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Cleveland Browns News & Rumors

Josh Sweat Expected To Depart In Free Agency; Eagles On Radar For Myles Garrett

February 25th, 2025 at 11:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

Andrew Berry is not budging on his early-offseason Myles Garrett stances. The Browns are set against trading the future Hall of Fame pass rusher.

Reaffirming that at the Combine, the sixth-year GM said (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter) the Browns are “not interested in moving him.” Other teams continue to circle, with the Browns having received calls on a player who has made it clear he wants out. Cleveland is prepping a monster Garrett extension offer — during what should be an explosive offseason on the EDGE market — but it is unclear how much that would move the needle for the disgruntled All-Pro.

[RELATED: Sweat Makes Agency Change]

As teams look into this matter, execs around the league are connecting the Eagles as a team that will be pursuing a pass rusher. This loose Philly-Garrett tie comes as Josh Sweat nears free agency. It does not look like the reigning Super Bowl champions will re-sign the standout edge rusher, with ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler indicating (h/t iHeartRadio’s Victor Williams) expectations are pointing to a Sweat exit in free agency.

Sweat could hardly have done more to finalize his case as a top-tier free agency in the upcoming class, having hounded Patrick Mahomes throughout Super Bowl LIX. Exposing a Joe Thuney-at-LT plan that had been moderately effective for the Chiefs en route to the Super Bowl, Sweat collected 2.5 sacks and forced an interception when he drove the Kansas City LT into Mahomes late in the first half. Sweat, 27, finished the season with eight sacks and did well to reestablish his value after accepting a March 2024 pay cut.

Playing for $10MM last season, Sweat will be aiming much higher as a first-time free agent. The former fourth-round pick signed a three-year, $40MM extension with the Eagles in 2021. He became the team’s 2024 edge-rushing centerpiece, as Brandon Graham went down with a triceps tear and Bryce Huff — thus far, at least — proved unworthy of the three-year, $51.1MM deal. Although the Eagles have Nolan Smith set to play a lead role in next year’s pass rush, third-round rookie Jalyx Hunt may still be viewed as a backup.

This has connected execs to Garrett for Philly. Some around the league mentioned the Eagles as a landing spot previously, citing Berry’s past working for Howie Roseman. The Eagles, who added a third-round pick by unloading Haason Reddick last spring, have made splashy trades under Roseman. They moved a first-rounder to add A.J. Brown in 2022, parted with a second to acquire Ronald Darby in 2017. Roseman was in the Eagles’ front office (but not yet GM) when they dealt first-, fourth- and sixth-round picks to obtain Jason Peters from the Bills back in 2009. Peters and Brown proved worthy of the trade costs.

Teams are prepared to part with a first-round pick and change for Garrett, even though Berry has continued to come out against any trade. Garrett, 29, would also be eyeing a big-ticket extension. That would affect teams’ trade offers, but the Eagles have shown a willingness to be creative to help fit contracts onto their cap sheet in the recent past. It might take a while to pry Garrett from Cleveland, with the draft looming as the first notable deadline here. But the Eagles have been willing to wait on big trades in the past.

Top Two Teams In Draft Split On Colorado’s Travis Hunter

February 25th, 2025 at 7:31pm CST by Ely Allen

While the quarterbacks have garnered plenty of attention at the projected top of the 2025 NFL Draft, many recent prospect rankings have Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter as the No. 1 overall prospect, usually joined at the top by two-way Colorado athlete Travis Hunter. If Hunter does end up contending for one of the top two picks in the draft, it could mean two drastically different possibilities for his future in the NFL.

Hunter was a unicorn at the collegiate level of football. While we’ve seen players in the past like Charles Woodson, Champ Bailey, and Chris Gamble play through college on both sides of the ball full-time, Hunter did so while being a top-four player on his team in snaps played on both offense and defense and while grading out on Pro Football Focus (subscription required) as the best defensive player for the Buffaloes and the second-best offensive player. In the entire nation, Hunter’s 86.3 offensive grade slotted him as the seventh-best receiver in the FBS, while his defensive grade of 88.2 slotted him as the seventh-best cornerback in the country, as well.

