Browns add fullback in trade, lose Schobert
Andrew Berry made his first trade as general manager of the Browns to address a need at an old-school position first-year head coach Kevin Stefanski loves to use in his offense.
The Browns agreed Tuesday to trade a 2021 seventh-round draft pick to the Denver Broncos for fullback Andy Janovich, a person with knowledge of the deal said.
Janovich, 26, spent the past four seasons with the Broncos, who drafted him in the sixth round (No. 176 overall) in 2016 out of the University of Nebraska.
The 6-foot-1 and 238pound Janovich started 19 of the 50 games in which he appeared with the Broncos and became a core special teams player for them. He has compiled 13 career carries for 51 yards (3.9 average) and three touchdowns to go along with 22 catches for 233 yards and a touchdown.
Janovich played just seven games last season. He missed the first three with a pectoral injury he suffered in the preseason and the last six with a dislocated elbow he suffered Nov. 17 against the Minnesota Vikings.
In October, the Broncos signed him to a three-year contract extension worth $5.7 million, including $2.5 million guaranteed.
Johnny Stanton is the only other fullback on the Browns’ roster. On Jan. 28, he became the first player to sign with the Browns under Berry. Last season, Stanton spent time on the practice squad of the Vikings, who employed Stefanski as their offensive
coordinator.
Schobert to the Jagus
As expected, starting linebacker Joe Schobert is leaving the Browns.
Schobert agreed Tuesday to join the Jacksonville Jaguars, a person with knowledge of the situation confirmed.
Schobert’s decision had been narrowed down to the Jaguars and Cincinnati Bengals, the source said, adding the Bengals declined to match the Jaguars’ final offer.
Schobert’s deal with the Jaguars is for five years and worth $53.75 million, NFL Network first reported. He’ll receive an average annual salary of $10.75 million, a $12 million signing bonus and $22.5 million guaranteed.
The Browns didn’t want to pay Schobert the salary of at least $10 million per year his camp expected him to receive on the open market. It became clear the 2017 Pro Bowler would likely sign elsewhere after his agent and n Berry met last month to discuss the contractual situation during the NFL Scouting Combine.
Linebacker is a huge need for the Browns with Schobert departing and the team cutting starting weakside linebacker Christian Kirksey on March 10.
Former Browns GM John Dorsey drafted two linebackers last year — Sione Takitaki (third round) and Mack Wilson (fifth). Takitaki started one game as a rookie. Wilson started 14 after Kirksey suffered a season-ending torn pectoral tendon in Week 2.
Schobert, 26, spent the past four seasons with the Browns, who drafted him in the fourth round (No. 99 overall) out of the University of Wisconsin in 2016.
Schobert has been a fulltime starter the past three seasons. Last year, he started all 16 games for the second time in his career and compiled 133 tackles, including two sacks, nine passes defensed, four interceptions, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.