The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Landry, Taylor in; Kizer shipped
In whirlwind trading day, Cleveland gets receiver, quarterback, sends Kizer to Packers for CB Randall
Sashi Brown, former vice president of football operations, spent two years trading down and shedding key veterans from the Browns roster.
General Manager John Dorsey is the new sheriff in town, and he wants to win now.
The Browns on March 9 engineered three separate trades that dramatically alter the roster of the team that finished 0-16 in 2017 and 1-31 over the past two years.
The Browns have agreed on a trade to send two draft choices to the Miami Dolphins for threetime Pro Bowl slot receiver Jarvis Landry, a league source confirmed on March 9.
In addition, the Browns are trading their third-round pick, No. 65 overall, to the Buffalo Bills for quarterback Tyrod Taylor, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Rapoport is reporting the Browns are also trading quarterback DeShone Kizer to Green Bay for Packers starting cornerback Damarious Randall and that the teams are trading fourth-round picks.
Kizer was 0-15 as a rookie starter with the Browns last year. He threw a league-high 22 interceptions.
None of the trades can be
consummated until the league year begins on March 14.
Taylor played in 15 games in 2015 and passed for 2,799 yards and 14 touchdown passes. He threw four interceptions.
Acquiring Taylor essentially takes the Browns out of the market for Bengals quarterback A.J. McCarron and sets the table for them to use the first or fourth pick on April 26 on a quarterback. Taylor, 28, would not be the long-term answer at quarterback but would be the “bridge quarterback” to mentor a rookie. He is due to earn $10 million in 2018 in the final year of his contract but could be re-signed as a backup in 2019.
Randall, 25, fills another huge need. He played in 14 games with 12 starts at cornerback for the Packers last season, intercepting four passes for a career total of 10.
In what could be an interesting twist. the trade makes Randall and wide receiver Josh Gordon teammates.
The pair had a very public war of words on Twitter following the Packers’ overtime win against the Browns.
Asked after the game about Gordon, Randall responded, “He had one catch. Any more questions?”
Gordon retaliated on Twitter, “Great Win of them but let’s be serious.. Considering several of our disadvantages as a team, this kid couldn’t hold my jock strap on my worst day lol..@RandallTime”
Trading for Randall means the Browns could target Minkah Fitzpatrick for free safety if they draft the Alabama defensive back with the fourth pick.
Rapoport of NFL Network was the first to report the Browns are sending one pick in 2018 and one next year to the Dolphins for Landry, who on March 6 signed his $15.982 million franchise tag so the Dolphins could trade him.
Schefter is reporting the Browns are getting Landry without having to give up a first-round or second-round pick in either year, and since they are giving up their 2018 third-round pick for Taylor, it means the Browns are getting Landry for a bargain. They are expected to sign him to a long-term deal.