Browns Interested In Eric Decker?
The Browns appear to have some level of interest in wide receiver Eric Decker, as the club has “done some work” on the free agent pass-catcher, according to Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com.
Cleveland already made one addition to its receiving corps this offseason, inking former Rams wideout Kenny Britt to a four-year deal, but as Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com recently noted, the Browns have made inquiries on nearly every free agent receiver that has hit the market in the past several months. The club’s interest in now-Raven Jeremy Maclin is indicative of that strategy, although Cleveland never set up a visit with Maclin before he signed with Baltimore.
At present, Britt and 2016 first-round pick Corey Coleman are the Browns’ starting wideouts, and while the team has a number of intriguing options further down its depth chart, Cleveland’s pass-catching group is short on experience. Like Coleman, Ricardo Louis, Rashard Higgins, and Jordan Payton all entered the league in 2016, while Mario Alford, James Wright and Rannell Hall all have limited NFL exposure.
Decker, then, would offer the Browns another veteran receiver to play alongside Britt. The 30-year-old Decker has been linked to a number of clubs this offseason, including the Titans, with whom he met yesterday. The Broncos, however, are not interested in a reunion with Decker, while the Ravens are unlikely to sign another wideout after landing Maclin.
Browns Sign David Njoku
The Browns have announced the signing of first-round tight end David Njoku, the 29th pick in this year’s draft. His four-year deal is worth approximately $9.53MM, including a $5.07MM signing bonus.
Njoku was the third tight end to come off the board this spring, going after the Buccaneers’ O.J. Howard and the Giants’ Evan Engram, and is coming off a breakout year at Miami. The 6-foot-4, 246-pounder hauled in 43 receptions for 698 yards and eight touchdowns in 2016 as a member of the Hurricanes, with whom he only played two seasons. The Greg Olsen comparable should step into the starting lineup right away for Cleveland, which immediately released veteran tight end Gary Barnidge after it drafted Njoku.
With Njoku under contract, the only unsigned player remaining in the Browns’ 10-player draft class is another of their first-rounders, safety Jabrill Peppers – the 25th pick. Cleveland had three No. 1s, including top overall selection Myles Garrett.
Browns Notes: Garrett, Osweiler
Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett, the first pick in this year’s draft, suffered a left foot injury Wednesday that left him in “obvious pain,” reports Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland. A day later, Garrett sat out practice as team doctors evaluated his foot, a club spokesman announced. The Browns won’t provide further details on Garrett’s ailment, per Cabot, who relays that the injury likely isn’t serious. Meanwhile, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that Garrett should be “fine.” Foot issues are nothing new for Garrett, who dealt with soreness throughout organized team activities and battled a high ankle sprain during his final year at Texas A&M last season. Fortunately, though, it looks as if he and the Browns will escape relatively unscathed in this instance.
Browns Sign Rookie QB DeShone Kizer
DeShone Kizer is officially in the fold. The Browns announced that they have signed the rookie quarterback. 
The Notre Dame product has reportedly impressed in practice, leading some to wonder whether he could see significant time on the field in his rookie season. Brock Osweiler – who has also been looking good in camp – and Cody Kessler are also pushing for the starting job. In a recent poll asking PFR readers which rookie quarterback will make the highest impact, Kizer came in second place with 17.36% of the vote. Texans signal caller Deshaun Watson took first place with 44% of the vote.
Kizer was viewed as one of the better quarterbacks in this year’s class and the Browns were excited to land him at No. 52 overall. However, not everyone is sold on him. The dual-threat QB was excellent in 2015, posting 21 touchdowns and completing nearly 63% of his passes while averaging 8.5 adjusted yards per target. Unfortunately, in 2016, his completion percentage dropped by more than four points. Soon enough, we’ll know whether Kizer has what it takes to succeed at the next level.
With Kizer signed, the Browns now have eight of their ten draft picks officially under contract. First round safety Jabrill Peppers and first round tight end David Njoku are now the only stragglers in the class.
Minor NFL Transactions: 6/12/17
Monday’s minor moves from around the league:
- The Browns signed LB Deon King and WR Richard Mullaney and waived DL Nile Lawrence-Stample with a failed physical designation, as Pat McManamon of ESPN.com reports. King was with the Colts and Chargers last season, while Mullaney was in the Texans’ and Cowboys’ training camp.
- The Ravens waived CB Carlos Davis with an injury settlement.
Colts Claim Tyvis Powell
The Colts claimed safety Tyvis Powell off waivers from the Browns, according to a team announcement. To make room on the roster, Indianapolis has waived cornerback Reggie Porter. 
