Rumor: Browns may be interested in cornerback Bashaud Breeland
By Thomas Moore
The Cleveland Browns, who are expected to be in the market for a cornerback, have been linked to Washington Redskins free agent Bashaud Breeland.
The Cleveland Browns are reportedly interested in cornerback Bashaud Breeland, who the Washington Redskins intend to let hit free agency on March 14.
Ian Wharton at NFL Film Study was the first to report the interest between the Browns and the four-year veteran:
I figured the Browns would be linked to more top free agents by insiders, but Bashaud Breeland is the hottest name I've heard for them. He'd be a great fit, and I'm sure they'll be in on more guys, but interesting to me that's the early buzz.
— Ian Valentino (@NFLFilmStudy) March 6, 2018
Given that Cleveland Browns general manager John Dorsey believes that cornerback is one of the five most-important positions that a team needs to fill to be successful, it should not come as a surprise that the Browns might be interested in Breeland.
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Originally a fourth-round selection out of Clemson by the Redskins in the 2014 NFL Draft, Breeland has started 57 games for the Redskins. During that time has totaled 270 tackles and picked off eight passes, while adding 60 passes defensed and forcing seven fumbles.
Breeland, who is 5-foot-11 and 197 pounds, also has the confidence needed to play the corner position, according to an interview with The Washington Post:
"“I feel like I’m a top corner in this league. I haven’t gotten that publicity, but I feel like with my confidence level and how I believe in myself, I feel like I’m a top corner in this league. I’m just not one of those players that’s flashy, that’s going to make the flashy play that you want to see. I bring a lot more to the table — physicality, tackling. I’m a tackling corner. And I play my guy. I make plays.”"
After seeing the Browns struggle to tackle opposing players for years, adding someone who wants to be physical sounds like a nice idea.
Breeland is hitting the sweet spot that teams look for in free agency as he is just 25 years old and coming off his rookie contract. It is hard to know how much Breeland will be looking for from his next contract, but according to that same Washington Post story, he felt disrespected when the Redskins signed cornerback Josh Norman to a five-year, $75 million deal.
So it is safe to say the Breeland will be seeking for something similar to Norman’s deal, which the Browns can easily absorb as they have more than $100 million in available cap space to spend.
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The Redskins reportedly want to keep Breeland, but may have trouble justifying paying both him and Norman top dollar, which could work out to the benefit of the Browns.