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[FRIDAY'S DAY 4 FREE AGENCY LIVE BLOG IS HERE]
The Cleveland Browns didn't make any moves in free agency on Wednesday except for re-signing WR Marlon Moore, but the team is expected to have a visit today and could be in the hunt for some under-the-radar type of free agent signings.
We're returning for another day of our live blog, covering short one-liners about the latest small rumors, signings, or trades involving Cleveland or other NFL teams. You should also use the comments section as your free agency open thread! (Newest updates will be at the top of the live blog below)
2015 Browns Free Agency Live Blog - Day 3
The free agency live blog / open thread for Friday is here.
9:45 PM: I spotted this from a few hours ago:
Perrish Cox and Coach Mike Pettine just walked in to Hyde Park for dinner. #GoBrowns
— Jim Merklin (@jimmerklin) March 12, 2015
9:38 PM: CB Joe Haden reacts to the confusion from today:
@ESPNNFL or nah
— Joe Haden (@joehaden23) March 13, 2015
9:23 PM: Bills reporter Vic Carucci, who worked for the Browns last year, is reporting that Cleveland is not a contender for TE Charles Clay:
Hearing the #Browns are not a threat to land Clay.
— Vic Carucci (@viccarucci) March 13, 2015
9:21 PM: More concrete evidence that it's official below. Also, PFT is reporting that the Dolphins will likely not rescind the transition tag on TE Charles Clay.
Welcome to Miami! We have signed Jordan Cameron! #StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/c6mlts07Pj
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) March 13, 2015
9:12 PM: The plot thickens. Are the Dolphins trying to be the team with both TE Jordan Cameron and TE Charles Clay now?
Charles Clay has returned to Miami after spending 3 days in Buffalo. #Dolphins still trying to keep him despite signing Jordan Cameron.
— Vic Carucci (@viccarucci) March 13, 2015
9:10 PM: No takebacks this time -- the Miami Dolphins have announced the signing of TE Jordan Cameron.
9:00 PM: More on the situation with TE Jordan Cameron:
Browns hadn't given Cameron an offer for months. Things got desperate today. They were fallback plan for him too. Now he's on to Miami
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) March 13, 2015
8:55 PM: The Dolphins are likely to remove the transition tag from TE Charles Clay now. If Clay was indeed the Browns' top free agent target, we'll have a bidding war between the Bills and Browns.
8:51 PM: Same terms, too? Ugh.
I'm told the Dolphins are presently hammering out a deal for TE Jordan Cameron. Same 2-yr, $15M deal he had accepted from the Browns.
— Omar Kelly (@OmarKelly) March 13, 2015
8:50 PM: Punch in the guy.
NFL source tells Yahoo Sports it's done: Jordan Cameron has signed with the Miami #Dolphins.
— Charles Robinson (@CharlesRobinson) March 13, 2015
8:38 PM: The Charles Robinson camp is staying strong that TE Jordan Cameron is headed to Miami soon:
Folks, this Jordan Cameron stuff is happening right now, in real time. He stayed in Miami and #Dolphins believe they're getting him done.
— Charles Robinson (@CharlesRobinson) March 13, 2015
8:30 PM: It feels awkward citing him now, but here's the latest on TE Jordan Cameron from Jason La Canfora:
Jordan Cameron had verbal agreement on 2yr/$15M deal w/ CLE. Yet to sign it. Remains in Miami. Fins working on Clay extension but he's...
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) March 13, 2015
Yet to agree to anything and still thinks could be more money out there in CLE or BUF. Browns worried they get left w/no one...
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) March 13, 2015
All this playing out concurrently in realtime. Fins now seeing if something makes more sense w/Cameron than Clay. Free agency never sleeps
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) March 13, 2015
8:12 PM: I am nervously awaiting for what the next tweet might be. I am constantly refreshing, fearful that I'm going to read about a deal being reached between Cameron and the Dolphins.
