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- How Denzel Ward’s targeted COVID-19 donation efforts provided a lift to those in need at a pivotal moment (clevelandbrowns.com) - Ward and the Make Them Know Your Name foundation covered monthly expenses for 21 people who struggled to sustain small business or employment last April when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the country.
- Rashard Higgins hopes to re-sign with the Browns before hitting the market (cleveland.com)- Rashard ‘Hollywood’ Higgins would love to keep walking the red carpet with the Browns, but he knows he might hit the market in a couple of weeks.
- Pat McAfee sheds light on the J.J. Watt free agency pursuit (Browns Wire) - The J.J. Watt saga continues without any seeming quick resolution for the Cleveland Browns or other teams interested in signing the three-time defensive player of the year. With reports coming out almost hourly from various sources, it’s tough to discern what is real and what is speculation. Pat McAfee, the former punter-turned-podcaster, took a knife to cut through some of the reports and went directly to Watt himself.
- Andrew Billings’ Return Meaningful for the Browns? (OBR) - As we march through Defensive Tackle Week here at The OBR, one name continues to hover over the Cleveland Browns at that position: Andrew Billings.
NFL:
- Disney, NFL reach agreement on new rights deal (Sports Business Journal) - Disney and the NFL have reached a broad agreement on a new media rights deal that will see ESPN renew “MNF” and ABC return to the Super Bowl rotation for the first time since ‘06, according to sources. Contracts still have not been signed, but the two sides have smoothed over enough differences that a deal is very close at hand.
- Texans release running back Duke Johnson (ESPN) - The Houston Texans have released running back Duke Johnson and center Nick Martin, the team announced Friday.
- Steelers aiming to get Ben Roethlisberger deal worked out by March 17 (NFL.com) - After successive reports revealing each of the two parties’ desires earlier this week and a statement released by the team regarding the matter, Steelers president Art Rooney II spoke publicly of Pittsburgh’s approach to getting this whole contract thing figured out with their future Hall of Fame quarterback. The most important detail: There’s a relatively short window — which essentially would close with the start of the new league year — for striking an agreement.
- Ranking the five NFL teams eligible to be featured on Hard Knocks (CBS Sports) - Before you know it, the 2021 NFL season will be knocking at the door. But before that, we’ll have some other knocks: “Hard Knocks.” A year after HBO featured both Los Angeles teams — the Chargers and Rams — in a COVID-heavy season of the annual training camp series, five other franchises are eligible to be featured this time around: The Broncos, Cardinals, Cowboys, Giants and Panthers.