Free Agent wide receiver Will Fuller is available, and the Cleveland Browns need to sign him and give him an opportunity to play alongside Deshaun Watson
When the Cleveland Browns traded for Deshaun Watson a couple of weeks ago, the name of wide receiver Will Fuller quickly became a name tied to the Browns in the battle for free agents. Fuller and Watson were teammates for several seasons with the Houston Texans.
Fuller has never been that 1,000-yard receiver in his career but when he has played, he’s been pretty consistent. When you watch the film of Fuller and Watson you can also see the chemistry between the two and for that reason alone, the Browns would benefit from signing Fuller.
After Watson sat out last season with the Texans, Fuller signed on with the Miami Dolphins. His campaign was cut short as he broke his finger early and never got back on the field. Now he’s a free agent again and having him join Watson here in Cleveland could be ideal.
The team’s wide receiver room had a rough 2021 season. The star wide receivers Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr. both had their worst seasons statistically. Beckham left to go to the Los Angeles Rams and Landry became a free agent a few weeks ago after the Browns released him.
The team did go out and made a big trade for Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Amari Cooper, who can fill that No. 1 spot for the Browns. So, at the moment, Cleveland has Cooper, Donovan Peoples-Jones, and Anthony Schwartz going into the season. The team will likely draft a wide receiver or two in the upcoming NFL Draft at the end of the month.
Bringing in Fuller at this point would make a lot of sense for the Browns and probably not cost them an arm and leg like they would if they were to try and bring back Landry, who’s still out there in the free agency world. So, with that, let’s look at a few more details of why Cleveland needs Fuller at this point.
Reason No. 3 Cleveland Browns need Will Fuller: Teammates with Deshaun Watson
Will Fuller and Deshaun Watson have been teammates since 2017, after Watson was drafted by the Houston Texans. Fuller’s numbers statistically improved each year for yards gained and receptions.
By 2020, Fuller had caught 53 passes for 879 yards with eight touchdowns. One of the highlights of the two teammates’ careers was back in 2019 when the Texans beat the Atlanta Falcons and Fuller and Watson connected for 14 receptions and Fuller had 217 yards receiving and three touchdowns.
When you watch that film of the game, you can’t help but notice the speed of Fuller to separate but also the connection that these two teammates had. It was like watching a couple of friends throwing passes in the backyard. They just have a natural bond and that would look really good if Fuller were to become a member of the Browns.
Fuller has been criticized for missing games in his past and there is a history of that due to injuries and even a suspension due to using PED back in 2020. That concern for missing time is still an issue for many that are discussing the possibility of Fuller joining the team. But that’s a factor that can’t be determined until you play out the season. Fuller has had a steady career when he’s played.
He had an outstanding career in college at Notre Dame when he had two seasons of well over 1,000 yards each and grabbed 30 touchdowns overall. That type of production is a real possibility here in Cleveland if he were signed and could stay healthy. Teaming up with his former quarterback usually is a “win-win” for all parties.
Reason No. 2 Cleveland Browns need Will Fuller: Skillset and speed
In 2019, Fuller had 10 receptions of 20 yards or more and four more of 40 yards or more. Those numbers improved in 2020 when Fuller grabbed 14 passes for more than 20 yards.
He had one catch for 77 yards, and he got 38 passes for first downs. None of these numbers are to suggest that he’s a No. 1 wide receiver for the team but it does show a player that can and has already been pretty consistent over his career, despite the injuries.
In 2020, Fuller had five games where he topped the 100-yard mark in reception yards. His best game was 171 yards and a two-touchdown performance, against the Detroit Lions. Over the 2019 and 2020 seasons, he averaged a nice roughly 15 yards after the catch.
His ability to separate from his defenders is very noticeable when you watch the film on Fuller. It’s one of the reasons the Notre Dame product was selected in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Texans.
The Browns are needing speed but also wide receivers that can do a better job of separating from the defense. Adding Amari Cooper instantly has made the wide receiver room better for the Browns. Just imagine, bringing Fuller into the mix. Teams trying to defend the Cleveland offense will have a big headache on Sundays. If teams try to double up on Cooper, then a player like Fuller would have a hay day.
Reason No. 1 Cleveland Browns need to sign Will Fuller: An inexpensive acquisition
There are several routes the Browns can still take with their wide receiver room as they prepare for next season. Having secured Deshaun Watson in the big trade, they have one of the very best quarterbacks in the league now leading their team. They’ve picked up Amari Cooper and now Cleveland has to decide how to finalize the group.
While the Browns released Jarvis Landry, there is still a lot of chatter about him returning. But Landry would still be an expensive player to re-sign. The team will likely sign a wide receiver or two in the draft coming up but at this point, it’s hard to guess who the team will acquire. They’re still going to need to find a veteran or two to round out the group.
Fuller was paid $10 million last season with the Miami Dolphins, according to Spotrac.com. Considering the year he had with the Dolphins and missing the majority of the season, it’s likely that signing Fuller will not cost any team an arm and a leg.
The Browns are very good at negotiating deals that help both the team and player. If the team were to sign Fuller it might cost them $3-5 million. That’s a big saving over trying to re-sign a player like Landry who has shown similar production over the years.
It might just be a matter of time before Cleveland signs Fuller but if they had any reservations, the positives of the situation far outweigh the negatives.
You can’t underestimate the value of team chemistry and in this case, the Browns would be giving Watson a player in Fuller that would give him a comfort level that could be the difference in this team’s run at a championship.