Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns re-signed wide receiver/kick returner James Proche II to an undisclosed deal on Tuesday. Proche, a former sixth-round selection by the Baltimore Ravens in 2020 out of SMU, didn't catch any of his five targets in 10 regular-season games (one start) in 2023 in his first year with the Browns. He did, however, return 22 points for 197 yards and one kickoff for a gain of 19 yards last year. The 27-year-old has a grand total of 25 career receptions on 45 targets for 278 yards and no touchdowns in 53 games (one start) in his four NFL seasons, so he's not going to be a factor suddenly on offense for Cleveland in 2024. Proche will, however, give the Browns another option to return kicks on special teams yet again.

The Cleveland Browns are signing wide receiver Jerry Jeudy to a three-year contract extension worth up to $58 million. The deal includes $41 million guaranteed. The organization sent 2024 fifth and sixth-round picks to acquire Jeudy from the Denver Broncos last week, and they wasted no time offering him a new deal. Jeudy, a former first-round pick in 2020, has hauled in 211 passes for 3,053 yards and 11 touchdowns through his first 57 NFL games. He has failed to reach 900 yards in three of his first four seasons. Cleveland appears to be high on him and his chances to reignite his career with new surroundings. He is slated to start alongside Amari Cooper and Elijah Moore in three-wide sets.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (shoulder) could begin light throwing as early as Tuesday. Watson's 2023 season ended early and he had surgery on Nov. 21 to fix a displaced fracture in his right shoulder socket. The Browns are going to bring the 28-year-old starter along slowly this offseason, but as long as he doesn't encounter any setbacks, he should be ready for training camp this summer and the start of the 2024 season. Watson has been rehabbing in Los Angeles with quarterbacks coach Quincy Avery and is now ready to start throwing the ball around. The former first-rounder in 2017 out of Clemson by the Texans has now had two straight disappointing seasons in Cleveland after being suspended for all of 2021. He should still be considered a QB1 in fantasy, but his stock is certainly down after playing only 12 games the last two years.

The Cleveland Browns restructured the contract of newly acquired wide receiver Jerry Jeudy on Friday to create more than $10 million in 2024 salary cap space. Jeudy is entering the fifth-year option season on his rookie deal and hasn't reached any kind of extension with the Browns since being acquired from the Denver Broncos last weekend, so the restructure likely adds void years to his deal. The 24-year-old former first-rounder from Alabama didn't live up to expectations in Denver in his four years with the team, accumulating 211 catches for 3,053 yards and 11 touchdowns in 57 games (44 starts). He's now set to serve as the No. 2 wideout in Cleveland behind Amari Cooper while taking passes from quarterback Deshaun Watson. Perhaps the change of scenery will do him well, but he'll also be battling for targets with slot man Elijah Moore.

Free-agent running back Nyheim Hines (leg) is signing a one-year deal worth up to $3.5 million with the Cleveland Browns, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The 27-year-old missed the entire 2023 season with the Buffalo Bills after suffering a major leg injury during the offseason. Hines entered the league as a fourth-round pick in the 2018 NFL draft via the Indianapolis Colts, where he was utilized as a receiving back behind Jonathan Taylor late in his tenure. In 72 games for the Colts, he caught 235 passes for 1,725 yards and seven touchdowns. He was traded to the Buffalo Bills at the 2022 deadline but only logged 11 touches for 50 yards thereafter. Hines will need to get past the leg injury, but he's a dynamic kick returner and could be in the mix as a change-of-pace back in Cleveland's backfield when he's fully healthy.