Trent Williams “Still On The Table” For Browns
Trent Williams could still be an option for Cleveland. ESPN’s Josina Anderson reports (via Twitter) that the offensive lineman is “still on the table” for the Browns. While a deal isn’t imminent, the Browns front office continues to monitor the situation.
The Browns have shown interest in Williams for months, but there were rumblings that the Andrew Berry-led regime wasn’t as infatuated with the player as the John Dorsey-led regime had been. The Dorsey-led regime had offered Washington a second-rounder back in October, but the Redskins declined that offer. It’s uncertain (and unlikely) that that offer is still on the table.
In fact, it sounds unlikely that the Redskins will be able to acquire a first- or second-rounder from any team. We heard earlier this week that the Jets, who have also been connected to Williams, are still unwilling to part with a second-round pick. The veteran’s commands for a new contracts are somewhat complicating trade negotiations, especially if Williams is adamant about getting paid $20MM/year. There’s some belief around the NFL that the Redskins will ultimately cut the disgruntled 31-year-old.
Former Redskins GM Scot McCloughan is among those who believe the lineman is worth the asking price. Speaking to Team 980’s Kevin Sheehan, McCloughan said Williams would still be taken in the first round of the upcoming draft, even at his current age.
“He’d be the first tackle taken this year in the draft, hands down — even at his age (31),’’ McCloughan said (via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com). “You know what you’ve got. You bring him in, you’re going get three to four years out of him, and it’s going to be Pro Bowl years, that’s legit one of the top five tackles in the NFL, hands down, right now.’’
Browns’ Kareem Hunt Signs Tender
Browns running back Kareem Hunt has signed his second-round tender, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. With that, Hunt will earn $3.27MM on the year. 
The Browns took a gamble on Hunt in 2018, despite his troubled history in Kansas City. The Chiefs cut the running back after a surveillance video showed him striking a woman at a Cleveland hotel. In that same year, he also got into a physical altercation with a man in Ohio. Hunt promised the Browns that he would work hard on the field and clean up his act off of the field. On the field, he held up his end of the bargain with a 4.2 yards per carry average. Off the field, this past January, he was cited for marijuana possession, though those charges were dropped in March.
Despite the citation, the Browns tendered Hunt at the second-round level this offseason. He’s now set to resume his role as a complementary back to starter Nick Chubb in 2020.
Hunt, a 2017 third-round pick, began his NFL career with a league-leading 1,327 rushing yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie. He continued that production up until his KC release in 2018 with 14 all-purpose TDs through eleven games.
2020 NFL Draft Picks By Team
The 2020 NFL Draft is just days away and it’s just a matter of time before picks are swapped and shuffled at lightning speed. Before the trading frenzy starts, let’s take a look at the draft picks owned by each team.
[RELATED: 2020 NFL Draft Order By Round]
Updated: 4-17-20 (5:00pm CT)
Arizona Cardinals
1-8:
3-72:
4-114:
4-131: (from Houston)
6-202: (from New England)
7-222:
Atlanta Falcons
1-16:
2-47:
3-78:
4-119:
4-143: (from Baltimore*)
7-228: (from Tampa Bay, via Philadelphia)
Baltimore Ravens
1-28:
2-55: (from Atlanta, via New England)
2-60:
3-92:
3-106*:
4-129: (from New England)
4-134:
5-170: (from Minnesota)
7-225: (from Jets)
Buffalo Bills
2-54:
3-86:
4-128:
5-167:
6-188: (from Cleveland)
6-207: (from Baltimore via New England)
7-239: (from Minnesota)
Browns To Keep Odell Beckham Jr.
The Browns say they aren’t trading Odell Beckham Jr. to the Vikings. Or, for that matter, any other team in the NFL. After talking with multiple Browns sources, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) reports that OBJ is “firmly” in the team’s plans for 2020. 
[RELATED: Browns Say OBJ/Vikings Rumblings Are “Completely False”]
Rapoport’s sources in Cleveland “literally laughed” when asked about the prospect of dealing the wide receiver. ESPN’s Adam Schefter’s source echoes those sentiments, saying that the Browns have had no discussions this offseason about trading OBJ (Twitter link). Despite the drama and weirdness that comes with Beckham, he stands as one of the most talented receivers in the league. The Browns – who have been denying trade speculation for months – have every reason to try and make things work.
