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Cleveland Browns

Kenny Britt headed to Cleveland

The Browns have signed Kenny Britt to a four-year deal worth $32.5 million, and I like the move. Given the situation he was in, Britt was one of the league’s more impressive receivers last year.

Britt was stuck on a Rams offense that ranked last in the league in passing, yet still managed (in 15 games) to catch 68 passes for 1,002 yards last year, with 5 TDs. Most of the other 1,000-yard receivers were in far more favorable situations.

For fantasy purposes, this looks like a lateral move. The Browns probably will have a bottom-10 passing game, and they’ve got some other receiving talent. They selected Corey Coleman in the middle of the first round last year, and he could still develop into a Brandin Cooks type player. They’ve still got lots of cap space, and if they’re able to re-sign Terrelle Pryor, then they might have one of the 10 best trios of wide receivers in the league.

Britt was plagued by off-field issues earlier in his career, including a car chase with police in 2011. He was suspended by the league in 2012. But he’s wiser and more settled down now. (I think; on Hard Knocks last August, he was shown speeding around in a high-powered golf cart, flipping it over at the team facility.)

In my opinion, Britt is way above average as a No. 2 receiver. In my opinion, only one team in the league last year had two wide receivers who were better than Britt: the Broncos. Six others would be in the ballpark: Packers, Lions, Vikings, Saints, Colts, Raiders and Washington.

Britt averaged 9.0 yards per target last year; that was 9th-best among wide receivers with at least 100 targets.

RECEIVERS WITH 100-PLUS TARGETS (yards per target)
PlayerTgtRecYdsAvgTDAvg/Tgt
Julio Jones, Atl.12983140917.0610.9
DeSean Jackson, Wash.10056100517.9410.1
Brandin Cooks, N.O.11778117315.0810.0
A.J. Green, Cin.1006696414.649.6
Michael Thomas, N.O.12192113712.499.4
T.Y. Hilton, Ind.15591144815.969.3
Pierre Garcon, Wash.11479104113.239.1
Marvin Jones, Det.1035593016.949.0
Kenny Britt, L.A.11168100214.759.0
Doug Baldwin, Sea.12594112812.079.0
Tyrell Williams, S.D.11969105915.378.9
Mike Wallace, Balt.11672101714.148.8
Rishard Matthews, Tenn.1086594514.598.8
Amari Cooper, Oak.13283115313.958.7
Jarvis Landry, Mia.13194113612.148.7
Willie Snead, N.O.1047289512.448.6
Antonio Brown, Pitt.154106128412.1128.3
Jordy Nelson, G.B.15297125713.0148.3
Davante Adams, G.B.1217599713.3128.2
Quincy Enunwa, NYJ1055885714.848.2
Marqise Lee, Jac.1056385113.538.1
Odell Beckham, NYG169101136713.5108.1
Stefon Diggs, Minn.1128490310.838.1
Brandon LaFell, Cin.1076486213.568.1
Golden Tate, Det.13591107711.848.0
Kelvin Benjamin, Car.1186394114.978.0
Steve Smith, Balt.1017079911.457.9
Mike Evans, T.B.17396132113.8127.6
Emmanuel Sanders, Den.13779103213.157.5
Demaryius Thomas, Den.14490108312.057.5
Terrelle Pryor, Clev.14077100713.147.2
Julian Edelman, N.E.15998110611.337.0
Michael Crabtree, Oak.14589100311.386.9
Jordan Matthews, Phil.1177380411.036.9
Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz.15010710239.666.8
Sterling Shepard, NYG1056568310.586.5
DeAndre Hopkins, Hou.1517895412.246.3
Brandon Marshall, NYJ1285978813.436.2
Allen Robinson, Jac.1517388312.165.8
Jeremy Kerley, S.F.1156466710.435.8
Tavon Austin, L.A.106585098.834.8

He also accounted for 30 percent of his team’s receiving production. Only four wide receivers last year accounted for a bigger portion of their team’s passing game.

PERCENT OF TEAM'S RECEIVING YARDS
PlayerIndTeamPct
Odell Beckham Jr., NYG1,3674,02734%
T.Y. Hilton, Ind.1,4484,49132%
Mike Evans, T.B.1,3214,16532%
Jarvis Landry, Mia.1,1363,71631%
Kenny Britt, L.A.1,0023,31330%
Antonio Brown, Pitt.1,2844,37729%
Julio Jones, Atl.1,4094,96028%
Jordy Nelson, G.B.1,2574,44528%
DeAndre Hopkins, Hou.9543,41828%
Amari Cooper, Oak.1,1534,13728%

Not a monster deal for the Browns, but a step forward.

—Ian Allan

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