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The 3 Greatest Cleveland Browns Players Of All Time

March 25th, 2020

CJ

Posted in Features

This first thing that comes to many people’s minds when they think of greatness in the world of football is the Cleveland Browns. Regardless of which team is your favorite, you must acknowledge greatness. This team has been the home of many football legends and it’s one of the most influential in the NFL.

Its popularity is so great that it even managed to have a positive effect on other industries, with the most memorable being the online casino industry. Numerous online casinos started featuring various games that have the Browns and many other franchises in the NFL as the main theme. Apart from the teams, there’s also a chance to see some of the players as backgrounds. If you’re a fan of those games, check this website if you want to have a unique experience.

The providers have made sure that these games have terrific graphics and that they will exceed the expectations of every player. Plus, many of them have great rewards for the lucky winners which are more than a good reason to check them out.

Throughout its history, the Browns have had many great players that deserve to be labeled as legends. While it was hard to pick the top 3 because every fan has its own opinion on who should be on the list, here are the editor’s picks.

Otto Graham

Coming at number 3 is the great Otto Graham. He played as a quarterback for the Browns and is considered by many experts as one of the best players of his era. He joined the Cleveland Browns in 1946 after being discharged from the military, and each game after that is history. He spent his entire career in the team and retired in 1955. After retiring, Otto took on a managerial role and served as a coach for numerous teams from 1959 to 1975.

Joe Thomas

Having played college football for the University of Wisconsin, Joe Thomas joined the Cleveland Browns in 2007 and just like Otto Graham, spent his entire career there. Joe was the 3^rd pick of the first round in the 2007 Draft. He spent 10 years with the Browns and decided to retire in 2017. As a player, he received numerous awards, which is why many consider him as one of the greatest players to have ever played for this team.

Jim Brown

And finally, we have Jim Brown at the top of our list. Jim is not just a Browns legend; he’s also considered as one of the best players in the NFL. He was picked in the 1957 Draft and had a key role in the squad for many years. Jim was awarded the Rookie of the Year Award in 1957 and that is when the fans knew that they are witnessing a legend in the rising. After retiring in 1965, he took on acting and sports commentating.

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Browns Add Right Tackle Jack Conklin to Their O-Line from Tennessee

March 20th, 2020

Charles Spooner

Posted in News

The Browns have hit a couple of homers already in free agency with picking up tight end Austin Hooper from the Falcons, and today they added a big piece on the line, grabbing offensive tackle Jack Conklin.

Conklin comes to the Browns after being a first-round pick of the Tennessee Titans four seasons ago.

The Browns addressed a major need on the offensive line by adding one of the best available at the position.

“I’m pumped to get started and be a part of this great organization,” Conklin said.

“Going through the process, Cleveland definitely became what I felt as the main suitor. To have a team like Cleveland be so excited about me, that was the biggest part for me and my family. We wanted to go somewhere where a team was super excited and that was going to be a huge key to help the team and be a big part of the community.”

The lineman was the eighth overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, Conklin made an immediate impact as a rookie and carried that momentum into a strong four seasons in Tennessee.

He was named first-team Associated Press All-Pro in 2016 and went on to start 57 games, all at right tackle. He didn’t miss a game during the 2016, 2017 and 2019 seasons, starting all 16 in each, and appeared in nine during the 2018 season, which was hampered by multiple injuries.

“He’s a really smart, tough football player,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said.

“From what I have heard about him and talked to former coaches and teammates, he’s all about ball. I think he’s going to really fit in with that offensive line group led by Coach (Bill) Callahan. I think those guys are the pulse of your football team, the guys up front on the offensive and defensive lines.

“I think Jack represents everything we want to be as a team.”

Conklin joins a Browns offensive line that boasts two-time Pro Bowl guard Joel Bitonio and center JC Tretter, who recently signed a contract extension and has started 48 consecutive games since signing with the team in 2017.

Conklin’s signing is a big step forward, but the Browns will continue to look to upgrade the offensive line through all the available areas of player acquisition.

“When you’re talking about being a productive offense, certainly you have to play in a cohesive manner from the front to the back,” Stefanski said. “Adding pieces along the offensive front really allows you to do different things schematically, and Jack’s a big piece of that.”

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Browns Agree to Terms with Falcons Free Agent TE Austin Hooper

March 16th, 2020

Dan Taylor

Posted in Free Agency, News

The Browns started their 2020 free agency off in a big way, as Mondaythe team has signed Atlanta Falcons free agent tight end Austin Hooper to a mega deal.

Cleveland wasted little time in making him the highest paid right end in the game, as Hooper told ESPN’s Vaughn McClure the deal is worth $44 million, with $23 million guaranteed.

The 25-year-old became a weapon in the Falcons offense last season, pulling in 75 catches for 787 yards and six touchdowns.

“It definitely feels good to know that there’s interest out there for me,” Hooper told ESPN Sunday.

“I’ve worked hard over my four years in Atlanta to set myself up to be in a position like this, so I’m grateful that stuff like this is coming out.”

He did that despite having to sit out three games with an MCL sprain. Hooper was a third-round pick of the Falcons in 2016 out of Stanford.

In 59 games over his four-year NFL career, Hooper pulled in 214 passes for 2,244 yards with 16 scores.

He’s also a big target when it comes to being a third down threat, as of his 274 targets a season ago, 105 of them resulted in a first down.

Over the past three seasons, he leads all tight ends with a 77.3% catch percentage.

