Cleveland Browns

The NFL's investigation into comments made by former Cleveland Browns head coach Hue Jackson suggesting he was incentivized to lose could not substantiate the allegations.

On Monday, the NFL announced: "Following a 60-day independent review into comments made by former Cleveland head coach Hue Jackson that the Browns paid or otherwise provided incentives to lose games during the 2016-17 seasons, former U.S. Attorney and SEC chair Mary Jo White and a team of lawyers from the Debevoise firm determined that none of the allegations could be substantiated."

Dan Labbe of Cleveland.com summarized the situation last month, noting Kimberly Diemert, who is the executive director of Jackson's foundation, tweeted that Cleveland paid Jackson and other members of the front office to lose games.

The Browns called the allegations "completely fabricated," and Jackson eventually backed off them in following interviews.

"Even though Hue recanted his allegations a short time after they were made, it was important to us and to the integrity of the game to have an independent review of the allegations," a team spokesperson said in a statement. "We welcomed an investigation and we are confident the results will show, as we've previously stated, that these allegations are categorically false. We have fully cooperated with Mary Jo White and look forward to the findings."

The NFL's statement said the investigation had the "full cooperation of the Browns" and included an interview with owner Jimmy Haslam.

However, Jackson did not meet with investigators.

He is currently the head coach at Grambling State University and went 3-36-1 from 2016 until he was fired eight games into the 2018 season as the head coach of the Browns.

White is also leading a probe into allegations made by former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores as part of the lawsuit he filed against the NFL and its teams alleging racist hiring practices and racial discrimination.

Flores said Dolphins owner Stephen Ross offered him $100,000 per loss during the 2019 season in the hopes it would improve the team's draft standing.          

The 2022 NFL draft featured trades with star wide receivers A.J. Brown and Marquise "Hollywood" Brown, but the three-day event came and went with two available veteran quarterbacks still without a new home. Neither the Cleveland Browns' Baker Mayfield nor the San Francisco 49ers' Jimmy Garoppolo were traded. For Mayfield and the Browns, the question is: Where do both parties go from here?

The Browns' bold move to trade for Deshaun Watson and give him a fully guaranteed $230 million contract created significant shrapnel for Mayfield, fans and NFL owners. At least on the ownership front, it's not surprising that Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti was irritated that negotiations with star quarterback Lamar Jackson could become more complicated after this record, precedent-setting deal. It's also understandable for Browns fans to be uncertain about the team's willingness to invest in Watson as 22 civil lawsuits of sexual assault and misconduct have yet to be decided. 

Mayfield is in a different boat. He understandably felt "disrespected" by the Browns' decision to pursue Watson and said on the Ya Neva Know podcast that the team didn't communicate its intentions to him. The Browns told Mayfield's agent they'd only pursue an upgrade over Baker if they could land one, and maybe Mayfield didn't see Watson as an upgrade.  

Regardless, the writing is on the wall that Mayfield's time in Cleveland should come to an end sooner than later. His $18.9 million salary is an albatross on Cleveland's cap sheet, and Mayfield wants an opportunity to find a long-term starting role in 2022. NFL draft weekend was the last major milestone before training camp kicks off in mid-to-late July.

After both the Seattle Seahawks and Carolina Panthers passed on quarterbacks in the first two rounds, it seemed plausible the Browns may have two clear suitors left for Mayfield. However, the Panthers opted to invest the 94th overall pick in Ole Miss passer Matt Corral. Carolina can still afford Mayfield, but the team has already sunk the 226th overall pick in the 2021 draft and the 38th, 94th and 111th overall picks in the 2022 class on Sam Darnold and Corral. 

If Carolina ever wanted Baker, it wasn't enough to pay whatever Cleveland wanted. Cleveland may have had to eat most of Mayfield's salary and take a late Day 3 pick. Per Cleveland.com's Terry Pluto, the Panthers believed Cleveland had little leverage, and they're right.