In his first year with the Browns, Beckham had his worst performance in any full season. But, before he relocated to Ohio, Beckham was an absolute monster in New York. OBJ topped 1,300 yards in each of his first three seasons, including a career-high 1,450 yards in 2015. And, after his lost 2017 season, he still managed 77 catches, 1,052 yards, and six touchdowns in just 12 games.
The former first-rounder left the Giants as one of their all-time highest ranked receivers in catches, receiving yards, and touchdown receptions. So far, he’s indicated that he wants to stick around in Cleveland to do the same for the Browns.
Besides, they paid a fortune for Beckham. The Browns shipped 2019 first- and third-round picks to the Giants, plus Jabrill Peppers and Kevin Zeitler, to acquire Olivier Vernon and the star receiver.
Browns: We’re Not Trading OBJ To Vikings
This week, rumors of an Odell Beckham Jr. trade with the Vikings nearly broke the internet. Today, Browns Chief Strategy Officer Paul DePodesta went on the record to pour cold water on those rumblings. 
[RELATED: Browns Eyeing Trade Back For Boise State OL?]
“In short, I will just say it was completely false,” DePodesta told reporters (Twitter link via Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com). “It’s a frustrating a little bit. I think it is pretty clear we are trying to build at this point…The idea that we would take away from that core at this moment just does not make a whole lot of sense and is not really something that we are exploring at all.”
Of course, OBJ is no stranger to the pages of Pro Football Rumors. The mercurial wide receiver has been viewed as a potential trade candidate for some time. In December, Jay Glazer of FOX Sports reported that the former first-round pick wanted out of Cleveland. And, according to Glazer, he went so far as to tell opposing players, “come get me.” Soon after, Beckham did his best to quell the speculation:
“I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be here,” OBJ said. “We’ll figure this thing out. It’s just too special to leave…We’re going to be here. We’re going to do it again. And we’re going to be what we felt like we should’ve been.”
Still, the rumor mill continued to churn. The 49ers, who were in talks with the Giants before Beckham was traded to the Browns, were thought to be a possible destination for him just last month. But, despite all of the friction, the new regime led by Andrew Berry insisted that OBJ was still in the plans.
Beckham finished 2019 with his worst career full-season stat line: 74 receptions, 1,035 yards, and four touchdowns. Still, he remains one of the league’s most dangerous offensive weapons.
With the exception of the Giants, just about every NFL team would welcome OBJ into the lineup. The Vikings, however, just moved on from wide receiver drama by trading Stefon Diggs to the Bills. After that deal, giving up valuable draft picks for Beckham would make little sense.
2020 NFL Draft Capital By Team
Every NFL team automatically gets seven draft picks per season, but thanks to lots of trades and the compensatory pick process, many clubs end up with more (or less) than their original seven selections. After running down the NFL Draft round-by-round, let’s take a look at how much draft capital each club has amassed:
Updated: 4-16-20 (6:00pm CT)
14 picks
- Miami Dolphins
12 picks
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Minnesota Vikings
- New England Patriots
10 picks
- Denver Broncos
- Green Bay Packers
- New York Giants
9 picks
- Baltimore Ravens
- Detroit Lions
8 picks
- Carolina Panthers
- New York Jets
- Philadelphia Eagles
7 picks
- Buffalo Bills
- Chicago Bears
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Cleveland Browns
- Dallas Cowboys
- Houston Texans
- Indianapolis Colts
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Los Angeles Rams
- Seattle Seahawks
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- San Francisco 49ers
- Washington Redskins
6 picks
- Arizona Cardinals
- Atlanta Falcons
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Tennessee Titans
5 picks
- Kansas City Chiefs
- New Orleans Saints
Browns Eyeing OL Ezra Cleveland?
“Buzz is building” around the Browns and offensive lineman Ezra Cleveland, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). The Browns could consider a trade back in the first round, allowing them to take the big man out of Boise State.
[RELATED: No Truth To Browns/OBJ Talk]
At 6’6″ and 300+ pounds, Cleveland has been moving up the boards over the past couple of months. At the combine, he impressed in his on-field drills, bringing him closer to the top tier of offensive lineman in this year’s class.
