Getty Images Mike Williams of the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Cleveland Browns will be looking at all their options to upgrade their wide receiver room next season and impending free agent Mike Williams is someone the team will keep an eye on.
Bleacher Report named the Browns as one of five potential landing spots for Williams this offseason, citing the team’s lack of talent and uncertainty at the position:
Williams could provide the spark that the Browns are seeking, especially after cutting ties with Odell Beckham Jr. midway through the season.
OBJ’s departure left the receivers room devoid of proven talent outside of veteran Jarvis Landry, who dealt with nagging injuries and a drop in production this season. Landry remains under contract for 2022 and would not be the only Cleveland player revitalized by a player of Williams’ caliber joining the fray.
Williams was the No. 7 pick in the 2017 draft and while he hasn’t turned into a true No. 1 wide receiver, his explosive ability with the ball in his hands could make him an asset for any team. Williams racked up a career-high 1146 yards last season, a whopping 415 coming after the catch. With the Browns lacking explosive plays in the passing game, Williams’ ability to turn a little something into a massive play is much-needed.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler also sees Cleveland as a team that could get involved in the sweepstakes for Williams this offseason.
“Many [NFL evaluators] see [Williams] as more of an exotic No. 2 with big yards-after-catch ability. Cleveland could be a team to watch here. It could use a big-bodied target who can stretch the field.”
Browns Have Youthful Core of Pass-Catchers
The Browns have a wide receiver room that features some young talent in guys like Donovan Peoples-Jones and Anthony Schwartz, although a proven veteran outside of Jarvis Landry is lacking. And the problem with that is that Landry could be on his way out.
If Landry and the Browns can’t agree to a restructured deal this offseason, it would make sense that Cleveland moves on from the 29-year-old. He carries a salary of more than $15 million for next season and if the Browns part ways with him it will result in only $1.5 million in dead cap.
Landry saw his production drop off last year as he dealt with his first trip to the IR with a knee issue. He posted 52 catches for 570 yards and two touchdowns last season — all career-lows.
Browns general manager Andrew Berry didn’t exactly instill confidence that Landry would be returning as a key member of the team going forward in his end-of-season press conference.
“I think everybody on this call knows how much respect we have for Jarvis Landry and really what he has meant for our team and organization over the past several years,” Berry told reporters. “He has been a productive player for us really since the day that we traded for him, and he has been really a key piece in terms of how the team and organization has evolved over the last several years.”
There Are Concerns About Odell Beckham Situation
The Browns and now-Rams wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. went through an ugly, very public breakup just after the trade deadline last season. A video posted by Beckham’s dad criticizing quarterback Baker Mayfield was the catalyst in the two sides parting ways.
Beckham’s departure caused a rift in the locker room and it didn’t help that his production spiked once he arrived in Los Angeles. Hall of Famer Michael Irvin was the latest person to defend Beckham’s actions.
“Odell Beckham is a bad boy on the football field. Period. He just needed the stage and the right atmosphere to show everybody,” Irvin told TMZ. “And, Cleveland just wasn’t it, I’m sorry. I love Cleveland, but it just wasn’t it. This right here, L.A., Hollywood, Super Bowl, and all the energy and the bright lights it brings, that’s Odell Beckham.”
There are concerns that Beckham’s influence and standing with current players around the league could deter free agents from signing with the Browns. However, that remains to be seen and we’ll see how things unfold once free agency kicks off.