Former $19 Million Deep Threat Dubbed Browns’ Top Minicamp Standout

Getty Images Deshaun Watson of the Cleveland Browns talks with Jacoby Brissett.

The Cleveland Browns are building an offense around QB Deshaun Watson that, at least on paper, should be dynamic. One of the primary keys to that goal is speed.

The most significant addition Cleveland made this offseason in that regard was the signing of wide receiver Marquise Goodwin, most recently of the Seattle Seahawks.

Jake Trotter of ESPN on Tuesday, June 27, dubbed Goodwin the Browns’ top “surprise offseason standout,” citing the pass-catcher’s penchant for verticality as an element that can change the texture of Cleveland’s offensive attack in short spurts throughout the upcoming campaign.

The Browns made a couple of noteworthy moves to upgrade their receiving corps this offseason, trading for Elijah Moore and drafting Cedric Tillman in the third round. Yet another under-the-radar addition, the 32-year-old Goodwin, dominated Cleveland’s minicamp, flashing the downfield wheels that could make him an intriguing weapon for quarterback Deshaun Watson.

When asked about Goodwin’s speed, Watson said, “It opens up other guys underneath … the run game and also the intermediate and short game.” Goodwin won’t be a primary option, but he could be an impactful one.

Marquise Goodwin Looking for Long-Term Home with Browns

GettySpeedy wide receiver Marquise Goodwin has bounced around the NFL throughout his career, landing with the Cleveland Browns on a one-year deal in 2023.

The Buffalo Bills drafted Goodwin out of the University of Texas with the No. 78 overall pick in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft. The receiver played his first four professional seasons in Buffalo before joining the San Francisco 49ers in 2017.

Goodwin inked a three-year, $19.25 million extension with the Niners in March 2018, and San Francisco traded the wideout to the Philadelphia Eagles two years later. However, Goodwin opted out of participating in the 2020 season, an option for players due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He reverted back to the 49ers upon his return to the NFL in 2021 and was subsequently released.

Since then, Goodwin has played on one-year deals with the Chicago Bears, the Seahawks and now the Browns, with whom he signed on for the price of $1.7 million in March. Over the course of his career, Goodwin has amassed 187 catches for 3,023 yards and 18 touchdowns, per Pro Football Reference. He has appeared in a total of 102 games and earned 44 starts.

Marquise Goodwin Has Put Anthony Schwartz on Browns’ Chopping Block

GettyWide receiver Anthony Schwartz of the Cleveland Browns will have to fight for his spot this summer on the team’s 53-man roster.

Goodwin’s arrival in Cleveland is exciting for Watson and the rest of the Browns offense, save potentially for one player — wide receiver Anthony Schwartz.

Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported on June 22 that Schwartz “faces an uphill battle” to make the 53-man roster in his third NFL season, largely due to the addition of the more experienced and more accomplished Goodwin.

“Schwartz has struggled from an emotional and physical standpoint, and must prove he can handle the demands of the NFL,” Cabot wrote.

A former third-round pick in 2021, Schwartz has caught just 14 passes for 186 yards and one touchdown across two seasons with the Browns. If Goodwin usurps his roster spot during training camp, then Schwartz becomes a candidate for the practice squad or faces an outright release.