The Cleveland Browns have a lot more to deal with this offseason than they originally planned. Prior to the season ending, it appeared their biggest issue would be developing Johnny Manziel for the future. However, now they are dealing with Manziel's rehab stint, Josh Gordon's season-long suspension and Brian Hoyer's demand to be a starter in 2015. Now, they have one more bullet point on the to-do list as Jordan Cameron reportedly has no plan on returning in free agency.
According to CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora, Cameron wants no part of the issues taking place in Cleveland and has no plan to re-sign in free agency. La Canfora writes that right now, things are worse than ever in Cleveland as the team gets investigated for a texting scandal along with issues surrounding Manziel and Gordon and Cameron is ready to distance himself from it.
When the season wrapped, Cameron told the media that he was very open to returning to the Browns in free agency, going as far as to say he would love to retire in Cleveland. It appears Cameron is changing his mindset and is looking to bolt faster than expected. The tight end was a breakout star in 2013, but suffered a number of injuries that hurt his stats in 2014. It is unclear what kind of contract demands Cameron can have as a result, especially with three concussions over the past two years on his resume. That could scare away teams from targeting him as a potential free agent target.
With Cameron out and Gordon done, the Browns have got to get some playmakers on offense or 2015 could be a big step back regardless of who the quarterback is. Last year they benefitted from overachieving players like Andrew Hawkins and Miles Austin, but the likelihood that lightning strikes twice is slim. The Browns opted not to draft from the wide receiver heavy draft last year, passing on Sammy Watkins, Odell Beckham Jr, and Mike Evans. They cannot afford to make the mistake again.
The Browns could opt to draft a receiver in the first round this year, but the Cleveland Plain Dealer predicts the team might try to jump up and grab Marcus Mariota instead. That would leave free agency for the Browns. Trades for Larry Fitzgerald or Mike Wallace could happen while Jeremy Maclin, Randall Cobb or Michael Crabtree could be signed in free agency. For the tight end spot, the Browns could go big for Julius Thomas or Jermaine Gresham.
