The Cleveland Browns don’t look nearly as deep at the wide receiver position today as they did several weeks ago. Not after they saw former All-Pro Josh Gordon part from the team indefinitely once again in order to take care of himself in the interim as he tries to work his way back onto the field. Not after they traded former first-round pick Corey Coleman. Not after losing Ricardo Louis to injury for the season.
Sure, there’s Jarvis Landry, the Pro Bowler that they brought in during the offseason via trade and inked to a long-term extension. Let’s even throw in rookie Antonio Callaway, who looked promising already in his preseason debut. There’s veteran backup Jeff Janis and Rashard Higgins is entering his third season.
But does that sound like a group that is going to threaten anybody? Does that sound like the best receiving corps in the NFL, which Gordon and Landry boasted about back in the spring? Certainly not. Which is exactly why the Browns are now looking to bring in veteran Dez Bryant.
The former Dallas Cowboys star is set to start taking visits with teams finally over the course of the coming days. Reportedly, the Browns had been trying to get into contact with him for a while, but he had not even been answering calls. He seems ready now.
And Tyrod Taylor would love to see it happen. The Browns’ current starting quarterback told reporters that it “would be awesome” if Bryant signed with Cleveland. “I’ve said this before. We know what type of talent Dez brings to the football field. He’s been a very, very good player in his time throughout this league and he adds talent to the wide receiver room”.
At the very least, the Browns have the need and the room to make something happen, even if it is a one-year pact, with the former three-time Pro Bowler who looked at one point to be a future great while he and Tony Romo were playing together at their respective peaks.
“I hope it can get done, but like I said that’s up to management”, Taylor went on to say in expressing his desire to see Bryant join the Browns. “I definitely think he could help this team”.
Were he to sign, it’s hard to imagine that he wouldn’t immediately slide into a starting role opposite Landry, with Callaway the favorite to work in the slot. It would figure to be at least one of the more competent groups of players that they have fielded at the position in some time.
Bryant previously Tweeted that he wanted to “be right first” before taking visits. He did not clarify what he meant by that, and could reference anything between some type of injury or mental preparation for his next step in his career. Who knows. But it seems like he’s ‘right’ now, and perhaps by the end of the week he’ll be in the AFC North.
