful style, Judkins has more speed than some think and can rip off big plays as a runner or receiver out of the backfield. The Browns will have an....interesting...offense this year, but a bell cow back in the Shanahan system HC Kevin Stefanski runs can be at least an RB2 for Fantasy GMs out there. |
Irie Harris, from Cleveland.com, reports Cleveland Browns GM Andrew Berry likes the upside of RB Dylan Sampson. "I think he really compliments our room nicely. Runs a really tough and physical style despite being a little bit undersized. He's a player who has A+ makeup and a player that we think has untapped potential in the passing game." Berry said.
Footballguys view: Sampson is an intriguing prospect who could be more than a third-down back. For the time being, the rookie is likely to compete with veteran Jerome Ford for those duties in 2025. We should see rookie second-round pick Quinshon Judkins as the bell-cow back in Cleveland this season. |
Undrafted free-agent WR Gage Larvadain (South Carolina) was signed by the Cleveland Browns Sunday, April 27, according to a league source. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Link to storyColorado QB Shedeur Sanders was selected by the Cleveland Browns with the 144th overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Link to storyTennessee RB Dylan Sampson was selected by the Cleveland Browns with the 126th overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Link to storyOregon QB Dillon Gabriel was selected by the Cleveland Browns with the 94th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Link to storyBowling Green TE Harold Fannin Jr. was selected by the Cleveland Browns with the 67th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Link to storyOhio State RB Quinshon Judkins was selected by the Cleveland Browns with the 36th overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Link to storyUCLA LB Carson Schwesinger was selected by the Cleveland Browns with the 33rd overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Link to storyOhio State RB TreVeyon Henderson and Louisiana State University TE Mason Taylor are reportedly the two players that the Cleveland Browns are eyeing with their two second-round selections on Friday, April 25 (Nos. 33 and 36 overall).
Link to storyCleveland Brown DT Mason Graham 'should play a lot of snaps immediately,' according to Zac Jackson of The Athletic.
Link to storyMichigan DT Mason Graham was selected by the Cleveland Browns with the fifth overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Link to storyCleveland Browns CB Greg Newsome and DE Ogbo Okoronkwo are 'believed to be available via trade entering the draft, 'according to FOX Sports' Jordan Schultz.
Link to storyOgbo Okoronkwo player page
Greg Newsome II player page
Cleveland Browns LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (neck) was present for the start of offseason workouts Tuesday, April 22.
Link to storyJeremiah Owusu-Koramoah player page
Free-agent CB Nik Needham (Dolphins) signed an undisclosed contract with the Cleveland Browns on Monday, April 21.
Link to storyNik Needham player page
Cleveland Browns LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (neck) is making progress in his recovery but still does not have a definite timetable for his return, according to general manager Andrew Berry.
Link to storyJeremiah Owusu-Koramoah player page
Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson (Achilles) is making progress in his recovery, but his availability for 2025 is uncertain, according to general manager Andrew Berry.
Link to storyDeshaun Watson player page
Colorado WR Travis Hunter is viewed by Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry as better suited to play wide receiver, but he wouldn't limit him from playing both ways.
Link to storyLouisiana State University TE Mason Taylor is on a '30' visit with the Cleveland Browns on Monday, April 14.
Link to storyFree-agent LB Julian Okwara (Cardinals) signed a one-year contract with the Cleveland Browns on Monday, April 14. Financial terms of the deal were not immediately disclosed.
Link to storyJulian Okwara player page
Cleveland Browns QB Kenny Pickett will be competing with QB Joe Flacco for the starting quarterback job during training camp but said he plans to be the starter in 2025.
Link to storyJoe Flacco player page
Arizona State RB Cam Skattebo recently had an official visit with the Cleveland Browns.
Link to storyFree-agent S Rayshawn Jenkins (Seahawks) is visiting the Cleveland Browns Friday, April 11.
Link to storyRayshawn Jenkins player page
Free-agent QB Joe Flacco (Colts) agreed to a one-year, $4 million deal with the Cleveland Browns Friday, April 11. The deal is worth up to $13 million in incentives.
Link to storyJoe Flacco player page