Saturday Dawg Chow: Browns news (3/11/23)

Dawgs By Nature:

• Vikings WR released, reunion with Kevin Stefanski possible? (Jared Mueller) - In today’s NFL, adding talent at the receiver position is always a good idea. While fans love to run the football, throwing the ball has been winning games and championships for about a decade or more now.
• Free agency profile: Ogbonnia Okoronkwo (Thomas Moore) - The Cleveland Browns are widely expected to address the defensive line when NFL free agency opens on March 15. With that in mind, Ogbonnia Okoronkwo is set to hit free agency after flashing some potential last season with the Houston Texans, which might be enough for the Browns to take a closer look at him.
• Cleveland Browns Free Agent Review: DE Stephen Weatherly (Chris Pokorny) - You may not have even known he was on the roster, but next up on our preview of Browns’ free agents is DE Stephen Weatherly.
• Cleveland Browns Free Agent Review: DT Taven Bryan (Chris Pokorny) - Next up on the Browns’ list of free agents is arguably their top defensive tackle from a year ago: DT Taven Bryan.
• Cleveland Browns Free Agent Review: LB Anthony Walker Jr. (Chris Pokorny) - Is LB Anthony Walker Jr. the Browns’ top defensive free agent this offseason?

Cleveland Browns:

• Browns have Brandin Cooks, Elijah Moore, Mecole Hardman, other WRs on radar heading into free agency and trades (cleveland.com) - It’s no secret the Browns need a speedy receiver to turbo-charge their offense in 2023, but where will they find their man? In free agency? A trade? The draft?
• Browns among teams doing ‘diligence’ at Odell Beckham Jr.’s private workout (Beacon Journal) - Time is sometimes the best healer of old wounds. Even between football teams and disgruntled wide receivers.
• Browns head team physician Dr. James Voos receives NFLPS’ top research award (clevelandbrowns.com) - Voos was awarded the Arthur C. Rettig Award for Academic Excellence for his research on “Return to Play Assessment After ACL Reconstruction Using Wearable Technology”

NFL:

• Chicago Bears reportedly trade the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL draft to the Carolina Panthers. (Chicago Tribune) - Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles finally found the deal he was looking for. The No. 1 pick the Bears collected for finishing last season with a 3-14 record now belongs to the Carolina Panthers.
• Longtime Chiefs wide receiver Otis Taylor dies at age 80 (Associated Press) - Otis Taylor, the longtime Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver who along with quarterback Len Dawson formed one of the NFL’s dynamic duos, died Thursday after more than a decade of health problems. He was 80. Taylor’s family, who had been caring for him as he dealt with Parkinson’s disease and dementia, confirmed that he had passed away a mere seven months after Dawson, his close friend and teammate.
• Patriots safety, three-time Super Bowl champion Devin McCourty announces retirement (NFL.com) - Devin McCourty will join his brother Jason in retirement. The longtime New England Patriots defensive back announced he’s moving on from the NFL after 13 seasons.
• Dolphins move to keep Tua Tagovailoa through 2024 season (al.com) - The Miami Dolphins are picking up their option on quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s contract for the 2024 season. By exercising their option, the Dolphins are guaranteeing Tagovailoa a salary of $23.171 million for the 2024 season.
• Cowboys rework Dak Prescott, Zack Martin deals to free up $30M (ESPN) - Needing to get under the salary cap by next week, the Dallas Cowboys created about $30 million in room on Friday by restructuring the contracts of quarterback Dak Prescott and right guard Zack Martin.