3 free agents who could follow Ken Dorsey to Cleveland Browns in 2024

Whenever a new coach is added to an NFL team, there can always be some unintended benefits. For the Cleveland Browns, we know they hired Ken Dorsey to take over as the offensive coordinator to not only help Deshaun Watson get back on track but to open up the passing game as a whole. In addition to this, he could end up helping the Browns lure a few players over in free agency.

Cleveland is coming off an 11-6 campaign and feels good about its depth — but that doesn't mean there aren't some holes. On offense, that's especially true and that brings up a few free agents who could decide to follow their old coach to a new team.

3. Damien Harris, Running Back

This was a frustrating year for Damien Harris as the former third-round pick signed a one-year deal with the Buffalo Bills. He had spent the previous three seasons with their AFC East rivals, the New England Patriots, and had some success. That included a 2021 campaign that saw him run for 929 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Unfortunately, he suffered an injury after 11 games in 2022 and finished with just 462 yards. He was aiming to bounce back with the Bills but found himself behind James Cook and then was again sidelined with a neck sprain. Harris finished with just 23 rushing attempts for 94 yards.

He now hits free agency with a career average of 4.6 yards per attempt but has serious questions about his durability. That could help Cleveland land him on a low-risk deal which is exactly what they need as they look for someone who can compete for a spot — without having a salary that forces them onto the roster over a better alternative.

2. Isaiah McKenzie, Wide Receiver/Kick Returner

Isaiah McKenzie has been in the NFL for eight years now and has primarily been a return man. He ran back 21 punts for 183 yards as a rookie for the Denver Broncos but was waived in 2018. That's when he was claimed by the Buffalo Bills, who kept him in town throughout the 2022 campaign.

He had 322 yards on punt returns with a touchdown and another 1,062 yards on kickoff returns. Despite not breaking too many long runs, his speed always gave him a chance to make an impact. And when Ken Dorsey took over in 2022 as the offensive coordinator, he finally had a chance to regularly showcase that speed on offense.

McKenzie had 42 receptions for 423 yards with four touchdowns. He added another 55 yards and a touchdown on the ground as well for the Bills. He was never able to stretch the defense with his speed but he could take a screen pass and turn it into several yards in the blink of an eye. He was also just an entertaining player to watch.

In 2023, McKenzie signed with the Indianapolis Colts and was hardly seen. He caught just 11 passes and had three rushing attempts for a total of 96 yards from scrimmage. He did add 452 yards on special teams as a returner but it wasn't close to what he did under Dorsey.

Perhaps that will lead to him seeking a reunion. The Browns will likely be in the market for a return man with Jakeem Grant unable to stay healthy as of late. He could also replace Marquise Goodwin, and while he doesn't offer the same downfield threat Goodwin could, he's a solid option on the jet sweep and defenses do have to respect his speed.

1. Gabriel Davis, Wide Receiver

Following the 2021 NFL Playoffs, Gabriel Davis appeared to be a star in the making. In just two games, he had 242 yards receiving and five touchdowns for the Bills. What's most impressive is that he did nearly all of that damage in the Divisional Round against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Davis finished with 201 yards on eight receptions with four touchdowns. His final touchdown was from 19 yards out and gave the Bills a 36-33 lead with just 13 seconds to play. Unfortunately for him and Buffalo, the Chiefs only needed 13 seconds to tie it up with a 49-yard field goal — and then they won in overtime.

Still, Davis was able to build off that success in 2022 as Ken Dorsey took over play-calling. He had a career-high 836 yards and seven touchdowns while averaging 17.4 yards per catch. Just to endear himself to Browns fans, he even scored a 98-yard touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers that season.

This past season, Davis continued to play well and had 746 yards and seven touchdowns. He also kept stretching the field with 16.6 yards per catch. And he was also one of the few players to slow down after Dorsey was let go.

With that being the case, he could be willing to re-join his former play-caller in Cleveland. Throw in the Browns need at the position and this could be a dark-horse candidate for them to land since players such as Tee Higgins and Mike Evans could be far too expensive.

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