After top picks sign, Browns eye Bryant
Former Cowboys star in the mix to offset Gordon’s sudden loss.
The Cleveland Browns BEREA — signed rookie cornerback Denzel Ward, the No. 4 overall pick in this year’s draft.
The speedy Ward, who is expected to start, finalized his four-year, $29 million deal on Wednesday as Cleveland’s players reported to training camp under coach Hue Jackson. Ward was the final player from the Browns’ 2018 rookie class to sign his first pro contract.
On Tuesday night, quarterback Baker Mayfield — the top overall pick — signed his four-year, $32 million contract. That package includes a team option in the fifth season.
Ward’s deal includes a $19 million signing bonus.
Ward, who grew up in the Cleveland area, is the fourth Ohio State cornerback selected in the first round in the last three years. The 5-foot-11, 190-pounder played in 38 games for the Buckeyes, making two interceptions as a junior last season.
One of college football’s most popular and polarizing players, Mayfield is not expected to start in his first season. The Browns acquired former Buffalo quarterback Tyrod Taylor in an offseason trade and Jackson has made it clear that the veteran will play until Mayfield is ready.
That doesn’t mean Mayfield won’t try to beat out Taylor.
“I’m always competitive,” he said during rookie camp. “It wouldn’t matter what ( Jackson) was saying in regards to the competition. I’m still going to compete and try and win that job.”
Mayfield, who was a twotime walk-on in college, won the Heisman Trophy last season after he passed for 4,627 yards and 43 touch- downs. Despite some ques- tions about his character after an off-field incident and some well-publicized antics during games, the Browns chose him over several other top-tier college QBs in April’s draft.
Mayfield impressed coaches and teammates with his attitude and work ethic during spring workouts, but he still has a ways to go before he can unseat Taylor, who ended the Bills’ long playoff drought last season.
Meantime, as they await clarity on Josh Gordon’s confusing situation, Browns general manager John Dorsey says the club has discussed signing former Dallas wide receiver Dez Bryant.
Gordon is missing the start of training camp as part of his treatment to battle drug and alcohol addic- tions. Dorsey does not know when Gordon will return, and Wednesday the team changed the roster designation for him from the non-football illness list to “did not report.”
Dorsey and Jackson continue to support Gordon, who has been suspended for 43 of Cleveland’s last 48 games.
“Obviously we’d like to have all of our players here,” Jackson said. “But at the same time we know things do come up. And I think as a staff we prepared for anything and everything. I think in my going on three years here I’ve seen it all. So I’m not surprised by anything that can happen. I think if we make it more than what it is, again you’re talking about a young man that’s doing everything he can to put himself in the best posi- tion to be better in his life.
“And I think that’s great for Josh. At the same time we have a football team to get ready, and that’s what we’re going to do.”
With Gordon’s status unclear, Dorsey said the team is considering Bryant, a three-time Pro Bowler released by the Cowboys in April.
The 29-year-old Bryant led the NFL with 16 touchdowns in 2014.
“I’ve had a chance to be around Dez,” Dorsey said. “When he was down there at Lufgen, Texas, I actually went to his workout and got a chance to meet him. I know what kind of per- son he is. He’s a very talented player. Have we had discussions about Dez Bryant? Yeah. You’re going to have discussions like that. Now, we’ll see what comes to fruition in the next couple days.”
Meanwhile, receiver Ricardo Louis, who could have benefited from Gordon’s absence, will miss the season following neck surgery.