Cleveland Browns sign punter Britton Colquitt to new deal

The Cleveland Browns are keeping their special teams group together for another year after agreeing to a new deal with punter Britton Colquitt.

The Cleveland Browns made another move on Tuesday to retain one of their own, agreeing to a new deal with punter Britton Colquitt.

The four-year deal comes on the heels of Colquitt setting a franchise single-season record with a net punting average of 40.3 yards. The Browns announced the deal on their website and also released a statement from Colquitt:

"“I am thrilled. My family couldn’t be happier. We love the organization and the fans. From Jimmy and Dee Haslam to Sashi (Brown) to the coaching staff with Hue (Jackson) and of course Tabes (Chris Tabor), this is a great place to work. The Browns are a class act. I want to thank the organization for giving me this opportunity.”"

Cleveland originally signed Colquitt to a one-year deal just before the start of the 2016 season. The Browns had traded former Pro Bowl punter Andy Lee to the Carolina Panthers following the final preseason game. The 31-year-old Colquitt had been released by Denver after spending six seasons with the Broncos.

While there was much angst over the decision to trade Lee, which may have been in part due to his lackadaisical tackle attempt on a punt return in the final exhibition game, Colquitt had a solid season as he placed 22 punts inside the 20-yard line, and of his 83 total punts only two went for touchbacks.

Colquitt is the second member of the special teams troika that the Browns have signed this offseason, having previously agreeing to a deal with long snapper Charley Hughlett to make him the highest-paid long snapper in the league.

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They join kicker Cody Parkey to mark one position group that should remain unchanged heading into the 2017 season.