Meanwhile, Seattle opted against taking a quarterback at all and remains a potential fit for Mayfield. With first-round tackle Charles Cross fulfilling their huge need for a blindside blocker, the Seahawks now have a stronger surrounding cast to entice the veteran. Mayfield's deep-passing prowess and willingness to give his targets a chance to win one-on-one mesh well with Seahawks receivers DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett.

Seattle can also offer one of the best run games in the league. Rushers Chris Carson, Kenneth Walker III and Rashaad Penny make up one of the deeper backfields in the NFL. This should be attractive to Mayfield since much of Cleveland's own success stemmed from a productive set of ball-carriers.

Other uncertain quarterback rooms around the league exist, but it's hard to imagine teams like Houston, the New York Giants or even the Pittsburgh Steelers wanting to move an asset for Mayfield unless his salary is covered by the Browns. Teams are almost always willing to wait until a player is released, when they know they're no longer on the hook.

Mayfield could realistically compete for a starting job for at least 10 teams. The remaining teams either have clearly better options or a young talent who will start no matter what. Seattle, Carolina, Atlanta, Detroit, Houston, Philadelphia, the New York Giants, Washington, Tennessee, New Orleans and Pittsburgh have varying levels of uncertainty at the position. However, we just saw the Steelers take Kenny Pickett in the first round and the Titans, Panthers and Falcons invest a third-rounder in a rookie, so they may be out.

Houston, Atlanta and New Orleans each also effectively passed on Mayfield before. Houston could have asked for him in return for Watson. Atlanta and New Orleans signed veterans Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston, respectively, after the Watson trade instead of making a play for Mayfield.

The Browns' best strategy is to simply wait. There's no financial upside in releasing Mayfield now and allowing him to bolt for their rival in Pittsburgh. At least the Browns can regain some leverage in trade discussions if an injury occurs between now and the start of the regular season. 

San Francisco is also lurking to find such leverage with Garoppolo. Having another veteran on the market complicates things for Cleveland. Garoppolo is coming off shoulder surgery but is regarded as the better player and is beloved within the 49ers locker room. 

Mayfield has called out teammates several times, including Duke Johnson in 2019 and again on the YNK podcast when he lamented that some teammates are motivated by money. He may not be wrong, but the locker room political game matters, and Mayfield has shown immaturity when given the chance to earn his teammates' unwavering support. Concern over Baker's on-field inconsistency and off-field immaturity is heightened when compared to Garoppolo's winning resume and locker room leadership.

In retrospect, maybe Browns general manager Andrew Berry should've quickly moved Mayfield as soon as Watson announced his decision to waive his no-trade clause for Cleveland—or even asked Watson for a small window to trade Mayfield before news of the blockbuster broke. At the time, Indianapolis had not yet traded for Matt Ryan, so there was another potential destination for Mayfield.

Seattle appears to be the best landing spot for Mayfield to walk into as a starter. It's hard to imagine the 49ers trading Garoppolo within the division to their rival in the Pacific Northwest. Cleveland may not get much in return, but the alternatives for now are bleak.

Prior to the 2022 NFL draft, many had speculated that the Carolina Panthers would be a viable landing spot for disgruntled Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield.

Terry Pluto of Cleveland.com reported Sunday that despite the two teams entering into negotiations, those talks didn't get very far before coming to an end.

"They didn't come close to a deal," Pluto wrote. "That's what I heard from a high-placed NFL source about the Browns' trade talks with Carolina concerning QB Baker Mayfield that collapsed Friday."

The Panthers already have a starting quarterback in place in Sam Darnold, who was selected two picks after Mayfield in the 2018 draft. Carolina also secured its quarterback of the future by using a third-round pick to draft former Ole Miss signal-caller Matt Corral.

Mayfield is trying to force his way out of Cleveland after the Browns acquired quarterback Deshaun Watson in a blockbuster trade with the Houston Texans this offseason. Cleveland gave Watson a historic five-year contract extension worth $230 million, which is fully guaranteed.

Watson, a three-time Pro Bowler, sat out the entire 2021 season amid allegations of sexual assault and misconduct. While he will not face criminal charges, Watson still has 22 active civil lawsuits against him. It is not yet clear if he will face any discipline under the NFL's personal conduct policy.

