Latest On Browns, Antonio Callaway
More Browns wide receiver tumult surfaced this week when Antonio Callaway received a citation for marijuana possession. This marks the latest trouble for Callaway, and new details surfaced on Wednesday.
The rookie wide receiver said the car he was driving that contained the marijuana was transported from his native Florida recently, and he indicated he didn’t know marijuana was present in the vehicle. But TMZ reports gun parts and ammunition were found in the car as well. The police officer who searched the car found the backstrap of a firearm and several rounds of ammo, TMZ reports.
This figures to increase chances the rookie may incur an NFL suspension.
Due to a diluted sample at the Combine, Callaway entered the NFL in Stage 1 of the substance-abuse program. Hue Jackson‘s engaged in several discussions with the young wideout about his status, per Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com, but he was not told about Callaway’s incident until news broke.
“Obviously I’m just now finding out about it,” Jackson said, calling this sequence of events “alarming.” “… We will have a very strong conversation about it.
“We cannot run from that. Obviously, the red flag is up, because that’s (a type of trouble) that he’s had. Let me work through it, see what it is and go from there.”
This incident occurred nearly 20 hours before the Browns traded Corey Coleman. Callaway was suspended from the Florida Gators program last season but has impressed during camp. The Browns are currently without Josh Gordon and unloaded Coleman on Sunday night, opening the door for more reps for other roster hopefuls. Callaway seems like a lock to make Cleveland’s 53-man unit.
“We’ve had no slip ups, no issues,” Jackson said, adding Callaway had “been great” in his conduct since arriving via fourth-round pick. “This is a young player, who obviously made a bad decision or bad choice. I have to find out.”
Dez Bryant “Not Seriously Interested” In Browns?
The Dez Bryant-to-Cleveland train keeps getting stalled. Per Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link), the Browns are under the impression that Bryant is “not seriously interested” in joining Cleveland.
Browns general manager John Dorsey first admitted his club’s Bryant intrigue at the end of July, and subsequent reports indicated the two parties had “mutual interest.” However, as of last week, no official date for Bryant to meet with Cleveland had been scheduled, and Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com added the Browns only have a “modicum of interest” in adding the 29-year-old pass-catcher.
On Sunday, Cleveland traded wide receiver Corey Coleman to the Bills in exchange for a 2020 seventh-round pick, but that swap wasn’t intended to create space for Bryant, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Additionally, the deal wasn’t indicative of Josh Gordon‘s current status, as the Browns believe he’ll eventually rejoin the team.
Even before Coleman was traded, the Browns had expressed a desire to use Jarvis Landry — who ran 72.7% of his routes from the slot with Miami in 2017, as a part-time outside receiver. With Coleman gone, and Gordon’s status up in the air, Cleveland may have to rely on other options such as rookie Antonio Callaway, Rashard Higgins, and Jeff Janis to fill in the blanks.
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.
Browns Likely To Make More Trades?
After shipping wide receiver Corey Coleman to the Bills in exchange for a 2020 seventh-round pick, the Browns may consider making more trades in the coming weeks, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Specifically, general manager John Dorsey could engage in talks regarding players brought in by Cleveland’s former front office.
The Browns have already been among the most active teams in the NFL’s 2018 trade market; by our count, Cleveland has made nine trades involving veteran players, plus two more deals that involved draft selections. To Rapoport’s point, the Browns have mostly traded away players added by ex-general manager Sashi Brown, with quarterbacks DeShone Kizer, Cody Kessler, and Kevin Hogan, defensive tackle Danny Shelton, and cornerbacks Jason McCourty and Jamar Taylor all moving in addition to Coleman.
Talent hasn’t only been outgoing in Cleveland, as the club has also made deals that added veteran talent to its 53-man roster. Notably, the Browns picked up their presumptive starting quarterback — Tyrod Taylor — from the Bills in exchange for a third-round pick, and acquired franchise-tagged wide receiver Jarvis Landry from the Dolphins, sending fourth- and seventh-round selections to Miami in return.
On a macro level, it’s unclear whether the Browns may look to bring in more veterans via trade, or simply sell off parts added by the previous regime. In a recent interview with Kevin Clark of The Ringer, Dorsey admitted he doesn’t want Cleveland to be too youthful a roster in the coming years (the Browns ranked 32nd in snap-weighted age last season, per Scott Kacsmar of Football Outsiders). “Those guys did a nice job in terms of acquiring the cap space. They hurt themselves in that they got too young,” Dorsey said of the Browns’ previous front office. “That’s the plan I always wanted to do—top five youngest in the league, not the youngest.”
