The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Browns signing: Team no longer laughingstock
Jeff Schudel’s Cleveland Beat is back, with Browns signings noting the franchise is now a destination spot. That, along with thoughts on the Cavs and Indians and “I Didn’t Know That ...”
Cleveland is no longer the destination for NFL free agents that have to be overpaid to play for the Browns or sign with them because they can’t find work with another team.
John Johnson III, the top-rated safety in the 2021 free-agent class, turned down more money from an unnamed team to sign a three-year, $33 million contract for the Browns, according to his agents. The Bears and Eagles were among teams that began wooing him when the freeagent negotiation period opened March 15.
The Eagles are in a major rebuild and the Bears, well, the Bears are just wandering lost in the NFL forest.
But the Browns are on their way up after winning 11 regular-season games and advancing to the divisional round of the playoffs in 2020. That isn’t just some line from the team’s public relations staff. That comes directly from Johnson. Takkarist McKinley, the defensive end signed to a oneyear, $4 million contract, shares the same opinion.
“I felt like it was an opportunity of a lifetime, coming to a situation where things are moving in the right direction,” Johnson said on a Zoom call from Browns headquarters in Berea. “It’s really a business that it’s rare that people care about you, people actually appreciate you and people want to do things the right way. This city as a whole, let alone the organization, it drips that.
“Honestly, I knew that the fans loved their team and supported the team, but when I got here yesterday, people started to notice me already, so that just confirmed everything. I’ve just been hearing things. It’s all coming into fruition, and I’m just happy I made the right decision.”
The change in attitude is about more than just the improved record. It is a reflection of the stability Executive Vice President of Football Operations Andrew Berry and Coach Kevin Stefanski brought to the Browns in just one season. It says something about the organization when no assistant coaches leave or are fired. Even after a successful season like the Browns had last year, some turnover is normal.
• The Browns had McKinley in for a predraft visit in 2017. Berry was the vice president of player personnel at the time working under Sashi Brown. The Browns selected Myles Garrett with the first pick in 2017. McKinley was drafted by the Falcons later in the first round that year.
McKinley made a good impression on Berry in the predraft visit. The Browns tried to trade for him last year when the Falcons put him on the market. That didn’t work, so they put in a claim when the Falcons waived him. He was awarded to Cincinnati because the Bengals also claimed him and had an inferior record. He failed a physical in Cincinnati and San Francisco.
It was a long road, but McKinley and the Browns are finally together.
“To know a team sees what I’m worth, sees what I can do and really believes in me, that means the world,” McKinley said on Zoom after Johnson’s time with the media. “Now, I just can’t wait to get out there on that field and prove it to myself and show everybody else why it was a smart decision to bring me here.”
McKinley, 25 years old, is eager to prove himself. He had 3.5 sacks in 14 games in 2019 and one sack in four games last year
“I’m excited to be a part of and continue to change what people think about the Cleveland Browns,” McKinley said. “In the past, it was a laughing organization. I’ll be real with you, I don’t know too much about Cleveland, but I just know that they were known for losing.
“That’s not the culture here anymore, especially after talking to coach Ski (Stefanski), Mr. Berry and pretty much everyone in this building. That losing stuff isn’t a part of Cleveland anymore. I’m just excited to be here and help keep winning.”
The Browns did not stop at Johnson and McKinney. They signed Troy Hill of the Rams, one of the top freeagent cornerbacks available to a four-year, $24 million contract and middle linebacker Anthony Walker for one year. They added depth on the defensive line by signing former Eagles defensive tackle Malik Jackson, a 10-year veteran, to a one-year contract.
Players are a team’s best salesmen.
Drummond-Love debacle
It has been more than a month since the Cavaliers decided to never play center Andre Drummond again. The March 25 trade deadline seemed far in the distance at the time, but now it is just days away.
Numerous teams reportedly have interest in Drummond, including the Lakers, Clippers, Raptors and Knicks, but are unwilling to give the Cavaliers what they want and apparently are content to wait for the Cavs to buy him out. Drummond is under contract for $28.75 million this season. A team acquiring him via trade would be stuck with the balance, but if the Cavs buy him out he would be a free agent.
Drummond was averaging 13.5 rebounds a game when the Cavs decided not to play him again. His role changed when they acquired Jarrett Allen from the Nets. Drummond began moping. He did not show the same effort he did before the trade.
• It is hard not to feel sorry for Coach J.B. Bickerstaff. Not only is Drummond worthless to the Cavaliers; if they do trade him, they are unlikely to get more than a second-round pick. But Kevin Love is also giving them nothing.
I won’t presume to know the severity of Love’s calf injury, nor will I question Love’s toughness or lack of it. But the undeniable fact is he is being paid more than $31 million this season. He has played in four games. He played for 8:50 in one of them, 10:01 in one and 1:41 in another. He has missed 37 games.
Love’s name doesn’t come up in trade rumors much anymore, and no wonder. He is due $31.2 million next season and $28.9 million in 2022-23. Who would want to pay that kind of money for a shiny car that must be kept in the garage because the engine doesn’t work?
The Cavaliers might be active at the trade deadline, but don’t expect any blockbuster deals that will improve the roster dramatically for the remainder of the season.
Center field blues
Quantity is not a synonym for quality, especially when it comes to those who play center field for the Indians.
Neither Oscar Mercado nor Bradley Zimmer has grasped the position firmly this spring in Goodyear, Az. For that reason, the Indians are trying to convert Amed Rosario to the outfield. It is a work in progress.
Rosario and Andres Gimenez are the majorleaguers acquired from the Mets in January for shortstop Francisco Lindor and starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco. The Indians also got three prospects in the trade.
Rosario and Gimenez started training camp in a battle to replace Lindor. Gimenez won the job and will be the starting shortstop when the season opens April 1 in Detroit, barring something unforeseen, so the Indians are trying to convert Rosario to the outfield. He started in center in a Cactus League game March 16 against the Angels behind Shane Bieber and made three errors in a 17-8 loss. Bieber gave up nine runs in three innings, but only one was earned.
The Indians will be patient with Rosario, but opening day is less than two weeks away.
“I’m really grateful for the opportunity the team is giving me to learn the position,” Rosario said on Zoom. “I know it’s just a matter of time to get better there and get more reps.”
Mercado is batting .214 this spring with six hits in 28 at-bats through 10 games heading into March 20. He has one RBI.
Zimmer is hitting .304 (7 for 23, no home runs, no RBI). But the Indians have reason to be cautious with Zimmer. He tore up spring training 2.0 last July at Progessive Field and then faded quickly. He struck out 10 times in 29 at-bats while batting .241 and hitting one home run in 11 games.
I didn’t know that
... until I read my Snapple bottle cap: A crocodile can’t stick out its tongue . ... Each year, the moon moves about four centimeters away from Earth . ... Forty is the only number with letters in alphabetical order . ... DFW Airport in Dallas is larger than the island of Manhattan . ... Venus is the only planet to rotate clockwise. ... Snails can sleep for up to three years.