Wednesday night, Universal Sports Management, which represents Cleveland Browns RB Isaiah Crowell, tweeted that their client has signed his second round tender with the team:
RB Isaiah Crowell has signed his tender with the @Browns.
— UniversalSportsMgmt (@UniSportsMgmt) May 10, 2017
Crowell was already past the point of another team being able to offer him a deal. Although he could have chosen to hold out for a long-term deal, signing the tender (worth $2.746 million) was the wisest and most likely scenario.
The Browns tried to reach an extension with Crowell earlier this offseason, but the two sides couldn’t come to an agreement. It’s hard to see the Browns changing their stance and willing to meet Crowell’s presumably higher demands. Instead, we should see Crowell try to “bet on himself” behind a heavily upgraded offensive line. He will be an unrestricted free agent in 2018.
With Isaiah Crowell signing his RFA tender, the Browns bring back a HB who was 3rd in the league in yards after contact in 2016 pic.twitter.com/sMkiD0nJPL
— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) May 11, 2017