Now that the dust is settling from all of the new hires the Cleveland Browns brought in, it’s time for the front office to start making plans for the upcoming offseason. To the surprise of no one, there is a ton of work to do if the Browns expect to make any sort of impact in Hue Jackson‘s first season as coach.
Much of the focus surrounding Cleveland involves this spring’s NFL Draft, especially since the team is planning on cutting ties with quarterback Johnny Manziel. With the No. 2 pick, the Browns have everyone wondering just which QB they’ll end up taking as a replacement, if they even take one at all.
However, what shouldn’t be ignored is the upcoming free agency period. It’s tough to believe Cleveland has a leg up when it comes to wooing any of the big names available. That said, the team also has players to focus on within its own locker room.
One of these players is Travis Benjamin.
The speedy wideout is coming off the best season of his career, hauling in 68 receptions for 966 yards and five touchdowns. He certainly timed it perfectly, as he’s now a free agent and will no doubt generate some interest around the league.
That is, of course, if Cleveland lets him get to the open market. Based on comments from Benjamin and his agent, it sounds like contract talks will be picking up pretty soon. At least, I certainly hope this is the case, as Benjamin is a player the Browns would definitely be wise to hang on to.
Since talking with Jackson, Benjamin has intimated he wants to stay in Cleveland. Additionally, he claimed he hopes the two sides will agree on a deal before March, ensuring other interested teams don’t get a chance to talk to him.
If the Browns were smart, they’d certainly make good on this claim and work hard to ensure Benjamin is in the fold come the 2016 season. It sounds like an obvious statement to make. Of course Cleveland should re-sign a player who led all of its wideouts in receiving yards, receptions and touchdowns.
That said, for all intents and purposes, it sounds like the Jackson era is going to begin with a complete rebuild. Owner Jimmy Haslam claimed the strategy from here on out was to build through the draft. So, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Browns decided they just wanted to let free agents walk while focusing more on future prospects.
At the same time, a player like Benjamin needs to be retained. This team is thin across the board, and is in dire need of any playmakers it can get. If Benjamin has proven anything, it’s that he can make plays.
Additionally, Jackson has hinted he wants bigger deep threats. Whether or not that’s a hope for a newly motivated Josh Gordon or a plan to target a legit receiving threat in the draft, if he can get someone who requires extra attention from defensive backs, it’ll only help Benjamin flourish.
Though Cleveland needs to hang on to Benjamin, it also can’t rely on him as its No. 1 receiver. He has lightning speed, but doesn’t have the physical tools necessary to consistently outduel top-tier cornerbacks. However, if the team can find another starter and Benjamin can be utilized as a No. 2 or slot receiver, he could easily take advantage of this.
The hope is Benjamin truly has had enough legitimate dialogue with the Browns to make him believe he’ll be re-signing soon. Though the hiring of Jackson has certainly helped Cleveland’s image, it’ll still be difficult to convince free agents to join the team. When you have someone who’s coming off the best season of his career and wants to stay with your team, it’s something that needs to be taken advantage of.
The Browns appear to have this in Benjamin, and better ensure they re-sign him as a result.