Jedrick Wills, Mekhi Becton, Tristan Wirfs, and Andrew Thomas figure to be the first tackles selected, but Cleveland has also made a case to be an early pick. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein lauds Cleveland’s quick feet and ability to accelerate, skills that could allow him to thrive in the Browns’ multi-faceted offense. At the same time, the draft guru notes that Cleveland is green in some areas – his play strength, punch timing, and ability to separate all need some fine-tuning.
With help from the NFL Research team, Rapoport notes that this would be just the fifth time that a drafted player shared the same name as his team’s city. The Browns also have some experience in that area. Since 1970, they’ve selected seven players with the last name Brown. And, in 1957, they selected the legendary Jim Brown. Soon, we’ll know whether Cleveland gets share a similar status.
Cabot: No Truth To Vikings-OBJ Rumor
- A rumor circulated Wednesday connecting the Browns to engaging in Odell Beckham Jr. trade discussions with the Vikings. The rumor indicated the proposed compensation discussed was a package featuring second- and fifth-round picks. Quickly debunking this, cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot reports no such talks occurred (Twitter link). It would be odd to see the Vikings shed Stefon Diggs‘ contract only to add Beckham’s $18MM-AAV deal. Beckham was again mentioned in trade rumors at the end of last season, but the latest Browns regime said the plan is to keep the star wideout for the 2020 season. Beckham’s deal could become a trade asset at some point, with the Giants having eaten all the dead money associated with it.
- One of many defenders with whom the Browns agreed to one-year contracts, Karl Joseph remains in limbo to a degree. The former Raiders safety suffered a broken foot last season and underwent surgery. However, Joseph has not taken a Browns physical yet, Cabot notes. Joseph is the only member of this Browns free agency class not to have taken his physical, Cabot adds. There are no plans for Joseph to take a physical in the near future, but GM Andrew Berry does not expect this to be an issue that nixes the parties’ $2.5MM agreement.
2020 NFL Cap Room By Team
The biggest names in NFL free agency might be off the board, but there are still plenty of noteworthy players on the board and high-profile cuts on the way. And, while some teams did their spending early, others are still sitting on lots of cash.
The latest cap figures from OverTheCap show that several teams are poised to pounce in the latter waves of free agency, starting with the Browns. The numbers also show that teams like the Rams still have work to do in order to sign their upcoming draft class. Also, the Eagles’ 2020 figure doesn’t quite tell the whole story – thanks to high-priced multi-year deals including Darius Slay’s new contract, they’re already overcommitted on dollars for 2021.
Here’s the complete rundown for all 32 teams, in descending order of cap space:
- Browns – $40.2MM
- Lions – $29.5MM
- Eagles – $27.1MM
- Colts – $24MM
- Dolphins – $23.9MM
- Redskins – $23.8MM
- Chargers – $22.3MM
- Titans – $21.5MM
- Bills – $20.9MM
- Texans – $18.6MM
- Broncos – $17.5MM
- Giants – $17.1MM
- Jets – $15.5MM
- Jaguars – $14.6MM
- Cowboys – $13.6MM
- Buccaneers – $13.5MM
- 49ers – $13.4MM
- Seahawks – $12.6MM
- Vikings – $12.3MM
- Ravens – $11.3MM
- Packers – $11.08MM
- Bears – $11.03MM
- Panthers – $9.4MM
- Raiders – $8.8MM
- Bengals – $7.3MM
- Steelers – $7.2MM
- Cardinals – $7MM
- Saints – $5.3MM
- Chiefs – $2.9MM
- Falcons – $2.4MM
- Patriots – $1.2MM
- Rams – (-$5.3MM)
Browns Hold Chat With Andrew Thomas
- Viewed as a landing spot for one of this draft’s top tackles, the Browns are doing their homework. They had planned to make Georgia alum Andrew Thomas one of their “30” visits, per Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com, but the NFL nixed pre-draft visits early in the process because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Browns instead conducted a video-chat session with the first-round talent. The Browns, who hold the No. 10 overall pick, have not addressed their left tackle need. They restructured Chris Hubbard‘s deal, however, putting the embattled right tackle in position to keep his job. Thomas saw time at both left and right tackle with the Bulldogs. Thomas said, via Cabot, he’s spoken to seven or eight teams — mostly those with top-10 picks.