The Cleveland Browns have been working to sign Dwayne Bowe to a free agent deal this offseason, as the team has Josh Gordon facing a suspension and they need depth at wide receiver and if he doesn't sign, Hakeem Nicks or Michael Crabtree could be potential options and this comes as the team is planning to meet with DeVante Parker ahead of the NFL draft.
According to ESPN.com, the Browns and Bowe met last week and Adam Caplan reports that the visit to the team "went very well" and could result in a contract at some point. Bowe could be a target for other teams and he may set up visits if the Browns don't close a deal. Bowe was released by the Kansas City Chiefs this offseason and he is one of the top free agents left on the market.
--UPDATE: The Browns are signing Dwayne Bowe to a two year deal, according to ESPN.com.
Michael Crabtree and Hakeem Nicks are also potential options for the Browns, as they would like some more depth behind Brian Hartline and Andrew Hawkins. According to Charles Robinson at Yahoo Sports, the team also may look at the draft as a way to add depth without Gordon, as players like Amari Cooper, Kevin White and DeVante Parker are entering the draft. Robinson writes that the team is "targeting a receiver" in the first round and if Parker is there at 12, the team likely will take him.
The Browns traded out of one of the top spots in the draft with the Bills and allowed Buffalo to take Sammy Watkins and now they could try and add a receiver. Bowe comes into the offseason after making 60 catches for 754 yards and zero touchdowns in his final season in KC. Bowe had 15 touchdowns in 2010, but in the years since he has combined to score 13 and has not reached 810 receiving yards or 61 catches in the last three seasons.
The Browns brought in Josh McCown this offseason and while he could be the starter, NFL.com reports that Ray Farmer may still look at trades or the draft as options at QB. According to ESPN.com, the Browns signed McCown to a three year deal and he likely will take over as the starter. The Browns finished the season with five straight losses and the team also had to deal with the suspension of Josh Gordon, who will be out for the 2015 season.
Johnny Manziel and Connor Shaw were the only quarterbacks on the roster when the league year ended and Hoyer was a target to return as a free agent before signing McCown. Owner Jimmy Haslam and general manager Ray Farmer both spoke about the quarterback position after the season and they did not rule out taking another one in the draft. Jeremy Fowler at ESPN.com reports that names like Brett Hundley, Colorado State's Garrett Grayson or Baylor's Bryce Petty could be targets.
The Browns have the most picks of any team in the draft and that gives them the ammo to make a trade if they want. According to ESPN.com reporter Jeremy Fowler, the Browns "sniffed around" on Mike Glennon and thought about acquiring him ahead of the draft. Glennon could be a target for the Browns even with McCown, who had also visited with the Bills this offseason before signing in Cleveland.