Powell appeared in eight games as rookie with Seattle last season and recorded three tackles. He did not make it into the postseason with the Seahawks, however, as Seattle dropped him from the roster just prior to the playoffs in order to clear a spot for Devin Hester. In February, Cleveland picked him up off of waivers. Roughly four months later, it’s a familiar scene for the Ohio State product. He’ll be starting over with a new team and hoping to make it through the fall.
With an 8-8 record last season, the Colts were roughly in the middle of the pack in terms of waiver priority. Powell will now look to hook on as a reserve behind Clayton Geathers and rookie Malik Hooker, a fellow former Buckeye.
Browns Likely To Inquire On Decker, Could Get Re-Involved In Maclin Pursuit
- Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer believes the Browns may get more involved in the Jeremy Maclin sweepstakes if he does not sign with either Baltimore or Buffalo — which seems like a long shot at the moment — and she says Cleveland will likely at least inquire on Eric Decker, which the team has done with every quality veteran receiver hitting the market.
Exec: Browns Will Still Trade Osweiler
The Browns and Texans’ historic trade did send a second-round pick to Cleveland, but Brock Osweiler remains on the payroll after the team tried to trade him for more draft picks. This leaves Osweiler in an uncertain place despite the sixth-year quarterback working with the Browns at OTAs. However, one NFL executive believes the team will still find a way to unload Osweiler.
This exec paints a grim portrait of Osweiler’s future in northeast Ohio. The Browns have been impressed with their unique trade acquisition so far, and Osweiler is competing for the starting job with Cody Kessler and DeShone Kizer. But Cleveland still was keen on unloading the 26-year-old passer, and taking on plenty of Osweiler’s $16MM salary to do it. The Browns have been unable to do so yet but have more than $60MM in cap space, so a prospective deal wouldn’t be out of the question this year. But one could well depend on a team’s injury situation at quarterback come training camp, along with the portion of the quarterback’s salary the Browns would agree to pay and what kind of draft compensation they now want.
Calvin Pryor Discusses Trade, Jets, Cleveland
In a relatively unsurprising move, the Jets traded former first-rounder Calvin Pryor to the Browns last week. The safety’s tenure in New York ended up being a disappointment, as the Louisville product compiled only 129 tackles, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles through three seasons with the organization.
Now, Pryor has a fresh start in Cleveland, where he could realistically slot in as a starter. The 24-year-old is set to hit free agency following this season, so perhaps we’ll begin to see Pryor show more of his worth as he looks to cash in.
The safety sat down with Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot to discuss his hectic week. The whole article is worth checking it, but we’ve compiled some of the notable quotes below…
On his apparent demotion by the Jets:
“I can’t really speak on too much of that. That’s in the past…One thing I know — I can play football. It’s about being in the right situation and then going about things the right way.”
His feelings on the Jets organization:
“I mean, don’t get it twisted now. I had some great times in New York. My years that I was there, I really enjoyed playing football. It’s just a blessing to be in the NFL period, so it doesn’t really stop here. I’m looking forward a fresh start, having an opportunity to play with the Cleveland Browns. That’s what I’m looking forward to the most.”
His reactions to getting traded to Cleveland:
“I feel like it was a great opportunity – have a fresh start, learn a new system and buy into a new culture. I had a feeling [with the Jets] drafting two safeties, but I can’t control that. I’m excited. I can’t thank (the Browns) enough.”
On whether he’ll play alongside rookie Jabrill Peppers:
“I can’t speak on that because that’s the coaches’ job, but I do know that (Peppers) is one heck of a player. I do look forward to playing with him, whether it’s in different packages or we’re just on the field at the same time. I know that we both can play football. I look forward to being a great teammate and helping him out along the way.”
Browns Cut Tyvis Powell
The Browns have waived defensive back Tyvis Powell, according to a team announcement. Powell came to the Browns in February when he was claimed off waivers from the Seahawks.
Powell appeared in eight games as rookie with Seattle last season and tallied three tackles. He did not make it into the postseason with the Seahawks, however. Seattle dropped him from the roster just prior to the playoffs in order to clear a spot for Devin Hester.
Powell will now hit the waiver wire, giving the league’s other 31 teams an opportunity to grab him in the next 24 hours. If he clears waivers, he will be a free agent and permitted to sign with any team. If the Seahawks want to reunite with the 6’2″, 211 pound defensive back, this may be their opportunity.