Nate Burleson signed with the Browns Sunday. (USATSI)
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The Browns continued to use free agency to bolster their receiving corps, announcing Sunday night the team signed free agent wideout Nate Burleson.
Burleson, 32, spent the previous four seasons with the Lions but only played in 15 games the last two years.
He'll slot in as a reliable pass catcher for the Browns and, perhaps more importantly, a veteran presence who can help mentor Josh Gordon, Greg Little and Andrew Hawkins.
(As long as they don't send him out for pizza.)
Burleson didn't crack our list of top free-agent wide receivers and that really shouldn't be a surprise. He's older now and it's been a while since he was a truly dangerous weapon in the passing game.
But he's reliable and can help move the chains. Whenever Cleveland figures out who their quarterback will be anyway.
The addition of Burleson -- along with Cleveland's signing of Hawkins -- at least makes you wonder whether or not they'll even consider a receiver like Sammy Watkins at No. 4 or a wideout later at No. 26.
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Titans finally release RB Chris Johnson
Chris Johnson has basically been considered an ex-Titan in the minds of almost every NFL insider since the end of the 2013 season. It just didn't become official until today. The Titans cut Johnson on Friday, a few days before Tennessee's organized team activities were scheduled to begin.Memories of Johnson's six years in as a Titan will always begin with his 2,000-yard season of 2009. But Johnson failed to top 1,100 rushing yards in two of his next four seasons, and he was due $8 million in 2014. This move saved the team $6 million."I'd like to thank all of my teammates, the fans, the staff and the coaches who have supported me throughout my journey with the Titans," Johnson wrote on Twitter on Friday. "I have grown so much as an individual and as teammate over the past few years, and I am excited about the opportunity to bring my experience and talents to a new organization. I'm looking forward to the next chapter and can't wait to contribute to my new team."
Gentlemen, start your bidding. Johnson isn't going to break the bank by any means, but he should have plenty of suitors. Within mere hours of his release, the Falcons, Jets, Bills, and Dolphins were all reported to be interested in Johnson's services. That list should lengthen.Johnson hasn't been shy about voicing his displeasure of sharing carries, but he's going to have to swallow his pride, because that's probably what he'll be doing with his new team, whichever one it is. Will such a situation motivate Johnson, who turns 29 in December? Or will it frustrate him and lead to more mediocre results, like when he averaged just 3.9 yards per carry in 2013? We won't be able to answer those questions for months. The question of what city will be Johnson's next home in the NFL should be answered shortly, and then we'll have a better idea of his fantasy value for the upcoming season.The Titans have Shonn Greene and Dexter McCluster on their roster at running back, and they will definitely add to that group via the draft.
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