Browns To Work Out Orleans Darkwa
The Browns will work out running back Orleans Darkwa on Monday, as Josina Anderson of ESPN.com tweets. Darkwa last played for the Giants in 2017 and is looking to make his NFL return. 
Darkwa’s 2018 comeback attempt and workout tour was halted by a torn Achilles that knocked him out for the rest of the season. Now fully healthy, he’s looking to get back to the form he exhibited in 2017 when he rushed for 751 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 171 carries.
The Browns’ audition of Darkwa may be a prelude to granting Duke Johnson‘s trade request. As of this writing, the Browns refuse to move Johnson with the goal of keeping him as a backup to standout Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt (once he returns from his eight-game suspension.)
For his career, Darkwa has 246 carries for 1,038 yards and nine touchdowns.
Landry Says Johnson Won't Be A Distraction
- Speaking of teammates having each other’s backs in contract negotiations, the Duke Johnson situation has created some drama with the Browns this offseason. Baker Mayfield publicly criticized Johnson and his trade demand, which didn’t go over well with some Browns veterans. Several Browns players were reportedly unhappy with Mayfield talking about Johnson’s situation with the media. Johnson has said he doesn’t feel wanted in Cleveland, and he wants to be moved. Now Browns receiver Jarvis Landry is wading in, and he doesn’t think it will become too big of an issue. “It will not be a distraction,” Landry said recently, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. “Our focus is pretty clear. We want to win a championship and the guys that are here, that’s going to help us do that. We start on Thursday. Let’s get it done,” he continued. For what it’s worth the Browns have insisted they plan on keeping Johnson, so him and Mayfield might be forced to patch things up.
Browns, Damarious Randall Discussing Deal
The Browns and defensive back Damarious Randall have had “very preliminary” talks about a new deal, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com hears. For now, Randall is set to play out 2019 on his fifth-year option, which would pay him $9.069MM. 
Already, Randall has seen a significant bump from his previous pay. Over the first four years of his career, Randall earned just $7.915MM combined. A new deal would likely keep him paid around the $9MM/year level, over multiple seasons.
The Browns shifted Randall from cornerback to free safety, but even at his new position, Randall stands to earn a solid payday. Currently, Tyrann Mathieu (Chiefs, $14MM/year), Landon Collins (Redskins, $14MM/year), and Earl Thomas (Ravens, $13.75MM) lead the way at the position and Randall figures to be somewhere in the second tier.
For his part, Randall has said that he wants to stick around in Cleveland after spending the early part of his career in Green Bay.
“I would want to finish my career here in Cleveland,” Randall said. “I love it here. The fans, the coaches, everybody in charge here, I just love Cleveland.”
Browns’ Duke Johnson Hires Drew Rosenhaus
A couple of days after firing his agent, Browns running back Duke Johnson has new representation. On Thursday, Johnson hired Drew Rosenhaus, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. 
Johnson has been pushing to get out of Cleveland and he is expected to continue pursuing a trade. Rosenhaus, one of the NFL’s most powerful agents, has a track record in this area. Specifically, he helped facilitate the trade that sent Emmanuel Ogbah from the Browns to the Chiefs and got Breshad Perriman out of his deal with Cleveland.
Johnson has been an extremely effective pass catcher for the Browns out of the backfield, but their RB picture is clouded by the presence of rising star Nick Chubb and new addition Kareem Hunt, who will join the team after serving a suspension through the first half of the season.
So far, the Browns have not shown a willingness to move Johnson, but things could change if he continues to express his dissatisfaction. The Packers and Buccaneers would both be logical landing spots for him given their needs at running back.
NFL Supplemental Draft Order
The NFL’s Supplemental Draft order does not go by the inverted win/loss records of clubs. Instead, the order is dictated by a weighted lottery that uses a team’s win percentage as just part of the equation. Here, via Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link) is the complete order of the supplemental draft:
1. Lions
2. Broncos
3. Jets
4. Cardinals
5. Giants
6. Bills
7. Raiders
8. 49ers
9. Jaguars
10. Packers
11. Bengals
12. Bucs
13. Falcons
14. Vikings
15. Redskins
16. Titans
17. Dolphins
18. Steelers
19. Panthers
20. Browns
21. Ravens
22. Patriots
23.Cowboys
24. Seahawks
25. Eagles
26. Texans
27. Bears
28. Colts
29. Saints
30. Chiefs
31. Chargers
32. Rams
The supplemental draft is conducted via email. If multiple teams submit a pick for the same player in the same round, this order dictates which club gets the player. Of course, any team picking a player in the supplemental draft will sacrifice the corresponding pick in the 2020 draft.
