The issues continue to pile up for the Cleveland Browns. While the team continues to sort through their starting quarterback prospects and the pending NFL ban for wide receiver Josh Gordon, tight end Jordan Cameron appears to have no interest in returning to Cleveland. The tight end has been one of the more consistent weapons for the Browns despite his lower numbers in 2014 and Cleveland is hoping to keep him around in free agency. However, a rejected contract offer does not speak well for the relationship.
According to Yardbarker.com, Cameron has rejected an offer that would pay him around $6 to $8 million per season. Rejecting that offer means the tight end's free agency run should be interesting, Cameron had a breakout year in 2013, but dropped off in 2014 thanks to injuries and quarterback issues. He is not worth the amount of money Jimmy Graham earned, but could he be on par with Julius Thomas and Charles Clay who are also entering free agency? Despite the rejected deal, Cameron has maintained that he would like to stay with the Browns.
"It'd be cool to finish here. I started here," Cameron said, via the team website. "There's a lot of factors that go into it and I haven't given it thought. I've been focused solely on the games being played. Now it's time to think about it and I'll sit down with my agent, but right now it's up in the air and there's a lot of stuff that has to go into me coming back here."
There are multiple reasons why Cameron likely rejected the offer from the Browns. The tight end is a West Coast native and could be interested in returning back to his roots. That could mean teams like the San Diego Chargers or Seattle Seahawks show interest. Cameron also likely wants to get to a team with a better quarterback situation. The Browns dealt with Brian Hoyer, Johnny Manziel drama all last year and it is still ongoing as someone will not be back next year.
With Gordon facing a year-long suspension for a failed alcohol test, it is very important for Cleveland to keep Cameron. He will be the top threat for the offense in 2015 if the team cannot replace the wide receiver with a big name.