A roadblock for a potential trade involving Mayfield is his guaranteed $18.9 million salary for the 2022 season. While every team in the league knows Cleveland is looking to unload the former No. 1 overall pick, it's unlikely that any franchise will want to part ways with assets to take on such a significant cap hit.

Mayfield, who is recovering from offseason surgery to address a torn labrum in his left (non-throwing) shoulder, is known for being extremely confident in his abilities as a player. However, as time passes, it's looking less and less likely that another team is interested in making him its starting quarterback.

After the 2022 NFL draft came and went without a trade in place, the Cleveland Browns and Baker Mayfield are set to play the waiting game.

One general manager told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler the Browns should wait into the summer before making a move in case there is an injury that could make a suitor desperate. 

"This one is going to slow down now," Fowler said Sunday on SportsCenter. "This is officially a stand off between Baker Mayfield and the Browns and other teams and who's going to pay that $19 million in salary that he has guaranteed. So there's no new movement on this. I talked to an NFL GM who said the Browns should hold onto him because you never know what's going to happen with an injury around the league or somebody's quarterback situation changes because right now there's just not a strong enough market. Seattle and some other teams will wait this out if he's actually released, then they could get involved." 

The Browns have been shopping Mayfield to little success since acquiring Deshaun Watson in March. While teams would undoubtedly be interested in the 2018 No. 1 overall pick if he were available on the free-agent market, Mayfield comes with an $18.9 million price tag for next season and the expectation of draft-pick compensation from Cleveland.

Given Mayfield's struggles last season and the Browns' lack of leverage, the market has been understandably tepid.

The Seattle Seahawks and Carolina Panthers have been the two teams most often linked to Mayfield throughout the process. Carolina seemingly took itself out of the running Friday by drafting Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral in the third round. The Panthers will likely go into next season with Corral and Sam Darnold competing for the starting job.

The Seahawks did not address their quarterback issues via the draft. Coach Pete Carroll said the team is satisfied with its current group of signal-callers: Geno Smith, Drew Lock and Jacob Eason.

"We’re really happy with the guys we’ve got, to see them battle, and we’ll see what happens," Carroll told reporters Saturday. 

The waiting game may be the only thing left for the Browns if they hope to avoid eating Mayfield's entire salary by releasing him. His fifth-year option is fully guaranteed, so Cleveland is incentivized to hold onto him as long as possible. In a worst-case scenario, Mayfield could be the league's most expensive backup—a move that could pay dividends with Watson potentially facing a suspension under the NFL's personal conduct policy. 

The Cleveland Browns traded cornerback Troy Hill to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for an undisclosed future draft pick.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported the deal, which will bring Hill back to the franchise where he spent five of his first six seasons. Hill signed a two-year, $9 million contract with the Browns last offseason.

The veteran recorded 49 tackles and failed to record an interception for the first time since 2017 during his lone season in Cleveland. The Browns started Hill only twice in 2021 after he started all 16 games for the Rams a year prior.

Pro Football Focus gave Hill a grade of 60.1, the second-worst mark of his career.

The Rams are likely banking on Hill returning to form after getting back in a system where he's comfortable. Hill will likely compete with Robert Rochell for the left cornerback spot opposite of Jalen Ramsey in camp.

The Rams are set to be on the hook for Hill's $1.5 million base salary. 

HEIGHT: 6'3 5/8"

WEIGHT: 290

HAND: 10 1/4"

ARM: 35 1/4"

WINGSPAN: 7'0 3/4"

40-YARD DASH: 4.89

3-CONE: DNP

SHUTTLE: DNP

VERTICAL: DNP

BROAD: DNP

POSITIVES

— Above-average burst off the snap. Can shoot forward to initiate contact right away, as well as shoot across into a different gap.

— Good foot speed and quickness when working across the line of scrimmage. Can fight across the offensive lineman's face into the far-side gap.

— Good length for the position. Improved technique could help make that an advantage for him in the future.

