Cleveland Browns DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

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.

Former Cleveland Browns quarterback and NFL Comeback Player of the Year winner Joe Flacco reached an agreement with the Indianapolis Colts on Wednesday on a one-year deal worth up to $8.7 million, including $4.5 million guaranteed, according to sources. Flacco came off his couch to unexpectedly lead the Browns to the postseason in 2023, ultimately finishing with 1,616 passing yards, 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions in five starts during the regular season. The 39-year-old veteran will now head to Indy to replace Gardner Minshew as the primary backup for young signal-caller Anthony Richardson, who saw his rookie season come to an end early last year due to a shoulder injury. Given Richardson's propensity to run with the ball, another injury in 2024 could force Flacco back into the spotlight.

The Cleveland Browns are sending a 2024 fifth-pick and 2024 sixth-round pick in exchange for Denver Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Cleveland reportedly tried to trade for the former first-rounder at the trade deadline during the 2023 campaign, so they now get their target. After posting 972 receiving yards and six touchdowns in 2022, Jeudy regressed to 758 receiving yards and two touchdowns in 2023. He now gets a change of scenery and a chance to turn his career around. Given the struggles of quarterback Deshaun Watson, it's tough to get too excited about Jeudy's fantasy prospects, especially while sharing a field with Amari Cooper. David Njoku and Elijah Moore round out the crowded pass-catcher group. This move could mean a small boost for Watson's fantasy outlook, but it's tough to see a path toward top-24 upside for Jeudy.

Quarterback Joe Flacco, who won the 2023 NFL Comeback Player of the Year with the Cleveland Browns, wants to return to the team, according to a league source. The two sides met regarding the possibility of a reunion at the NFL scouting combine last week. Flacco will become an unrestricted free agent on Wednesday, March 13, and can sign with any team at that time. If he stays in Cleveland, he'd undoubtedly be the backup to Deshaun Watson. After leading the Browns to the postseason in 2023, teams probably won't strictly be considering him as an emergency option in 2024, but it remains to be seen if he'd get a chance to compete for a starting gig outside of Cleveland. The 39-year-old defied all expectations last year with Cleveland, and although it was a cool story, it's unlikely to repeat itself again in 2024.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have started the process of rebuilding third-year quarterback Kenny Pickett, and sources say that new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith recently spent time with Pickett in South Florida, and that the two had a "great" meeting. According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the sentiment at last week's NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, including some with the Steelers, was that Pickett could get another chance after a disastrous 2023 due in part to the offense's overall struggles under then-offensive coordinator Matt Canada. Smith could help maximize Pickett's skill set, but there's little doubt Pittsburgh will bring in competition for Pickett, which could mean a Mason Rudolph re-signing. The Steelers have also been mentioned as a possibility to trade for Bears QB Justin Fields, which would be even worse news for Pickett.