8:00 PM: Another update:
After the #Dolphins saw the report on TE Jordan Cameron's deal with the #Browns, they jumped back in aggressively. Deal wasn't inked.
— Rand Getlin (@Rand_Getlin) March 12, 2015
7:59 PM: And this is where the new age of social media will burn reporters.
Reports of Jordan Cameron's agreement with the Browns were news to the Browns, who hadn't heard back on their offer.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 12, 2015
7:55 PM: And now Ian Rapoport, who had the original story, is putting on the brakes too:
Wild. After Jordan Cameron’s 2-year, $15M offer was reported, the #Dolphins jumped in. They are now negotiating with him. Hadn’t previously
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 12, 2015
7:54 PM: Whoa, pump the brakes on the TE Jordan Cameron news?
Contrary to reports, tight end Jordan Cameron will be signing with #Dolphins - not #Browns. Contract details are being finalized right now.
— Charles Robinson (@CharlesRobinson) March 12, 2015
Two league sources say Jordan Cameron to #Browns reports are wrong. Again, #Dolphins finalizing contract with him now.
— Charles Robinson (@CharlesRobinson) March 12, 2015
7:52 PM: Now we have the goods from Lane Adkins of The OBR. It sounds like Cleveland is intent on adding another wide receiver but will take whoever comes at the best price. This isn't a bad group to pick from:
The Browns will/have talked to the agents for Johnson, Bowe, Crabtree and Shorts....interest varies, Browns not going to break the bank
— LA - theOBR (@LaneAdkins) March 12, 2015
7:50 PM: The Plain Dealer's Mary Kay Cabot is now jumping on the Dwayne Bowe bandwagon (in terms of Cleveland's interest).
Can confirm the #Browns are interested in former #Chiefs Dwayne Bowe
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) March 12, 2015
7:45 PM: It sounds like NT Terrance Knighton played the game...and lost. A 1-year, $4 million deal is cheaper than what I would've guessed. It doesn't sound like the Browns were very interested in him.
Terrance Knighton is signing a one-year, $4 million contract with the Washington Redskins, according to a league source
— Aaron Wilson (@RavensInsider) March 12, 2015
7:30 PM: I'm sure most of you know this by now, but RB Trent Richardson was waived by the Indianapolis Colts earlier today. Forget about what we turned that first-round pick in to -- the fact that Joe Banner was able to get a first-round pick back for him should lend him a lot of credibility in NFL circles, no?
7:23 PM: Remember when Jason La Canfora tried to "eviscerate the Browns" a month or so ago? I wrote one of my more in-depth pieces in awhile titled, "Coming to the Defense of the Cleveland Browns." One of the slanted things that La Canfora tried to toss in his piece, insinuating that "any decent player wants to get the hell out of there," was about Cameron:
"Jordan Cameron, a talented-but-injury-prone tight end who is also a free agent, is not interested in returning to Cleveland either, sources said."
Well...he's back, isn't it? As our friends at Dawg Pound Nation pointed out:
That hack job La Canfora did, the one that DPN (hey, that's us) and @DawgsByNature and @LaneAdkins refuted? Yep. Just sayin'.
— DawgPoundNation.com (@DawgPoundNation) March 12, 2015
7:15 PM: After the Kansas City Chiefs released WR Dwayne Bowe earlier today, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN is now reporting that the Browns would have an interest in bringing him to Cleveland. GM Ray Farmer was in Kansas City when the Chiefs had Bowe.
Onto next playmaker: There’s interest between #Browns and former Chiefs receiver Dwayne Bowe, per source
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) March 12, 2015
7:05 PM: I had to step away for a couple of hours, and of course, that's when the big move happens. By big move, I'm referring to the Browns re-signing TE Jordan Cameron, which we now have a story up on.
