Cleveland Browns: 4 free agent targets no one is talking about
By Randy Gurzi
Cleveland Browns Target No. 3: Emmanuel Sanders, WR
It’s hard to argue that the Cleveland Browns need to make some wholesale changes to their wide receiving corps. Right now, only Donovan Peoples-Jones and Anthony Schwartz seem safe with players such as Rashard Higgins hitting free agency and Jarvis Landry being rumored as a possible cap casualty due to his $16 million hit this year.
No matter what happens with Landry or their own free agents, Cleveland will have to bring in a rookie and there’s a high likelihood they do so at No. 13 in the draft. But if they do elect to say goodbye to Landry and Higgins, they will need to add a veteran — and Emmanuel Sanders could be the guy.
Sanders might be in his mid-30s but he can still perform at a high level. For example, in 2020 with the New Orleans Saints, he had 726 yards and five touchdowns with 61 receptions. He then headed to Buffalo this past season and despite having Stefon Diggs, Cole Beasley, Dawson Knox, and Gabriel Davis on the same offense, Sanders still registered 42 receptions for 626 yards and four touchdowns.
As for Cleveland, their top receiver didn’t even hit 600 yards as Peoples-Jones finished with 599. He also has 12 years of experience in the NFL that could serve some of the younger players well to learn from. Lastly, compare his $6 million cost in 2021 to Landry’s $16 million and it could be a solid move for the Browns to replace one veteran with the other.