His elite, dual-threat athleticism helped Hunter to become the first non-quarterback to win the Heisman Trophy since 2020 (DeVonta Smith) and the first player who played significant snaps on defense to win the award since 1997 (Woodson). In addition, he became the first player in college football history to win both the Chuck Bednarik Award for the nation’s best defensive player and the Fred Biletnikoff Award for the nation’s best wide receiver.

The NFL will be a different story for Hunter, though. In Boulder, coaches knew that, because of the heightened load of playing on both offense and defense on Saturdays, Hunter would need a lightened load in practice during the week. It was also impossible for Hunter to attend both offensive and defensive meetings (as well as broken-down meetings with individual position groups) simultaneously, so he had to budget his time between meetings. Due to the giant learning curve that often accompanies rookies making the jump from college to professional football, that likely won’t fly in the NFL.

So far, the reports we’ve seen coming out of scouting circles have favored Hunter as a cornerback in the NFL who can play in certain packages on offense. This would follow in the footsteps of Woodson, Bailey, and Gamble, who all became defensive backs as pros. Despite the majority seeing this as the probable outcome, there have certainly been a number of teams who are reported to view him as a wide receiver first. It just so happens that one of those teams has the No. 2 overall pick in the draft. Per NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe, Titans head coach Brian Callahan and general manager Mike Borgonzi view Hunter primarily as a cornerback, while Andrew Berry, general manager in Cleveland, says Hunter is “a unicorn” that they view primarily as a wide receiver.

That means that, if both teams decide to pass up on quarterbacks and Hunter pushes Carter for the honor of top prospect, Hunter’s NFL future could be decided on if he’s selected No. 1 by the Titans as a corner or No. 2 by the Browns as a receiver. After Tennessee spent a third-round pick and a four-year, $76.4MM extension to watch L’Jarius Sneed be one of the worst cornerbacks in football last year, per PFF, the Titans could use a boost in the secondary. Hunter would also be a solid addition to their wide receiving corps, but with Calvin Ridley, Tyler Boyd, and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, he’s not necessarily needed for every possession.

In Cleveland, while Denzel Ward continues to play at a high level, the Browns could certainly use improved performances around him from young guys like Martin Emerson, Greg Newsome, and Cameron Mitchell. On offense, though, Hunter would immediately step in as WR2 behind Jerry Jeudy. With Elijah Moore entering free agency, the Browns next two returning receivers would be Cedric Tillman (339 yards, three touchdowns) and Michael Woods (65 yards, no touchdowns).

On both teams, it’s clear Hunter could provide a massive improvement to either side of the ball, and perhaps on both sides of the ball, if either team is willing to work him there. The difference between Tennessee’s and Berry’s assessments seems to do less with roster needs and more with personal analysis. While the quarterbacks are sure to keep things interesting atop the first few picks of the draft, if Carter and Hunter end up trending around Nos. 1 and 2, it will be interesting to see exactly how the chips fall and what it will mean for Hunter’s professional career.

Matthew Stafford Seeking $50MM Per Year; Multiple Teams Showing Trade Interest

February 24th, 2025 at 11:18pm CST by Adam La Rose

The future of Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford continues to dominate the news cycle as the new league year approaches. The Super Bowl winner will manage to secure a new pact ahead of the 2025 season, but whether or not it comes from Los Angeles remains to be seen.

One of the many recent developments in this situation indicated Stafford is seeking a raise from what he is currently set to collect. As a result of last offseason’s stopgap financial compromise between team and player, the two-time Pro Bowler is owed $32MM as things stand (without much of it being guaranteed). With respect to how much of a pay bump Stafford is seeking, further clarity has emerged.

The 37-year-old is looking to join the signal-callers earning $50MM per year or more, NFL Network’s Peter Schrager reports (video link). That list currently sits at nine, and each of the players on it are younger than Stafford; only Dak Prescott and Jared Goff are QBs over the age of 30 who find themselves in the upper echelon of compensation. On the other hand, Jalen Hurts is the only $50MM-per-year passer whose resume includes a Super Bowl title.

