Getty General manager Andrew Berry of the Cleveland Browns watches the game against the New York Jets
Despite the Cleveland Browns having recently traded for Elijah Moore and signed Marquise Goodwin, a new report from Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot says that they haven’t ruled out adding another receiver.
Mary Kay Cabot Says the Browns Still May ‘Trade’ for a Receiver
In Cabot’s March 26 mailbag column, the reporter was asked whether it’s “safe to say” the Browns “are done exploring talent” at the wide receiver position or could they draft a receiver or sign a veteran free agent.
Cabot said that acquiring a receiver was a possibility.
“The Browns are pretty well set at receiver right now, but it doesn’t rule out them adding for depth in the draft, a trade or the late waves of free agency,” she wrote, saying that Moore, 23, and Goodwin, 32, give the Browns some speed at the position and that the team has “some good development receivers in the pipeline for the next several years.”
Cabot also wrote that signing Moore was probably the “biggest move” the Browns made this offseason because of his potential with quarterback Deshaun Watson.
“If the Browns can maximize his potential with Deshaun Watson, he can make an enormous impact this season. He’s already got two years of experience to build on — but with five different quarterbacks. When he gets his chemistry down with Watson, his career and production can take off,” Cabot wrote.
The Browns acquired Moore and Goodwin even though they already had receivers Donovan Peoples-Jones, Amari Cooper, David Bell and Anthony Schwartz on the roster. After Goodwin’s signing was reported on March 24, ESPN Cleveland’s Brad Stainbrook tweeted: “Not a good sign, at all, for a player like Anthony Schwartz.”
Elijah Moore Is ‘Super Excited’ to Be Playing With a ‘Legit Quarterback’ Like Deshaun Watson
In his introductory press conference on March 23, Moore said that he had already spoken with Watson and was “super excited” to be playing with a “legit quarterback” of Watson’s talent.
“I spoke to [Watson] yesterday. I am super excited. He is a legit quarterback. He is someone who has been doing some amazing things around the league. He has respect from everybody around the league. They talk really highly about him here, and they believe in him. With him being my quarterback, I believe in him, too. I am grateful to be one of his guys,” said Moore, adding, “I am super excited to play the role that they want me to play. Talking with the coaches and everything, I feel like we are on the same page. I am just grateful to be here.”
Moore did not hide his unhappiness with the New York Jets and even requested a trade in October, which is when the Browns were initially looking at acquiring him. General manager Andrew Berry confirmed that in an interview with Cabot on March 26, adding that the Jets “were pretty adamant that they weren’t looking to move him” at that time.
Berry added, “We feel very good about Elijah. Loves ball, hard worker. He’s a good teammate. This is a guy that despite some of the ups and downs in New York, and obviously we have a really good relationship with that organization, but we feel good about who Elijah is bringing him into our building and think he’s going to do well there.”
Moore’s four-year contract has two years remaining on it, and the Browns pay him just under $1.5 million in 2023 and $1.88 million in 2024. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent in 2025. To acquire Moore, the Browns traded their second-round draft pick (No. 42 overall) for Moore and the Jets’ third-round draft pick (74th overall).
Moore will face his old team sometime this season at home in Cleveland, according to the list of opponents that was released in January. No dates or times have been set yet.
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