Johnny Manziel Drawing Real NFL Interest
After a Josh Gordon update on Wednesday morning, it’s only fitting that we get some Johnny Manziel news. The former Browns quarterback has re-hired agent Erik Burkhardt and is drawing “real interest” from teams at the Draft Combine, according to Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter links). 
[RELATED: Josh Gordon Applies For Reinstatement]
Last month, there was word that Manziel worked out for the Saskatchewan Rough Riders of the CFL, though the team strongly denied the report. A CFL stop would make sense for Manziel given his off-the-field issues and overall rust, but it sounds like some teams might be willing to kick the tires on the former A&M star.
Apparently, Manziel has made “serious commitments” to Burkhardt, which led to the two reuniting. As you may recall, Manziel went through multiple agents within a two month span last year. Power agent Drew Rosenhaus cut ties with Manziel when he was unable to get his substance issues under control.
In January, Manziel declared that he is sober and focusing on his comeback. Furthermore, he is reportedly willing to subject himself to drug testing to prove to a team that he is serious. Of course, if any team signs him, the league will force Manziel to take frequent drug tests anyway.
Josh Gordon Applies For Reinstatement
Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon is applying today (Wednesday) for reinstatement, business manager Michael Johnson tells ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Gordon has not played since 2014. 
“Josh is living with me and is in the best place mentally that he has been in dating back years before entering the NFL,” Johnson told Schefter (Facebook link). “He has taken the proper steps to treat his issues and has followed a very strict protocol that the league and our team here has laid out for him. He’s also in the best shape of his life and feels even better than he did when he had his breakout year in 2013. This will be a special year for Josh and we are all very proud of the way he has taken the necessary steps to turn his life around.”
When he’s been on the field, Gordon has performed like one of the very best wide receivers in the NFL. In 2013, his last full season, he totaled 87 receptions, a league-leading 1,646 yards, and nine touchdowns in 14 games. In 32 career games, he has racked up 161 catches, 17.1 yards per reception, and 14 touchdowns.
The Browns control Gordon’s rights through at least 2017, but it was reported last fall that they plan to move on from him. He was working to return to the NFL in 2016 but wound up checking into rehab in late September after a “slip up.” Before that point, the Browns were shopping Gordon with the hope of netting a high draft choice.
Browns Sign P Britton Colquitt To Extension
The Browns are giving punter Britton Colquitt a four-year extension, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (on Twitter). Colquitt was slated to become a free agent on March 9. The new deal could keep him in Cleveland through the 2020 season.
Colquitt has not missed a regular season game since breaking into the league in 2010 with the Broncos. After several years with Denver, he signed a free agent pact with the Browns last offseason. Unfortunately, he was used quite a bit in 2016 as the Cleveland offense sputtered. Colquitt averaged 45.3 yards per punt last season, besting his average of the previous three seasons.
The Browns recently re-upped fellow special teamer Charley Hughlett.
Browns Apply Tender To Isaiah Crowell
The Browns have applied the second-round tender to running back Isaiah Crowell, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The one-year tender is worth $2.81MM. However, the two sides are working on a long-term deal with the hope that they can replace the one-year placeholder. 
[RELATED: Kirk Cousins “Intrigued” By Browns]
The two sides engaged in “heavy talks” during the season, but in January they were said to be at a “stalemate”. Still just 24, Crowell is mindful of his value, but he only has so much leverage as a restricted free agent.
The three-year veteran, an undrafted free agent from Alabama State in 2014, broke out with 952 yards on 198 carries – good for a robust 4.8 YPC – and seven scores on the ground. He added 40 receptions and 319 more yards as a pass-catching option. Along with wide receiver Terrelle Pryor, Crowell was one of the very few bright spots for Cleveland in the midst of a lousy year.
The second-round tender, in all likelihood, should keep Crowell from winding up elsewhere. This year’s running back class is fairly strong at the top and any team in need of a tailback should be able to meet their needs with a second-round choice.
Kirk Cousins Would Only Accept 49ers Trade?
Kirk Cousins 
doesn’t have a no-trade clause, but he can effectively block any potential trade by refusing to agree to a contract extension with the proposed acquiring team. With that in mind, Cousins would only accept a trade to the 49ers, John Keim of ESPN.com hears. However, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) is getting different info, hearing from a source that Cousins would be open to playing for teams other than Redskins or 49ers, if that’s how things play out. The Browns, he adds, are “intriguing.”