In the wake of the Rams’ victory in Super Bowl LVI, Stafford, receiver Cooper Kupp and defensive lineman Aaron Donald received new contracts cementing their status as the team’s core moving forward. The latter retired after the 2023 season, while Kupp is known to be on the trade block (and in danger of being released if no suitor is found). Moving on from Stafford would allow for the Rams to reset under center and complete the transition to a much younger – and much less expensive – nucleus.

Stafford and his camp have permission to gauge the trade market, and the upcoming Combine will no doubt result in all parties learning more about how much (in terms of draft capital and finances) teams are willing to pay. Any number of suitors could emerge given Stafford’s potential to serve as a short-term quarterback upgrade, and some teams are known to have made contact so far. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reports the Giants, Browns, Steelers and Raiders are among those which have expressed interest.

The Giants are known to be in the market for a veteran passer as well as a long-term solution brought about via the draft. A deal for Stafford would meet the first of those goals, and if healthy he could prove to be a worthwhile addition over a short period. New York owns the No. 3 pick in April’s draft, capital the team will not be willing to part with. Whether or not the Rams can work out a trade built around second- (rather than first-)round compensation will be key in determining if a deal can be finalized.

The Browns are set to be without Deshaun Watson for most or potentially all of 2025, and another restructure to his pact will help create the space needed for an inexpensive veteran addition. Provided he is released by the Falcons, Kirk Cousins will be a name to watch on that front based on his history with Kevin Stefanski and the offset language in his contract. Stafford, by contrast, would be a far more expensive target.

At least one of Russell Wilson or Justin Fields will likely be retained by Pittsburgh this offseason, and a mutual interest exists for a new deal in both cases. A commitment from the Steelers to operate as the clear-cut starter will be an obvious sticking point whichever way the team goes, though, and adding Stafford via trade would leave Wilson and Fields on the move this spring. Pittsburgh would be better placed financially than New York or Cleveland to absorb a raise, but the same holds true of other teams as well.

One of those is the Raiders. Vegas entered Monday with the second-most spending power in the NFL, and quarterback is a clear area of need. As a result, it came as no surprise when a report from yesterday noted the Raiders could be a Stafford suitor. New general manager John Spytek would no doubt avoid trading away the sixth overall pick in this year’s draft, so another package or one centered on a 2026 Day 1 selection (a possibility Breer mentions) would be required for talks to yield progress.

Schrager adds no animosity exists between Stafford and Rams head coach Sean McVay, and the door is open to another Rams restructure ending speculation on this front. Still, given the extent to which a trade is receiving consideration, a reconciliation between the parties would be at least somewhat awkward at this point. Los Angeles will look for a long-term successor under center in the near future regardless, but it remains uncertain if that will be necessary in 2025.

Browns Willing To Hear Offers For No. 2 Pick?

February 24th, 2025 at 9:39pm CST by Ben Levine

The Titans have made it clear that they’re willing to move back from the No. 1 pick, but there could be a better chance that the No. 2 pick is ultimately moved. According to Josina Anderson of Bovada, the Browns are “most willing to listen” to offers among teams in the top-six of the draft.

[RELATED: Titans GM Says Team Open To Trading No. 1 Pick]

Armed with the second-overall pick, the Browns are a clear suitor for a rookie quarterback. Unfortunately, this year’s draft doesn’t feature a blue-chip signal caller, and there’s a chance Cleveland could move back from No. 2 and still land one of the top positional prospects like Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders. Of course, that would still require the Browns to hang around the top of the draft board, but the team may be tempted by a trade offer that pulls them out of that range.

Browns GM Andrew Berry may have already hinted that the organization was pivoting away from Ward or Sanders. Berry has opined that he can find a long-term starter in this year’s much-maligned crop of collegiate QBs, even beyond the top duo. If the organization is committed to spending their top selection on a QB, they could pick up some extra assets along the way vs. just reaching for a prospect with the No. 2 pick. Of course, the organization could also select Abdul Carter or Travis Hunter with the No. 2 pick and figure out QB later.

