Juan Thornhill is putting on his recruiting cap for the Cleveland Browns, trying to get his former Kansas City Chiefs teammate Jerick McKinnon to join him.
Thornhill and McKinnon won a Super Bowl together with the Chiefs last season. Thornhill started at safety while McKinnon took on a dynamic playmaking role in the backfield.
McKinnon remains a free agent and Thornhill is doing his best to let him know he’d be welcomed as a member of the Dawg Pound.
“Yo JetMckinnon1. Need a place to stay in Cleveland?” Thornhill tweeted.
It’s not the first time Thornhill has tried to recruit one of his former Chiefs teammates. Earlier this offseason he tried to get speedy receiver Mecole Hardman to come to Cleveland.
“Remember we came in together in 2019,” Thornhill wrote, tagging Hardman. “Come on over #DawgPound.”
Hardman tweeted back the eyeballs emoji but ultimately ended up signing with the New York Jets. It was a signing that — in part — made the Jets comfortable trading Elijah Moore, who is now a member of the Browns.
Jerick McKinnon’s Skill Set Would be Valued by Browns
GettyKansas City Chiefs running back Jerick McKinnon.
McKinnon recorded a career-high 512 yards receiving and added a whopping nine receiving touchdowns. But he only rushed the ball 72 times, accounting for 291 yards.
With Cleveland shifting to a more pass-first offense, someone with McKinnon’s skill set would be valued. The Browns don’t have a pure pass-catching back on their depth chart right now, although there’s a hope second-year RB Jerome Ford could step into that role. Kareem Hunt previously took on the majority of passing down snaps but he’s unlikely to return, although he remains a free agent.
McKinnon wouldn’t be an expensive addition but carries big-game experience and a skill set the Browns could use. His most recent contract was a one-year deal worth $1.3 million. The Browns could easily afford that to add some depth at a key position behind Nick Chubb.
Browns Assure Nick Chubb Will Be Integral to Offense
The Browns will likely revolve more around Deshaun Watson next season, and rightly so, considering the investment they’ve made in him being their franchise quarterback. Watson will have a full offseason under his belt and no looming suspension, which forced him to sit out 11 games last season.
But Chubb will still play a major role in the offense. He’s fresh off a 1,500-yard season with 12 touchdowns and has made the Pro Bowl in each of the last four seasons.
“Nick’s a major part of our offense, always will be,” Browns head coach and offensive play-caller Kevin Stefanski said at the NFL Owner’s Meeting. “He was I thought very productive last season and had a good amount of attempts. You’re always trying to get the best version of Nick. So that’s always part of our plan, to make sure he’s fresh for a 17-game season plus. Nick will always be a big part of our offense.”
Having a group behind Chubb on the depth chart that could take off some of the load will be key in keeping him fresh and McKinnon could play a role in making that a reality.
Browns Safety Juan Thornhill Recruiting Former Chiefs Teammate