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What’s the Status of the Browns Receiving Core as Free Agency Closes In?

March 9th, 2020

Stephen Schindler

Posted in Free Agency

NFL.com has a new article out discussing how things look to be shaping up with free agency ready to start very soon, and how teams wide receiver cores are looking going into the process.

The Browns have what many feel is the best wide out core in the game, but yet there’s chatter maybe the team could take a look at adding a vet.

You can read the entire article HERE – for now here’s what the piece says about the Browns receiver situation.

Top three WRs in 2019: Jarvis Landry (83-1,174-6), Odell Beckham Jr. (74-1,035-4), Damion Ratley (12-200-1).

If I would have told you ahead of the 2019 season that the combination of Beckham and Landry would be part of a receiving corps that had the NFL’s lowest reception percentage on third down (43.6%), would you have believed me? I know I wouldn’t. I spent a lot of time tracking Cleveland’s play-calling last season, and it didn’t seem to strategically maximize the potential of the offensive personnel. We’ll see what new head coach Kevin Stefanski has in mind in terms of fully unleashing Beckham and Co.

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Who Would the Browns Use the Franchise Tag on If Needed in 2020?

March 7th, 2020

CJ

Posted in Features, News

USA Today has released an interesting article regarding the ever unpopular (at least for players) ‘Franchise tag’ and how team’s may use it in 2020.

It seems like every team has an option to use the franchise tag, which stops a player from even negotiating with outside teams and forces them to stay put.

To see the entire list of all 32 teams and the players that might be franchised, click HERE.

Here’s what the article has to say about the Browns, who they say should franchise LB Joe Schobert.

It may seem a little mystifying that they aren’t trying harder to keep former Pro Bowl LB Joe Schobert, 26. But his position’s franchise tag is skewed by the value of pass-rushing linebackers rather than inside guys like Schobert.

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Report: LB Joe Schobert Won’t Be Back with the Browns in 2020

March 1st, 2020

Randy Ward

Posted in Free Agency, News

One of the top defensive players on the Browns will not be back in 2020, as the Plain Dealer reports that linebacker Joe Schobert will not be back in a Browns uniform next season.

Browns GM Andrew Berry met with linebacker Joe Schobert’s agent, Joe Panos, in Indianapolis, and the two sides parted with the belief that Schobert will not be back with the Browns because they’re not prepared to pay him the double-digit millions he stands to make on the open market, a league source said.

The report states that Schobert is expected to make about $10 million per season, out of the Browns price range even through he was one of the best players on the team last season.

Schobert made the Pro Bowl in 2017 and was one of the more consistent players on the team in terms of making plays and being a leader on defense.

The report goes on to say that the Browns will likely spend most of their free agent cash on their offensive line, which was a big issue last season.

Berry stated Tuesday that Schobert and the Browns have had a good relationship, but that it has to work on both sides, and from the sound of Berry’s words it won’t be happening in 2020 or beyond.

“Joe is a good player and an even better person,’’ Berry said.

“We’re going to spend some time with his representation [Joe Panos] this week to talk through his contractual situation. He’s obviously earned the right to test the market if he deems that appropriate. But it’s one of those situations where we like Joe.

“It obviously has to work for both sides. It has to work for us from a cost perspective with our long-term roster strategy, and obviously it has to be a fit for Joe and his family as well.”

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Browns with Eyes on Veteran QB’s Case Keenum and Chase Daniel in Free Agency

February 26th, 2020

CJ

Posted in Free Agency, News

The Browns may be in the market for a veteran backup quarterback for third-year QB Baker Mayfield, and Mary Kay Cabot of the Plain Dealer reports that one player the team may have interest in is Case Keenum.

Here’s a report on Cabot’s story:

Keenum, 32, has the obvious connection with Browns coach Kevin Stefanski from their successful year together in Minnesota in 2017, where he led the Vikings to an 11-3 mark, beating the Saints in the Divisional round before losing to Philadelphia in the NFC Championship Game.

Keenum has thrown for 14,368 yards with 75 touchdowns and 47 interceptions with a career passer rating of 85.3. He’d provide Mayfield with an experienced backup who could help implement Stefanski’s system.

With Sam Bradford suffering a season-ending injury in 2017, the Vikings turned to Keenum, who had a 9-15 record heading in. He also had a 58.4% completion percentae, a 78.4 rating and 24 TDs against 20 INTs. With Stefanski as his QB coach, Keenum completed 67.6% of his passes, and earned a 98.3 passer rating. He threw 22 interceptions and only 7 interceptions.

Cabot reports in the same story that the team also has their eyes on veteran quarterback Chase Daniel, and that he could be a solid mentor for Mayfield should he get signed by the Browns.

It sounds like the team will be parting ways with veteran QB Drew Stanton, who didn’t play at all last season due to a knee injury.

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Baker Mayfield to Plans to Play “Slimmer and Faster” in 2020

February 26th, 2020

Derek McQuaid

Posted in News

Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield plans to play “slimmer and faster” in 2020 according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

Rapoport added that Mayfield, “Put on some weight last year to bulk up and lost some quickness.” The former No. 1 overall pick weighed in at the 2018 combine at 215 pounds but the visual eye made it clear he was playing well above that weight in 2019.

He struggled to make his way out of the pocket last season, limiting some of his lethal improvisational play. Still, this is the type of news that is common in the offseason. Mayfield will ultimately need to show major signs of improvement on the football field in 2020 in order to get his career back on track.

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