Jordan Cameron done w/ Cleveland, 2 yrs $15M, source says #Browns
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 12, 2015
I'll have to catch up with the news from the past few hours to see what the latest is on TE Charles Clay. Personally, I'd find it very enticing if the Browns could have a dynamic tight end duo of both Cameron and Clay.
4:10 PM: ESPN's Jeremy Fowler says that the Browns also showed interest in CB Cary Williams at one point, but he signed with the Seattle Seahawks. The two positions Cleveland seems most active for after free agency started are tight end and cornerback.
4:02 PM: According to the Bills, they haven't made an offer to TE Charles Clay yet. One thing that could prevent them from doing so: it would eat up a lot of their remaining cap space, which they might prefer to use on other players instead.
The #Bills still deciding whether to submit offer sheet to Charles Clay, GM Doug Whaley just told @siriusxmnfl
— Vic Carucci (@viccarucci) March 12, 2015
3:20 PM: A brief update on the status of TE Jordan Cameron:
TE Jordan Cameron remains in Miami with a lot of mutual interest. Meanwhile his old team the #Browns & other other team are in the mix.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 12, 2015
3:18 PM: It's remarkable that with the big contract that CB Buster Skrine received with the Jets, he's going to end up being their No. 3 cornerback now.
Source: Antonio Cromartie's 4-year deal with the Jets: Base value of $32 million. #nyj
— Manish Mehta (@MMehtaNYDN) March 12, 2015
3:16 PM: The Baltimore Ravens were able to retain RB Justin Forsett at a much cheaper cost than the Eagles got Murray for.
Ravens are giving RB Justin Forsett a three-year deal, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 12, 2015
3:15 PM: The Saints are signing CB Brandon Browner, so you can scratch him off the Browns' list of interests.
Saints signing former Patriots CB Brandon Browner to a 3-year deal, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 12, 2015
3:10 PM: We've missed a couple of things, so let's play catch-up. The big thing in the NFL was that the Eagles signed RB DeMarco Murray to a large contract.
DeMarco Murray's deal with Eagles is expected to be 5 years, $42 million, including $21 million guaranteed, per @mortreport and I.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 12, 2015
2:55 PM: We have another free agency target list, this time from Tim Miller, who you can follow on Twitter here.
TE Charles Clay - Offer a large front-loaded deal and he's immediately the team's top receiving threat.
NT Kenrick Ellis or BJ Raji - Get a nose tackle that's stout against the run at a price Farmer's willing to pay.
DT Karl Klug - Penetrator and pass rusher would play the weakside under tackle position in Pettine's 3-4 Under.
At WR, I agree with the consensus on Andre Holmes. I'm also curious how return man Brandon Tate would fare with an expanded role in a WCO.
1:40 PM: Our post on the Browns signing QB Thaddeus Lewis is here.
12:55 PM: Welcome back...Thad Lewis!
Source: QB Thad Lewis has signed a one-year deal with the #Browns.
— Rand Getlin (@Rand_Getlin) March 12, 2015
11:44 AM: Here is our story on the Browns reportedly getting a visit from TE Charles Clay.
11:42 AM: We don't have a pure free agency target list from our resident film expert, rufio, but he did share his thoughts on what he'd still like to see the Browns address:
I'd be up for signing a NT, OLB, corner, wideout, or athletic lineman. For me the question isn't so much "who" as it is "how much." IMO all of the guys left are not worth overpaying and I don't see a huge benefit to one over the others. I like a healthy Orakpo, Knighton, Long, Cameron, or Cox, but only if the price is right. All either aren't that good, have huge injury concerns, or think they are worth a lot. I am much more optimistic on Gilbert than most, though.
11:26 AM: DBN's Matt Wood is a broken fan. Read his latest editorial here.
10:24 AM: It's Joe Ginley's turn to dish out his free agent target list! You can follow Joe on Twitter here.