Even if the Browns are willing to trade their top pick, they’d still have to find a willing trade partner. While the No. 2 pick would still assure a team a blue-chip prospect in Carter or Hunter, there’s a belief that this year’s lackluster draft quality could impact trades atop the depth board. As ESPN’s Matt Miller writes, we may see fewer trades in the top-10 and more towards the end of the first round or beginning of the second round due to a “a lack of league-wide consensus regarding the top players.”

There is some elevated pressure for the Browns to get this pick right. The team sacrificed a good portion of their future in the regrettable Deshaun Watson trade. As a result, the organization is positioned to pick in the opening round for the first time since 2021. If the Browns have any hopes of returning to relevancy, it’ll likely start with how the team handles the second-overall selection.

Browns Release LS Charley Hughlett

February 24th, 2025 at 3:04pm CST by Adam La Rose

Charley Hughlett‘s run with the Browns has come to an end. The veteran long snapper has been released, per a team announcement.

“This is a bittersweet transaction for our organization because we hate separating from a valued and long-tenured player for our team,” a statement from general manager Andrew Berry reads in part. “However, it also gives us the opportunity to express sincere gratitude and appreciation for all Charley has done for the Browns on and off the field… He’s a special individual who we will welcome home as a Cleveland Brown after his career is complete.”

Hughlett’s entire 10-year career has been spent in Cleveland, and he ranks 15th in franchise history for games played. The former UDFA had not missed a game before the 2024 campaign, but a ribs injury limited him to only five contests this past year. Rex Sunahara took over long snapping duties the rest of the way, and today’s news points to him continuing in that role moving forward.

Two years remained on Hughlett’s contract, but no guaranteed salary was in place. The Browns will generate $1.08MM in cap savings with this release while incurring $346K in dead money charges. This is the second cost-cutting measure of the day for Cleveland; safety Juan Thornhill will be let go via a post-June 1 release.

Hughlett, 34, will now look to find a new opportunity. Teams do not make lucrative investments when signing in-house options or outside free agents at the long snapper position, and with the draft not far away potential suitors could elect to wait to see if a younger player is available during the spring. Failing that, Hughlett could manage to continue his career in 2025.

The Browns have also signed cornerback Anthony Kendall. The 25-year-old made 16 appearances with the Titans in 2023 but he did not see any game action this past campaign, most recently spending time on the Ravens’ practice squad. Kendall will look to compete for a roster spot this summer.

Browns To Release S Juan Thornhill

February 24th, 2025 at 9:11am CST by Adam La Rose

After a pair of seasons with the Browns, Juan Thornhill is set to be on the move. The veteran safety will be released, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.

As Garafolo notes, team and player discussed the situation in recent days with the decision being made to part ways. Now, Thornhill and his camp will begin searching for suitors. Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot adds this will be a post-June 1 release.

As a result, the Browns will generate $3.4MM in cap savings and a dead money charge of $2.28MM for 2025. The move cannot be made until the new league year begins, though, and the money it frees up will not be available until June 2 (Cleveland will have his $5.68MM cap charge on the books until that point). One year remained on Thornhill’s pact, with a $2MM option bonus due in August; instead of retaining him and paying out that money as part of the $7MM he was owed, the Browns will look for a safety replacement this offseason.

Thornhill spent his first four seasons with the Chiefs, serving as a key starter during the first and final years of his rookie contract in particular. The former second-rounder earned a Super Bowl ring during his Kansas City tenure before landing a three-year, $21MM deal on the open market. That pact set him up to operate as a full-time starter in Cleveland, although in 2023 and again in ’24 Thornhill was limited to 11 games. After racking up eight interceptions as a Chief, the Virginia product was held without one as a Brown.

The safety spot has not seen the upward movement of many other positions in recent years, something which will hinder Thornhill’s market (especially given his missed time). At the age of 29, though, he could still land a multi-year offer from a team seeking a veteran starter in the defensive backfield. While he will not reach free agency until next month, Thornhill will be able to gauge his market over the coming weeks.

Cleveland has Grant Delpit on the books through 2026, but Thornhill’s departure will create the need for a first-team replacement at the other safety spot. Veteran Rodney McLeod made it clear last spring he viewed the 2024 campaign as his last, so barring a change of heart he will not be in the fold moving forward. The Browns will need to make multiple additions at the position this spring.