Browns’ Duke Johnson Fires Agent
Browns running back Duke Johnson fired his agent, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). At this time, Johnson is without representation as he pushes the club to trade him. 
Johnson stayed away for much of the offseason before reporting to the club in early June for minicamp. However, when he arrived, he reiterated his desire for a change of scenery.
Johnson has been a valuable pass-catcher out of the backfield for the Browns, but the rise of Nick Chubb and the addition of Kareem Hunt (who will join the team after his eight-game suspension) likely spells a smaller role for him in 2019. Given Johnson’s history – including a yearly average of 59 receptions and 543 receiving yards – he’s justifiably looking for consistent playing time.
So far, the Browns have not shown a willingness to move Johnson, but things could change between now and September.
Browns Interested In Devonaire Clarington
- Former University of Texas commit Devonaire Clarington also worked out for NFL teams today, and Greg Auman of The Athletic put together an excellent piece detailing Clarington’s long journey to the doorstep of pro football. Clarington never suited up for the Longhorns due to academic issues, but at 6-7 with good hands and good speed from the tight end position, it’s not inconceivable that a team could take a late-round flier on him. Indeed, Clarington said he has fielded calls from at least 20 teams, including five different members of the Browns‘ staff.
Latest On Browns RB Kareem Hunt
Kareem Hunt is back in the news. A video on TMZ.com showed the Browns running back talking with police following a “small argument” (via Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com). Hunt was not arrested or charged following the incident.
Per Florio, the owner of the bar where the incident took place downplayed the entire ordeal, while a witness told TMZ.com that a “physical altercation” definitely occured. As Florio notes, it’s uncertain if that “altercation” was an actual fight or just horseplay. The cops in the video can be heard telling Hunt that they “saw him push you.”
A Browns spokesperson told Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com that the team is aware of the incident, and the organization has already talked to Hunt. It’s unlikely that anything comes up this latest episode, although Florio wonders if the organization may have placed Hunt on “some sort of a one-strike arrangement” when they signed him back in February. While the recent incident seems relatively harmless, Florio notes that the Browns could “regard any controversy whatsoever involving Hunt to be enough” to terminate the contract.
The Browns stirred up some controversy up their own when they signed Hunt earlier this offseason. Hunt, 23, is under investigation for three separate 2018 events — most notably the incident captured on video that showed him shoving and kicking a woman at a Cleveland hotel/apartment complex in February of last year. The Chiefs waived Hunt following reports of the incident, but the Browns subsequently inked him to a one-year deal.
Hunt will already be sitting out the first eight games of the upcoming season. When the running back eventually returns from his suspension, he’ll be joining a talented Cleveland offense. While Hunt is out, the team can lean on 2018 second-rounder Nick Chubb and pass-catcher Duke Johnson Jr., while the passing game will revolve around quarterback Baker Mayfield and wideouts Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry.
Marcus Simms Works Out For Teams
Former West Virginia wide receiver Marcus Simms worked out for half of the NFL’s teams on Monday, according to Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com. The Jaguars, Saints, Seahawks, Colts, Jets, Redskins, Chiefs, Browns, Eagles, Lions, Packers, 49ers, Vikings, Ravens, Raiders, and Falcons.
[RELATED: The 2019 NFL Supplemental Draft, So Far]
The 49ers and Vikings both sent directors of scouting while the Ravens had their personnel director on hand. The Raiders, meanwhile, had general manager Mike Mayock on hand, which may be an indicator of strong interest.
Simms’ 40-yard-dash times of 4.49, 4.45 and 4.40 seconds were strong, while his 36 inch vertical showed decent hops for the position. While he’s not considered to be as strong of a pro prospect as Washington State safety Jalen Thompson, Simms has a chance at being selected when the NFL Supplemental Draft takes place later this month.
Browns Boasted Best Offseason
- The Browns were deemed to have the best offseason, an ESPN NFL Nation post states. Each team was given a designation of elite, above average, average and too soon to tell, and Cleveland was the only squad to garner an elite ranking. The explanation for the lofty ranking was the team succeeding on its goal of surrounding second-year quarterback Baker Mayfield with talent at the skill positions with Odell Beckham and Kareem Hunt.