Report: Cleveland Browns nearing new deal with Travis Benjamin
By Thomas Moore
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Travis Benjamin may be closing in on a new deal with the team that will keep the veteran wide receiver in town.
The Cleveland Browns and wide receiver Travis Benjamin are reportedly close to agreeing on a new contract to keep the veteran wide receiver on the club.
“I’m optimistic that something will get something done in the near future,” Ronald Butler, who is Benjamin’s agent, told cleveland.com. “We’ve been in contact with the organization here in the last couple of weeks and we’re still trying to figure out how we can get this thing done where both sides agree to a fair offer. But Cleveland has made strides in terms of getting him back in a Browns uniform.
“Travis knows what his value is. It’s just a matter of coming up with something both sides are comfortable with.”
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This is encouraging news as, in recent years, the Browns have been more inclined to let their own free agents walk away than resign them.
Benjamin is coming off a career year that saw him finish with 68 receptions, 966 yards and five touchdown receptions. Those numbers, interestingly enough, were all better than those posted by Marvin Jones of the Cincinnati Bengals, a player the Browns will reportedly target in free agency.
Benjamin also rediscovered his game as a punt returner, averaging 11.6 yards per return (third best in the league) and adding his third career punt return touchdown.
If Benjamin had not been saddled with quarterbacks Johnny Manziel and Austin Davis over the season’s final five games, he easily would have become just the 12th receiver in franchise history to surpass 1,000 receiving yards in a single season.
Benjamin spoke with Sirius/XM NFL Radio on Wednesday about his contract situation:
Benjamin has also reached out to head coach Hue Jackson and is excited about the possibility of remaining with the Browns during their latest rebuild.
“I actually was still in town so I stopped by and he called one time and we had a conversation,” Benjamin told cleveland.com. “The role that he wants me to fit into the offense, it sounds pretty good you know Hue loves speed, so hopefully that will be a good thing.
“Being a receiver and knowing the type of offense we’re going to run, where he always finds way to get guys open, it will be great for us.”
In four years with the Browns since being drafted out of the University of Miami, Benjamin has totaled 109 receptions for 1,683 yards and 10 touchdowns.