A Browns defender who bolted for the Vikings breaks his silence.
Shortly after signing a contract to join the Minnesota Vikings, former cornerback AJ Green of the Cleveland Browns sent a message on Tuesday
After signing with the Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2020, Green’s journey with the franchise has been fascinating. He made 34 appearances, including two starts. In addition to contributing to special teams, Green also grabbed two interceptions.
Green leaves Cleveland amicably, but he chose to sign a reserve/future contract with the Vikings.
Thankful for the Last 4 Years in Cleveland I appreciate the Fans, Front Office, Coaches, and Players I established a relationship with over the years!” Green wrote on X. Cracking the cornerback depth chart in Cleveland is no easy task. The Browns have touted probably the best trio of cover men in the league in Greg Newsome, Martin Emerson Jr. and Pro Bowler Denzel Ward. The team also drafted Cameron Mitchell in the fifth-round and he saw some time on the field. Green will have a chance to crack the active roster in Minnesota and continue his NFL journey.
Browns Receiver Austin Watkins Left for Eagles
Green is not the first notable name to sign with a new squad. Promising wide receiver Austin Watkins agreed to a deal with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Watkins became a fan favorite in the preseason, leading the Browns in receiving yards during the four exhibition matchups. He was the only Cleveland player with double-digit receptions, notching 16 for 257 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Watkins was cut at the end of the preseason but added back to the practice squad. He did not appear in a game with the Browns and didn’t feel like he got a fair shake, per Noah Weiskopf of theOBR.com.
“Watkins is said to get along with the Browns front office, but there’s also a sense that he wasn’t given a fair opportunity to show off his skills this season, especially following such a successful preseason,” Weiskopf said.
Security Moving on, Tanner McCalister signed a contract with the Denver Broncos. Last season, he was given a three-game suspension.
On Monday, January 15, the Browns announced the signing of nine players to reserve/futures contracts. Linebacker Charlie Thomas III, defensive end Isaiah Thomas, tight end Zaire Mitchell-Paden, defensive end Lonnie Phelps, running back John Kelly Jr., receiver Jaelon Darden, defensive end Vincent Gray, and defensive lineman Chris Williams were among them.
Other additions to the reserve/future roster were linebacker Caleb Johnson and defensive tackle Jayden Peevy.
There are gaps on the Browns defense for free agents.
During an 11-6 run in the regular season, the Browns hung their hat on defense. Cleveland won several statistical categories and had the best defense in terms of yards allowed per game (270.2).
However, with certain important players expected to be free agents next season, things may appear rather different. This group consists of linebackers Sione Takitaki and Anthony Walker, defensive tackles Maurice Hurst and Shelby Harris, defensive tackle Jordan Elliott, and pass-rusher Za’Darius Smith.
General manager Andrew Berry of the Browns stated on January 22 that “I think one of the things that you realize is the NFL – the only constant is change.” As a general manager, I believe you truly go into the offseason knowing that trying to run it back isn’t really an option. Simply said, it doesn’t work given the way our sport is funded. Therefore, I would advise that one should be aware of this fact before proceeding and then work to enhance the club by making the finest choices possible.
Cornerbacks Myles Garrett and Denzel Ward are committed to the Browns for the foreseeable future. Jim Schwartz, the defensive coordinator who oversaw the team’s remarkable recovery, is anticipated to return for the next year.
For Heavy.com, J.R. DeGroote writes about the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Browns. With prior positions at SB Nation and Bleacher Report, he has decades of expertise in digital journalism. He covered local and statewide sports as a writer for West Hawaii Today. For his sports photography and reporting, he has received several state, regional, and national awards. J.R. DeGroote’s biography