1. NT B.J. Raji - At the top of the list for me is a NT, but the Browns seem unwilling to spend big on a premier player at the position, such as Terrance Knighton. So I'm hoping the Browns pick up a bargain buy at the position before drafting a NT high in the draft. Raji has suffered some injury issues, but he's reportedly healthy now and would come cheap.
2. WR Andre Holmes - The Browns need to replace Josh Gordon, and Holmes is the perfect candidate. Big, fast, reliable.
3. OLB Derrick Morgan - The Browns need a pass rusher, and Morgan is a good fit, though other teams are pursuing him.
4. CB Perrish Cox - Not an exciting signing, but Cox could push Gilbert and give the team veteran depth at the position. Worst-case scenario, Cox is a decent 3rd cornerback.
10:19 AM: Staying with tight ends, TE Ed Dickson (who re-signed with the Panthers) confirmed that the Browns were one of the teams that had expressed interest in him:
Ed Dickson said Denver, Oakland, Cleveland showed interest. So did Arizona and Miami. But "no other team came close" to CAR
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) March 12, 2015
10:18 AM: Here we go -- apparent confirmation that TE Charles Clay will be visiting the Browns.
Mike Tannenbaum confirmed that Charles Clay is visiting #Browns in addition to #Bills
— Andrew Abramson (@AbramsonPBP) March 12, 2015
10:14 AM: Another staff member has chimed in with their free agency target list -- this time, it's Dan Lalich, better known as notthatnoise
1. DT Terrance Knighton: Like others have said, we need some help on defensive line, and signing a guy like Knighton frees up draft options.
2. DE Greg Hardy: Avid comment readers probably know my stance on guys who have this kind of trouble off the field, but in Hardy's case I'm far from convinced he actually did anything wrong.
3. TE Scott Chandler: Solid tight end, you can count on him for 40-50 catches a year, and he's still on the right side of 30. I'm too worried about concussions to want Cameron back.
4. CB Antonio Cromartie: I like him a little better than Perrish Cox, and we desperately need a known quantity at corner with the departure of Buster Skrine.
10:10 AM: Here is some reading material for you this morning, from our friends at Dawg Pound Nation:
Ray Farmer’s 2nd Free Agency Is Far Less Inspiring Than His First. So Far. http://t.co/aP0ugsaul6
— DawgPoundNation.com (@DawgPoundNation) March 12, 2015
10:06 AM: One of the big NFL stories I'm interested in today is what happens with RB DeMarco Murray. Is he seriously considering jumping ship to the Philadelphia Eagles, or is he putting on an A+ poker face to make Jerry Jones sweat and write a bigger check?
Pro-Bowl RB DeMarco Murray is flying to Philadelphia this morning with the expectation he will be an Eagle, per a... http://t.co/FR6PCCRyWu
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 12, 2015
9:50 AM: I was going to do this joke later today but was beaten to the punch. Today is the one-year anniversary of the infamous white board leak by the Browns.
@Reflog_18 They did it again! Second year in a row the @Browns have accidentally leaked their free agent targets! pic.twitter.com/QS3ZTpDWE1
— Andy Hardman (@AndyGHardman) March 12, 2015
9:47 AM: Matt's going to be bummed about one player on his target list, as DT Henry Melton has signed with the Buccaneers.
9:45 AM: We've heard that the Browns have some interest in CB Brandon Browner, but as of now, no planned visit has been reported. Browner is set to meet with the Saints and the Redskins, and it's possible that he could meet with Cleveland is he doesn't immediately sign with either of those teams (and if the Browns don't sign CB Perrish Cox before then).
Former Patriots CB Brandon Browner is in New Orleans visiting Saints. Also scheduled to visit Redskins next.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 11, 2015
9:38 AM: Next, we've got the king of the Daily Dawg Chow, Jon Stinchcomb! Is it unusual that our past two staff members share a name with current or former NFL players? You can follow Jon on Twitter here.
