Report: Isaiah Crowell back with Browns for start of OTAs

Cleveland Browns running back Isaiah Crowell was at the start of OTAs on Tuesday, a good sign for the running back and the club.

The Cleveland Browns started their first day of Organized Team Activities on Tuesday and one of the biggest questions was quickly answered.

Running back Isaiah Crowell was in the building, according to ohio.com’s Nate Ulrich:

There was some consternation that Crowell would skip the voluntary portion of the offseason workouts in a snit over his contract negotiations with the Browns. A restricted free agent, Crowell recently signed his second-round tender offer, which will keep him in Cleveland for the upcoming season and pay him $2.74 million.

If the two sides can’t work out a new deal, Crowell will be an unrestricted free agent after the 2017 season and it will be interesting to see how this plays out.

Related: Browns rushing average hits 50-year high

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Crowell, who won’t turn 25 until after the season, is coming off a year when he led the Browns with 952 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns. He also added a career-high 40 receptions for 319 yards.

He paired with fellow running back Duke Johnson to help the Browns become the second-best rushing team in the league at 4.9 yards per carry, which was also a 50-year high for the franchise.

The Browns invested heavily in the offensive line during the offseason, signing center JC Tretter and guard Kevin Zeitler, giving them 80 percent of what should be a very talented line. (The question mark remains at right tackle, where Shon Coleman and Cameron Erving will battle in training camp for the starting role).

The improved line will go hand in hand with what has to be an improved situation at quarterback now that Robert Griffin III is plying his trade elsewhere.

Put that all together and Crowell could be in line for a very good year this fall, which in turn could make him more open to the idea of playing out the year and seeing what the open market will bring, rather than signing a new real right away with the Browns.

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In his three seasons with the Browns, Crowell has rushed for 2,265 yards and 19 touchdowns, while making 29 starts.