— Flashes impressive upper-body strength to knock blockers back.

NEGATIVES

— Leg drive is inconsistent, both in the run game and as a pass-rusher. Too often stalls out.

— Anchor in the run game is not there. Does not settle and play with a wide base when needed. Can only function as a penetrator right now.

— Hand placement needs work. Engages with his forearms rather than his hands too often.

— Too many pass-rushing reps where he stutters his feet on a two-way go without gaining any ground towards the blocker.

2021 STATISTICS

11 G, 23 TOT, 11 TFL, 5.5 SK, 1 FF

NOTES

— No. 1-rated JUCO transfer recruit in 2020, per 247Sports. Had offers from LSU, Alabama, Texas, Baylor and more.

— Started both seasons at Oklahoma.

— 2022 Senior Bowl MVP 

OVERALL

Perrion Winfrey is a ball of potential. He comes off the ball well, shows the lateral speed to rip across the line of scrimmage and flashes overwhelming upper-body power from time to time. All of those tools suggest he can be a big-time disruptor in the NFL.

However, Winfrey's technique is a few years away from being NFL-ready, and there should be concern about how he will hold up when he needs to anchor against the run. The sub-300-pound former JUCO transfer may still have room to add weight and strength, but he'll have to prove it.

Winfrey was largely miscast as a 0/1-technique at Oklahoma, but he projects more as an upfield penetrator from 3-technique in the NFL. However, the NFL is starting to move away from one-gap defensive fronts that allow players like Winfrey to just fire off the ball, so it's worth wondering how valued players like him will be over the next few years.

Winfrey has exciting traits and developmental value, but he is at least a few years away from being NFL-ready. He's also best suited for a role that is no longer as prevalent in the NFL as it once was.

GRADE: 7.2 (High-Level Backup/Potential Starter - 3rd Round)

OVERALL RANK: 88

POSITION RANK: DL9

PRO COMPARISON: Jonathan Bullard

Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen

Three rounds of the 2022 NFL draft are in the books, and there are still a number of teams that could use help at wide receiver.

The Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears and Baltimore Ravens immediately stand out, especially when it comes to possible landing spots for free agent Jarvis Landry. He likely isn't going to command a massive deal at this stage of the offseason, which means any team in the market for a pass-catcher should be interested.

Deebo Samuel is a bit more complicated since he is a possible trade candidate if the San Francisco 49ers do move him. But Baltimore and, yes, even the NFC-rival Packers could end up in the mix as the offseason continues.

The Packers are on this list for the simple reason they traded Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders and lost Marquez Valdes-Scantling this offseason.

Yes, they addressed the position Friday by selecting Christian Watson with a second-round pick, but it may take the North Dakota State product some time to adjust to the NFL. What's more, a group of Watson, Sammy Watkins, Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb is still a step below last year's options for Aaron Rodgers, even if the newest addition lives up to expectations as a rookie.

Landry is the type of veteran receiver who could come in and immediately serve as a safety blanket for Rodgers when some of the other pass-catchers are running downfield. And Samuel is the type of star the team is missing after losing Adams.

It should be noted the 49ers would likely hesitate to trade him to the Packers considering they faced each other in two of the last three playoffs. Rodgers himself even suggested as much during an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show.

Still, the situation may reach a point where the 49ers have to accept the best deal on the table if Samuel isn't going to play for them, and Green Bay may present just that if it decides he is the missing piece for a Super Bowl run.

Samuel ending up on the Packers' NFC North rivals is less likely, as the Bears are in rebuilding mode. They would surely have to sacrifice future assets to get him in a trade, which is not a wise move for a team with an eye on competing in the future as quarterback Justin Fields develops and the new front office led by general manager Ryan Poles revamps the roster.

However, Chicago still needs weapons to bolster Fields' chances at improving even after selecting Tennessee's Velus Jones Jr. in the third round of the draft. Landry could sign on a cheaper, short-term deal and be a leader in a room that now includes young playmakers in Jones and Darnell Mooney.

As for the Ravens, they are something of a wild card in all of this.