[RELATED: Redskins Interested In Kenny Britt]
After an abysmal 2016, it’s a bit surprising to hear that Cousins could be willing to join up with the Browns. At the same time, the team is flush with cap space and tons of draft picks, so the potential for a quick turnaround is there. Cleveland’s inability to find a franchise quarterback is well-documented and Cousins could be the guy to put a stop to their QB curse. The Browns may be prioritizing a Jimmy Garoppolo trade, but Cousins would be one heck of a consolation prize.
The Redskins are expected to tag Cousins between now and the Wednesday deadline, regardless of their longer term plans for him. Cousins, meanwhile, is unwilling to sign a long-term extension with Washington before that point.
Teams Have Already Contacted Andrew Hawkins
- Although he’s in no hurry to find a new club, free agent receiver Andrew Hawkins has already been contacted by “quite a few teams” after being released by the Browns earlier today, according to Alex Marvez of the Sporting News (Twitter links). Hawkins asked to be cut loose several weeks ago, but Cleveland decided not to honor his request until today. Hawkins, who managed only 33 receptions in 2016, is now hoping to latch onto a “winning situation,” per Marvez.
Browns Don’t Plan To Tag Terrelle Pryor
Kawann Short and Chandler Jones were officially hit with the franchise tag on Monday, but it doesn’t sound like Terrelle Pryor will be joining them in that boat. The Browns still do not plan to use the designation on their pending free agent wide receiver, a league source tells Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. 
[RELATED: Browns Release WR Andrew Hawkins]
Pryor broke out in 2016, but a ~$16MM salary would still be astronomical for a player of his caliber. The Browns are working feverishly to lock him up between now and the start of free agency, but they won’t chance having to absorb that cap hit. One alternative could be the transition tag, which would effectively make Pryor a restricted free agent without giving the team a chance of draft compensation.
We have the 6’4″, 223 pounder rated as the second-best wide receiver slated for free agency. Despite having to catch passes from five different quarterbacks, Pryor managed 77 receptions for 1,007 yards and four touchdowns. In a dismal season for the Browns, Pryor was one of the few bright spots.
Browns Release WR Andrew Hawkins
The Browns have released wide receiver Andrew Hawkins, according to a team press release. The Browns will save $1.8MM against the cap by parting ways with the veteran. 
“Andrew Hawkins was a great asset to the organization in his three seasons with our team,” top exec Sashi Brown said in the statement. “He was an outstanding example to our young players both on and off the field. The well-intended work he did in the Cleveland community was greatly appreciated and the respect he earned throughout our league for never being afraid to responsibly create an educated dialogue around a societal issue is commendable. I’m not sure where Andrew’s next stop will be but his history shows that whatever he sets his mind to accomplish, success is sure to follow.”
Hawkins, 31 in March, has spent his entire career to date in the AFC North. After playing for the Bengals from 2011-2013, he hooked on with the Browns as a free agent prior to the 2014 season. Cleveland gave him a four-year, $13.6MM pact and the Bengals ultimately decided against matching, allowing the restricted free agent to get away.
Hawkins was a focal part of the offense initially, tallying 63 catches for 824 yards and two scores in his first Browns season. Since then, however, he has been more of a supporting piece. In 2016, he had just 33 catches for 324 yards and three scores.
Cabot: Browns Should Be Willing To Deal No. 1 Overall Pick For Garoppolo
- Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer believes that if the bidding for Patriots quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo gets high enough, the Browns should be willing to send their No. 1 overall pick to New England to acquire him. After all, if they’re willing to spend that pick on UNC signal-caller Mitch Trubisky, whose collegiate experience is limited, they should be willing to use that selection on a QB who has a little professional experience and who has a lot of upside in his own right.
Opinion: Tyrod Taylor Would Be Good Fit For Browns
- The Browns could turn to quarterback Tyrod Taylor in free agency if the Bills release him, and after studying tape of the dual threat, Dan Labbe of cleveland.com contends that he’s “no less intriguing” than much-ballyhooed New England backup Jimmy Garoppolo. By opting for Taylor, the Browns would save the premium in draft picks they’d have to pay for Garoppolo – whom they’d nonetheless prefer to acquire – and would still have the option of selecting a QB to develop behind Taylor, Labbe writes.