1. ILB Brandon Spikes - The Browns need to shore up the run defense.
2. TE Jordan Cameron - Losing Cameron would be a significant loss to their TE depth.
3. CB Tramon Williams - He could be a Justin Gilbert insurance policy.
4. CB Perrish Cox - Same as above.
5. OT Jake Long - This would be a bargain bin signing. The ACL tears are why you only buy low.
9:15 AM: Third up with his free agency target list is Zach Miller, who you can follow on Twitter here.
1a. TE Jordan Cameron - If a deal can be reached, and he's committed to Cleveland, make it happen.
1b. TE Charles Clay - If Cameron walks, Clay becomes priority #1, TEs are suspect this draft.2. WR Cecil Shorts - Homecoming for him, and we still need WRs, despite Brian Hartline. Add Parker/White in the draft, and the WRs are not half bad.
3. DT Terrance Knighton - Need DL help in a bad way, would go a long way in shoring up the rush defense.
4. DE Michael Johnson - Would also add help in the run defense, and stick it to Cincinnati. Was bad last year, but could rebound on a better D than what Tampa has.
9:08 AM: Our next free agency target list comes from Josh Finney, who you can try to follow on Twitter here.
1. WR Andre Holmes: Immediately adds size and big play making ability. (RFA)
2. TE Charles Clay, Scott Chandler, Jordan Cameron, or any move tight end: Drafted tight ends typically take 1-2 years to find their footing at the NFL level, and Flip has indicated that the "move" TE is a critical portion of his offense. We need a stop gap here, and Dray/Barnidge are both capable second options, not primary pass catchers.
3. DT Pot Roast (Knighton) or Kendrick Ellis: Please, please god get a stout run defending NT, because otherwise the #12 pick is all but signed, sealed, and delivered as either Danny Shelton or Malcolm Brown, and I want to at least have the OPTION to look at DeVante Parker or Kevin White if they make it 12.
9:00 AM: Earlier, I mentioned that we'll be posting brief, free agency target lists this morning from various staff members here at DBN. First up is our resident fear mongering specialist, Matt Wood!
1. DE Greg Hardy: I know he is a turd, but I don't care. May be suspended but he is a pass rusher in his prime.
2. WR Percy Harvin: The only difference maker left in FA. He could be a problem at some point, but the Browns need offense.
3. TE Jordan Cameron: Short deal with clauses.
4. CB Antonio Cromartie: Another guy who I'd easily give a big one-year deal to. Has history with Pettine.
5. DT Henry Melton: Has battled injuries, but has been really good at times. Upside here.
8:52 AM: The Browns are supposed to get a visit from CB Perrish Cox today. Cox is a candidate to replace CB Buster Skrine, but if a deal goes down between the two teams, it probably won't be today. Cox already visited the Washington Redskins on Wednesday, and after he meets with Cleveland today, Rand Getlin reports that he is visiting the Tennessee Titans on Friday.
8:40 AM: The news this morning is that TE Charles Clay could still be coming for a visit to Cleveland after supposedly receiving an offer sheet from the Buffalo Bills. The Bills and Dolphins have been connected to other free agent tight end targets (Anthony Fasano in Buffalo, Jordan Cameron in Miami), so I think the situation is still very fluid in terms of where Clay will land.
Charles Clay hasn't signed his offer sheet from the Bills and might visit the Browns. Jordan Cameron begins his visit with Miami today.
— Omar Kelly (@OmarKelly) March 12, 2015
8:28 AM: Good morning again, Browns fans! If you missed any of our Day 2 coverage of free agency, you can check out yesterday's live blog here. Throughout the day, I will be sprinkling in "free agency target lists" from many of our staff members at DBN, so that will be something to look forward to.
Also, if you're wondering about the choice of the photo for today's live blog (Brian Sipe), it's about yearning for the days of a good quarterback in Cleveland, amidst the rumors of Sam Bradford, Drew Brees, Marcus Mariota, and then the whole Brian Hoyer, Johnny Manziel, Josh McCown situation.