Browns Rumors: Bitonio, Cousins, Newsome

February 23rd, 2025 at 12:45pm CST by Rory Parks

Towards the end of the Browns’ disappointing 2024 season, left guard Joel Bitonio said he had not yet decided whether to return for 2025 – the last year of his current contract – or retire. As Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported just yesterday, Bitonio is still working through his decision, though he plans to let the team know before free agency opens next month. The 33-year-old blocker confirmed retirement remains “within the realm of possibilities” (via Zac Jackson of The Athletic).

Like teammate Myles Garrett, Bitonio said he wanted to hear the Browns’ plans for a return to contention in 2025, including their quarterback strategy. However, he also made clear that his decision to keep playing or hang up his cleats would primarily be informed by health and family considerations.

Retaining a player as good as Bitonio on a $1.26MM base salary and $3MM roster bonus would doubtlessly be a welcome development for the Browns. Indeed, Cleveland has a major question mark at left tackle – regardless of whether Dawand Jones is medically cleared in time for training camp, as expected – and the team must also navigate Garrett’s trade request and meaningfully address the quarterback position despite having the second-worst cap situation in the league as of the time of this writing.

Previous reports indicated the Browns will sign a veteran QB in free agency even if they plan to select one in April’s draft, and Kirk Cousins was mentioned as one FA possibility. The fact that Browns HC Kevin Stefanski worked as Cousins’ quarterbacks coach/offensive coordinator with the Vikings from 2018-19 is a driving force behind Cousins-Cleveland speculation, as is the fact that the cap-strapped Browns could likely sign the 36-year-old for the veteran minimum. Albert Breer of SI.com confirms Cousins’ contract with the Falcons includes offset language, meaning that if he is released as expected, the only way he will land a deal in excess of the minimum in 2025 is if another team believes he is worth more than the $27.5MM for which Atlanta is already on the hook (which is highly unlikely, and Cousins has no real incentive to seek a higher payout and reduce his number of potential suitors).

Breer appears to agree that the signs pointing to an accord between Cousins and the Browns are real. He also expects the team to draft a QB regardless of whether Cousins or a different free agent is added to the mix. Cleveland, which presently holds the No. 2 overall pick in the draft, is already assured of landing either Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders – the top prospects in an admittedly maligned class of collegiate QBs – though GM Andrew Berry has said he believes the class includes starting-caliber passers outside of Ward and Sanders.

Many people around the league agree Cousins will be a Browns target, Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline writes. Especially if Cleveland does not manage to land Ward in the draft, the veteran could rebuild his value with a familiar face in the form of Stefanski while providing the team with a much-needed affordable short-term option under center.

The Browns have understandably stated they do not want to trade Garrett, but if they reverse course and unload him, they could also have a decision to make on their top cornerback, Denzel Ward. Ward, who is under club control through 2027 but who has no guaranteed salary due to him beyond 2025, has said Garrett’s trade request has a “huge impact” on his own future (thereby suggesting he could be planning his own exit strategy if Garrett were to be dealt).

For what it’s worth, Ward’s fellow CB, Greg Newsome II, previously said he wants to remain with the Browns for the long haul, a desire that he recently reiterated (via Cabot). He said he would try to talk Garrett out of his trade request, as he believes the team is just a quarterback away from being a legitimate contender.

Newsome is due to play out the 2025 campaign on the fifth-year option of his rookie deal, which will pay him over $13MM. His hope to be a long-term member of the Browns notwithstanding, he indicated he is looking for a larger role in the defense.

In 2024, the former first-round pick played a career-low 70% of Cleveland’s defensive snaps, as Martin Emerson – who is extension-eligible for the first time this offseason – was Ward’s primary partner on the boundaries. That left Newsome to man the slot, and with opposing offenses favoring two-tight end sets, he did not see as much action as he would have liked.

“[T]here were games I was on the field 25% and 30% of the game, and as a football player, I feel like fans don’t understand, you can’t get in a rhythm for being on the field, out of 50 snaps, 15 snaps,” Newsome said. “That’s not how you play football. And that’s never what I’ve had to do in my career so far, so this was the first year of that and it was obviously a little frustrating, but I think we’ll figure this out.”