They traded Marquise Brown to the Arizona Cardinals during Thursday's first round and did not address the position in the draft to this point. Quarterback Lamar Jackson also didn't seem to be too happy to lose Brown.

Perhaps the team will take a chance on pursuing Samuel as a potential replacement as it looks to compete in the AFC North alongside the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers. Landry, who is familiar with the division from his time on the Cleveland Browns, would be a cheaper option and give Jackson a much-needed weapon after losing one during the draft.

That might make the quarterback just a bit happier. 

It's been a wildly eventful offseason for wide receivers, and Thursday's first round of the 2022 NFL draft continued that trend with a pair of trades involving star pass-catchers.

But a receiver who was expected to be on the move stayed put as the San Francisco 49ers held on to Deebo Samuel. Free-agent receiver Jarvis Landry also remains on the open market. So what are some of the best landing spots remaining for the two of them?

After Thursday's first round, the number of teams with a need for a top wide receiver has diminished significantly. A total of six wideouts were drafted on Thursday, one shy of the all-time record set in 2004.

The team that still has the most glaring need on the outside is the Green Bay Packers, who continued their trend of avoiding receivers in the first round by using both their picks on defensive players. It's a curious strategy considering Green Bay is lacking weapons for star quarterback Aaron Rodgers after the departures of Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling.

It would be a massive surprise to see the 49ers strike a deal with the Packers, as both teams are hoping to be contenders in the NFC in 2022. It's also unlikely that Green Bay has the assets available to entice San Francisco into a trade. The Packers would be wise to make a run at Landry to add a consistent option for Rodgers.

Another top team that is still in the wide receiver market is the Kansas City Chiefs. Despite the additions of Valdes-Scantling and JuJu Smith-Schuster, the Chiefs still lack a home run hitter after trading Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins. While Landry is a similar player to Kansas City's current wideouts, Samuel would give the team a versatile weapon for head coach Andy Reid to deploy in a variety of ways.

There are a few rising teams that could also use upgrades to their receiving corps. The Indianapolis Colts need a second option opposite Michael Pittman Jr. The New England Patriots need a go-to receiver for second-year quarterback Mac Jones. The Pittsburgh Steelers could use a veteran weapon for incoming rookie Kenny Pickett, who was drafted 20th overall on Thursday.

It will be interesting to see which team is willing to give up assets to acquire Samuel, who will likely garner a long-term contract extension with his new team. While Landry remains on the market, the more cost-effective move would be to sign him to a short-term deal.

After former NFL head coach Hue Jackson alleged that he was incentivized to lose on purpose during his tenure with the Cleveland Browns, the league is reportedly investigating the organization.

Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reports that the Browns maintain that they have nothing to hide after denying Jackson's allegations.

Even though Hue recanted his allegations a short time after they were made, it was important to us and to the integrity of the game to have an independent review of the allegations,” a team spokesperson said in a statement. “We welcomed an investigation and we are confident the results will show, as we’ve previously stated, that these allegations are categorically false. We have fully cooperated with Mary Jo White and look forward to the findings.

The investigation was first reported by Gary Grambling and Connor Orr of Sports Illustrated. A league spokesperson confirmed to Cabot that the Browns were being probed.

"We can confirm the NFL engaged former SEC chair Mary Jo White in February to look into allegations made by Hue Jackson against the Cleveland Browns," the NFL spokesperson said. "The review is ongoing and is expected to conclude soon."

White is also leading an investigation into allegations made by former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores, who also stated that he was offered money by team owner Stephen Ross to lose games during the 2019 season in order to secure a higher draft pick. Flores made those claims as part of his lawsuit against the NFL alleging racial discrimination in hiring practices.

Jackson is currently the head coach at Grambling State University. He somewhat backed off his accusations against the Browns in February, saying he wasn't paid for losing games but his situation "has some similarities" to Flores'.

The Browns dismissed Jackson's allegations in a statement at the time, calling them "completely fabricated."

Cleveland went 3-36-1 in two-plus seasons under Jackson, who was fired during the 2018 campaign.