Browns Rumors

The Browns have Dez Bryant‘s visit in the calendar. Bryant will travel to Cleveland on Thursday, according to Dianna Russini of ESPN.com (on Twitter). 

[RELATED: Browns To Work Out Johnathan Hankins]

The Browns’ interest in Bryant has been known for some time, but it has taken us a while to get to this point. Last week, GM John Dorsey told reporters that Bryant would not return his phone calls. Then, that night, Bryant tweeted that he would in fact be meeting with the Browns. Meanwhile, internally, the Browns are unsure as to whether Bryant will be a good fit for them. Each side will have a chance to weigh the pros and cons this week.

In theory, Bryant could be a tremendous No. 2 wide receiver for the Browns behind star Jarvis Landry if Josh Gordon is not available. If Gordon is available, then Bryant might not be in line for a ton of targets, and it’s fair to wonder whether the veteran would be flexible in that scenario. The Browns could also stand pat in the event of a Gordon absence thanks to the presence of youngsters like Antonio Callaway, Rashard Higgins, C.J. Board, Da’Mari Scott, and Damion Ratley.

Bryant averaged just 12.1 yards per reception in 2017, but his resume suggests that he could be capable of more in 2018.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

The Browns finally got their date with Dez Bryant. However, they’re not necessarily certain about signing him. There is internal discussion about whether Bryant is the right fit for the Browns at this time, sources tell Tony Grossi of ESPN Cleveland. 

When Josh Gordon experienced a setback in his recovery earlier this summer, the Browns were concerned about their group at wide receiver. However, they’re not feeling quite as desperate after seeing their group of young receivers improve in recent weeks. Beyond Antonio Callaway and Rashard Higgins, they’ve also gotten positive results out of C.J. Board, UDFA Da’Mari Scott, and sixth-round pick Damion Ratley.

It has been said that Bryant is focused on finding the right fit, but the same goes for the Browns in this instance. When the two sides meet – likely on Thursday – the Browns will also be careful to gauge Bryant’s temperament as they consider the effect he may have on the team.

Bryant, 29, hasn’t topped 1,000 yards receiving since 2014 and his 12.1 yards per reception in 2017 was the lowest average of his career. But he can still post up opposing defensive backs near the end zone and he’s motivated to silence his critics in 2018.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

The Browns are expecting a visit from free agent wide receiver Dez Bryant during the middle of next week, likely Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Rapoport notes that Bryant has been waiting for the right fit, so Bryant’s sense of how well he meshes with the personnel in Cleveland could be as important as whatever contract offer they make. 

On Thursday, GM John Dorsey told reporters that Bryant would not return his phone calls. The unorthodox decision to make that news public appears to have paid off. On Thursday night, Bryant tweeted that he would in fact be meeting with the Browns.

Bryant’s willingness to play for Cleveland had been in doubt, but it sounds like he’s at least open to the possibility. And, without a clear group of suitors here in August, Bryant may not have a ton of options left. That’s not to say that landing with the Browns would be a bad outcome for Bryant – this year’s Browns are clearly a more talented bunch than last year’s, and he will have extra opportunities to shine if star Josh Gordon misses regular season games. Even if Gordon is good to go, there should be plenty of deep ball opportunities for him, and he can take advantage of softer coverage as teams focus Gordon and slot star Jarvis Landry.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Browns general manager John Dorsey said earlier today that he can’t reach Dez Bryant in order to set up a visit, but the veteran wideout is now indicating he will in fact meet with Cleveland. “Starting my visits next week…I’m coming to the Land to see you Mr Dorsey,” Bryant tweeted on Thursday night.

While the Browns have been intrigued by Bryant for some time, Bryant’s willingness to play for Cleveland had been in doubt. Bryant simply tweeting that he’ll meet with the Browns next week certainly doesn’t make the prospective visit official, but if he’s willing to sit down with Dorsey & Co., there’s no real reason why a meeting wouldn’t occur.

Cleveland is in need of help at the wide receiver position: not only is the club waiting for Josh Gordon to return to practice (he’s currently dealing with off-field issues), but it just traded presumptive starter Corey Coleman to the Bills on Sunday. At this point, the Browns are planning to start Jarvis Landry and rookie wideout Antonio Callaway in two-wide sets.

Bryant, 29, certainly comes with risk, as he hasn’t topped 1,000 yards receiving since 2014, while his 12.1 yards per reception in 2017 was the lowest average of his career. But he can still post up opposing defensive backs near the end zone, and would be a tantalizing option for most quarterbacks. Recently, Bryant has expressed interest in signing with the 49ers, while Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report indicated that league insiders’ “best guess” is that Bryant will land with San Francisco.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

The Browns’ interest in Dez Bryant has been well-documented over the past couple of weeks. Apparently, that interest is not being reciprocated. On Thursday, GM John Dorsey told reporters that he would meet with Bryant next week, “if he returns a phone call. He won’t return any phone calls,” (Twitter link via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com). 

With Bryant apparently disinterested in joining Cleveland, Dorsey says the team will meet with other receivers in the coming days – ones that hopefully do have interest in suiting up for the Browns. That list may include Brandon LaFell, who is reportedly on the team’s radar following his release from the Bengals.

Earlier this week, Josina Anderson of ESPN.com reported Cleveland was under the impression that Bryant is “not seriously interested” in joining the Browns, and Dorsey’s comments jibe with that sentiment. The Browns traded wideout Corey Coleman to the Bills on Sunday, so they’re currently relying on Jarvis Landry and rookie Antonio Callaway as their starters, at least until Josh Gordon returns to the club.

While a number of teams have been tangentially linked to Bryant since he was released by the Cowboys, no clubs aside from the Ravens and Browns have been directly interested in the former first-round pick. In fact, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com has reported many teams are unwilling to consider Bryant even at the minimum salary. Bryant had been expected to land a new deal inJuly, so the clock is now ticking on the veteran wideout.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.