Latest On Josh Gordon’s Roster Designation
Although the Browns had planned to move wide receiver Josh Gordon from the did not report list to the non-football injury list in order to preserve his 2019 free agent status, a closer inspection of league rules revealed Cleveland didn’t need make any sort of Gordon-related transaction, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Based on a general reading of the rule, Gordon’s contract should have tolled this week because he didn’t report to the Browns 30 days prior to the start of the regular season. In order to prevent that mechanism, Cleveland was set to transfer him to the NFI list in something of a goodwill gesture.
However, the NFL’s rule regarding the NFI list contains an exception for players who have not reported due to “hardship or illness,” per Rapoport. Therefore, Gordon will accrue a season toward free agency regardless of when he shows up.
Because of various league-imposed suspensions, Gordon is still only on schedule to become a restricted free agent following the 2018 campaign (despite the fact that he originally entered the league in 2012). Cleveland will have the option to tender him as a RFA next spring, either at the first-, second-, or original-round level.
The Browns have been vague about the schedule for Gordon’s return, but fellow Cleveland wideout Rashard Higgins says Gordon is in “good spirits.” Gordon, who has dealt with alcohol and drug problems in the past, is reportedly working through mental health issues.
Browns WR Antonio Callaway Cited For Marijuana Possession
Rookie Browns receiver Antonio Callaway was cited for marijuana possession early Sunday morning, according to Tony Grossi of ESPN.com.
Callaway allegedly failed to yield to oncoming traffic near Strongsville, Ohio and was subsequently pulled over by police at 2:59am. Officers found “a small amount” of marijuana under Callway’s driver seat, which will only result in a minor misdemeanor thanks to Ohio law.
For his part, Callaway says he recently had his car shipped from Florida to Ohio and wasn’t aware there was marijuana in the vehicle, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. Callaway is also facing a citation for a driving on a suspended license.
Although Callaway seems unlikely to face any serious legal consequences as the result of his citation, he could be subject to an NFL-imposed suspension, either during the upcoming season or in 2019. It’s worth noting that Callaway tested positive for marijuana at the scouting combine in April, and had previously been charged with felonies related to a credit card scam that resulted in his suspension from Florida’s football team.
The Browns traded up in the draft in order to select Callaway with the 105th overall pick, and he’d just been promoted into the club’s starting lineup following the trade of fellow wideout Corey Coleman. Cleveland can ill afford any more depletions to its wide receiver corps, as Josh Gordon is currently away from the team as he deals with off-field issues of his own.
Browns Interested In WR Brandon LaFell?
The Browns may have renewed interest in Brandon LaFell, Tony Grossi of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears. The wide receiver was released by the Bengals last week, freeing him up to sign with any club. 
LaFell was the Bengals’ No. 2 WR for the last two years, but his production tailed off a bit last season. After compiling 64 catches for 862 yards and six touchdowns in 2016, LaFell had just 52 grabs for 548 yards and three scores in 2017. Then, this summer, he started “feeling the heat” from other wideouts in camp this summer, according to coach Marvin Lewis. With other options to consider, including speedy 2017 first-round pick John Ross, the Bengals no longer had any use for LaFell.
LaFell had a tremendous 2014 season with the Patriots as he set career highs with 74 receptions, 953 yards, and seven touchdowns. He added another two TDs in the postseason, including one in the Super Bowl.
Few are expecting LaFell to reprise that kind of production in 2018, but he could be an option for the Browns as they sort out Josh Gordon‘s situation. The Browns could also use some additional depth following the trade of former first-round pick Corey Coleman.
Browns Notes: OBJ, Landry, Coleman
Could Odell Beckham Jr. join up with the Browns and former LSU teammate Jarvis Landry? Landry seems to think so.
“If things like that are able to happen and the team can make it happen, then why not?” Landry said of the Browns and Beckham in the aftermath of the Corey Coleman trade (via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com). “He definitely would be (up for it). He would be…We’ve had talks, but at the end of the day, I want him to be happy. I want him to get what he deserves and you can’t put nothing on that regardless of where it’s at.”
As Beckham negotiates his next deal with the Giants, he’s a long way from being able to choose his next team. Even if the Giants and OBJ do not agree to a multi-year extension, the Giants still reserve the right to control him via the franchise tag, which could realistically keep him from hitting the open market until after the 2020 season.
While Browns fans dream of an OBJ/Landry duo, here’s more from Cleveland:
- After trading Coleman, the Browns were refunded $3.5MM in fully guaranteed salary that was in escrow at the league office (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com). In theory, that money could be used elsewhere this year. That extra flexibility could lead them to an impact free agent, such as wide receiver Dez Bryant.
