Sunday Dawg Chow: Browns news (3/5/23)

More of the latest Browns news and notes from around the web in today’s dose of the Sunday Dawg Chow.

Dawgs By Nature:

• NFL combine: A little bit more about what I’m hearing about Browns, NFL from Indy (Jared Mueller) – We have hit an interesting portion of the NFL combine in Indianapolis. Despite the quarterbacks throwing this afternoon/evening and more workouts happening on Sunday, a vast majority of the media, some agents and some team personnel have left Indianapolis. It isn’t that the workouts are not important but they are not as important as everything else that has happened this week.
• Cleveland Browns Free Agent Review: QB Jacoby Brissett (Chris Pokorny) – Free agency is about quickly approaching and the Cleveland Browns have a lot of players set to hit the open market. We will be looking at each of those free agents in the coming days, starting with QB Jacoby Brissett.
• Free agency profile: DE Brandon Graham (Thomas Moore) – As the NFL Scouting Combine rolls along in Indianapolis, a veteran defensive end who is familiar with Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is being linked to the Browns as a possible signing in free agency, so let’s take a look at Brandon Graham of the Philadelphia Eagles.
• Perseverance pays off for Georgia’s RB Kenny McIntosh (Jared Mueller) – In the age of the transfer portal, NIL and impatience, Georgia Bulldogs running back Kenny McIntosh went against the grain. As he prepares for the NFL draft by participating in the NFL combine, the former four-star recruit doesn’t regret his decision.
• Deuce Vaughn looking to emulate the best of the best smaller running backs (Jared Mueller) – That a running back that ran for almost 3,000 yards in two seasons in the Big 12 could be overlooked sounds unlikely. The fact that Kansas State Wildcats RB Deuce Vaughn stands at 5’6”, unofficial until we get NFL combine measurements, makes it easier to understand.

Cleveland Browns:

• Talking Browns fans, ownership and those new stadium rumors (Terry Pluto) – Remember all the rumblings about fans cancelling Browns tickets after the signing of Deshaun Watson? Add in the team having only one winning season (2020) in the last 15 years. It would seem the Browns could take an attendance hit. Assuming the information provided by the Browns is correct, that didn’t happen.
• Browns’ offense: Grading positions ahead of free agency, 2023 draft (ESPN) – The Cleveland Browns are entering a crucial season. By trading three first-round picks to the Houston Texans for quarterback Deshaun Watson before signing him to a record $230 million fully guaranteed deal, the Browns effectively pushed in all their chips to win now.
• 3 potential Browns free-agent targets that could make sense on defense (cleveland.com) – While the Browns search to improve their defensive unit, there’s a group of players with connections to the franchise. Within the group are Carl Lawson, Sheldon Rankins and Zach Cunningham. Could any of these players be effective for the Cleveland’s defense? Yes, and here’s why.
• Chris Simms believes Deshaun Watson will be ‘right back near the top quarterbacks in football’ (clevelandbrowns.com) – Go ahead and count NBC Sports NFL analyst Chris Simms as a big believer in Deshaun Watson and the Browns offense in 2023.

NFL:

• NFL combine future: Could it really end? Coaches, execs react (ESPN) – Save for a global pandemic, the NFL scouting combine has been held in Indianapolis each year since 1987. NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith, however, believes the combine has outlived its usefulness. During Super Bowl week, he took aim at the annual centralized event, which involves more than 300 draft prospects going through workouts, medical testing and interviews with coaches and front-office executives.
• 2023 NFL Free Agency matchmaking: One fit for each AFC team (NFL.com) – The 2023 NFL free agency period officially begins at 4 p.m. ET on Wed., March 15. Before the frenzy really kicks into gear, Nick Shook provides one fun free agency fit for each AFC team.
• Military prospects see NFL hopes rise after policy change (Associated Press) – Kyle Patterson feels fortunate. The tight end from Air Force is living out a childhood dream as one of 319 invitees this week to the NFL’s annual scouting combine in Indianapolis. If all goes well between now and the end of summer, he, like dozens of other rookies, will be vying for roster spots.
• The Steak House With NFL Deals on the Menu (New York Times) – When the NFL’s power brokers meet at St. Elmo Steak House in Indianapolis, trades, contracts and shrimp cocktail are all on the table.