Newsome added that there have been no real extension talks between his camp and the Browns this offseason. Such conversations may not be at the top of Berry’s agenda at the moment, and if and when substantive talks do take place, Newsome’s recent trouble with his left hamstring – he had surgery on it prior to last summer’s training camp and then reinjured it in December – will be raised.

Nonetheless, Newsome said he is fully healthy and is ready to prove as much in what could be a platform year.

Browns OT Dawand Jones Underwent Knee Surgery

February 22nd, 2025 at 12:41pm CST by Ben Levine

Dawand Jones recently went under the knife. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Browns left tackle underwent arthroscopic knee surgery.

The procedure was intended to clean up a knee injury that lingered during the 2024 campaign. Fowler says the hope is that Jones will begin running soon and will be at full health for the start of training camp, but his recovery will obviously be worth watching.

Jones has struggled with injuries during his brief career. The former fourth-round pick got into 11 games as a rookie before suffering a season-ending MCL injury. He played through his knee issue in 10 games last year before going down with a broken fibula.

In total, the lineman has appeared in 21 games (17 starts) in his two seasons in the NFL. His knee troubles may have contributed to his poor showing in 2024, as Pro Football Focus ranked the lineman 77th among 81 qualifying OTs. Jones had a much better showing in 2023, finishing 48th among 81 qualifiers in those same rankings.

Despite the injuries and inconsistent play, the Browns are still hoping the 23-year-old can be their answer at left tackle. Jones will be penciled into the starting lineup opposite Jack Conklin to open the offseason, although that’s mostly because the rest of the team’s tackle depth (including James Hudson, Jedrick Wills, and Germain Ifedi) is set to hit free agency.

Browns Preparing Myles Garrett Extension Offer; Team Still Unlikely To Consider Trade?

February 18th, 2025 at 10:23pm CST by Adam La Rose

The future of Myles Garrett remains uncertain at this point, with his public trade request still standing. It would come as no surprise around the league if a deal sending him away from the Browns were to take place, but Cleveland’s intention remains keeping him in the fold.

Two years remain on Garrett’s pact, and he is owed roughly $45MM across that span. Without any outstanding guaranteed salary on the deal, any acquiring team would need to work out an extension moving him near (or to) the top of the edge rush financial pecking order while providing new locked in money. The 2023 Defensive Player of the Year is not using his trade request as a means of securing a new contract, however.

In spite of that, the Browns’ willingness to work out a raise with Garrett appears to be undeterred. As The Athletic’s Zac Jackson notes, the team looks to be prepared to make a “monstrous” extension offer which would keep the 29-year-old in Cleveland. (subscription required). Any new commitment on Garrett’s part would of course put to rest the chances of a trade for at least the near future and make it likely he would finish his decorated career with the Browns.

Team and player are not in alignment with respect to contending in the immediate future, and uncertainty at the quarterback spot represents a suitable reason on Garrett’s part to prefer a change of scenery. With that said, Cleveland will be able to afford an inexpensive bridge starter in free agency once the latest Deshaun Watson restructure takes place, and the No. 2 selection in April’s draft could give the team the opportunity to add a rookie to the mix. Especially if the Browns make a notable addition under center, they could attempt to rebuke trade offers and retain Garrett for 2025 and beyond.

On that point, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com writes the team could very well be prepared to wait this situation out through the start of next season (subscription required). She adds that could even be the case if Garrett were to sit out games in 2025, something which would be aimed at accelerating the trade process. Offers including at least one first-round pick and more can be expected this offseason from interested suitors, although general manager Andrew Berry has previously stated a pair of Day 1 selections would not be sufficient to make a trade something he would be prepared to entrain.

That sentiment would no doubt especially hold true after the draft, so late April represents an unofficial deadline for any movement on the Garrett front. If a renewed effort were to be made by the Browns to work out an extension, a new wrinkle to this situation would come into play.

Minor NFL Transactions: 2/18/25

February 18th, 2025 at 7:37pm CST by Ely Allen

We had a number of minor moves today in the NFL:

Cleveland Browns

Las Vegas Raiders

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

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