- A fun fact courtesy of PFT’s Michael David Smith – nine straight Browns first-round picks have been pushed off of the team before reaching their fifth-year option. Since 2011, only defensive lineman Phil Taylor has lasted a full four years. Everyone else – including Coleman, Johnny Manziel, and Barkevious Mingo – has flamed out quicker. All in all, those nine players have averaged 2.3 seasons in Cleveland.
Broncos Notes: Heckert, Kelly, Leary
On Monday, the Broncos announced that former personnel executive Tom Heckert has died. Heckert, who also served as the GM of the Eagles and Browns, was widely beloved in the football world. After battling amyloidosis for a lengthy period, Heckert passed away peacefully on Sunday night in the company of his family.
“Tom was an integral part of our organization and we’re all incredibly saddened today,” GM John Elway said in a statement. “With his many years of experience and time as a GM, Tom was a tremendous resource and a key member of our team. He was a very good evaluator—He had an eye for talent, and we always trusted his voice. It’s easy to see why Tom was widely respected and had so many great relationships across the league. I’ll always be grateful for how he helped me transition into this position. My prayers go out to Tom’s family, friends and everyone he worked with during his career.”
With Heckert’s memory in mind, here’s more from Denver:
- Former Mr. Irrelevant Chad Kelly could wind up as the team’s backup quarterback behind Case Keenum, coach Vance Joseph told reporters on Sunday. For now, former first-round pick Paxton Lynch is taking practice reps with the second-team offense, but it’s a situation to keep an eye on. In theory, if the Broncos feel confident in Kelly’s ability, they could shop Lynch to other teams. Although Lynch hasn’t done a whole lot in his NFL career, he was on the radar of several teams before the Broncos selected him No. 26 overall in 2016, so the Broncos might be able to get something in return for him.
- This week, Joseph told reporters that Broncos left guard Ronald Leary underwent arthroscopic knee surgery in late May (via Mike Klis of 9News). It appears that Leary is still dealing with some effects of the procedure, and he was held out of Sunday’s scrimmage as a precaution.
- The Broncos and center Matt Paradis are discussing a new deal.
Browns To Move Josh Gordon To NFI List
The Browns are expected to move Josh Gordon from the “did not report” list to the non-football injury (NFI list) by Tuesday, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The move will prevent Gordon from losing an accrued season toward free agency while he’s tending to his health.
The good news here is that Gordon is reportedly getting closer to making his return. There’s no timetable for Gordon to come back, but teammate Rashard Higgins is optimistic after speaking with Gordon recently.
“We were texting [Friday]. He’s in good spirits,” Higgins said. “We don’t talk about anything about the field or anything. We just talk about, ‘Hey, what’s up bro? How you doing?’ We’re not too concerned. We know Josh is handling his business off the field. When he comes back, he’ll be ready to go.”
In theory, the Browns could have prevented Gordon from becoming a restricted free agent until after the 2019 season (at the earliest) and from being eligible for unrestricted free agency until after the 2020 campaign. By taking this measure, the Browns will leave the door open for Gordon to be an RFA next March.
Gordon would have taken his first trip through free agency by now if not for his past troubles. As a selection in the 2012 supplemental draft, Gordon should have hit the open market after the 2015 season after completing his four-year rookie contract. Although he missed out on some serious cash, he could be able to take advantage of the booming wide receiver market down the line if he stays clean.
Browns Get Seventh-Rounder For Coleman
In 2016, the Browns selected Corey Coleman with the No. 15 overall pick. This week, when they shipped the wide receiver to the Bills, all they got in return was a 2020 seventh-round choice, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). 
[RELATED: Browns Trade Corey Coleman To Bills]
Coleman has flashed at times during his two NFL seasons, but he has struggled for the most part. Injuries have been a big part of the problem, including two hand fractures.
When considering the Browns’ needs at wide receiver, the weak return in the deal shows how little the Browns expected out of Coleman this year. While the Browns added Jarvis Landry in free agency, Josh Gordon‘s status is up in the air as he tries to stay on the straight and narrow. At the same time, it sounds like the Browns are confident in their other receivers such as Rashard Higgins and Antonio Callaway.
For his career, Coleman has 56 catches for 718 yards and five touchdowns. With the Bills, he has a chance to shine alongside Kelvin Benjamin and Zay Jones. With tons of question marks around Jones, Coleman should have an opportunity to make an impact.