7 Players the Cleveland Browns should have never let get away

Like some of the other players who left Cleveland, things worked out pretty well for wide receiver Paul Warfield. An Ohio native, Warfield landed with the Browns as the No. 11 pick in the 1964 NFL Draft. A former running back for the Buckeyes, Warfield moved to receiver and used his ability to elude tackles to become one of the best big-play threats in the game.

He spent his first six seasons with the Browns and averaged around 20 yards per reception. Warfield was a big contributor right away, going for 920 yards and nine touchdowns in 1964, which happened to be the last time there was an NFL title in Cleveland. Overall, Warfield had a total of 5,210 yards and 52 touchdowns for Cleveland and was named to three Pro Bowls.

Following a 27-7 loss in the 1969 NFL Championship Game, the Browns traded Warfield to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for the third pick in the 1970 NFL Draft. They used that selection on Mike Phipps, a quarterback who finished his career with a 24-25-2 record as a starter.

As for Warfield, he went on to make five-consecutive Pro Bowls for Miami — which happened to be the only five seasons he played for them. Warfield continued to be a huge deep threat, going for 21.5 yards per reception for the Dolphins. He also was a big part of the team’s undefeated season in 1972 and won a second Super Bowl the following season.

Warfield did return to the Browns in 1976 after spending one season with the Memphis Southmen of the World Football League. He wasn’t the same player at this point in his career but he still managed 613 yards and six touchdowns in 1976 before recording just 18 catches in his final campaign.

Later on, Warfield admitted he wasn’t thrilled to be traded to the Dolphins. While he did end up winning two titles with them, he was one of the more popular players in his home state — and never should have been let go.