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It is clear that one of the most troubled franchises throughout NFL history is the Browns, and not because of their fans, who are among the most loyal in the league. However, the organization has been plagued by poor decisions, which is why they have struggled to become a consistently competitive team. Since 1999, they have only reached the playoffs a couple of times.
The Browns' latest major mistake came before the 2022 season when they traded three first-round draft picks to the Houston Texans to acquire Deshaun Watson. They also gave him the largest guaranteed contract in NFL history at the time: five years and $230 million. So far, the move has turned out to be a major failure.
To acquire Watson, the Browns moved on from Baker Mayfield, who had led the team to the playoffs in 2020 and delivered the franchise's first postseason win since 1995 by defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers. Despite that success, Cleveland decided to move on from him. Today, Mayfield has become a stable quarterback in the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, while the Browns continue to struggle with instability at the quarterback position.
Browns targeting a Buccaneers star
Now the Browns and Baker Mayfield cross paths again indirectly, as Cleveland is among the teams interested in signing Mike Evans, the Buccaneers' historic wide receiver and a likely future Hall of Famer. Despite his veteran status, Evans still has the talent and desire to compete at the highest level.
Evans could eventually enter the Hall of Fame, and the Browns' new head coach, Todd Monken, previously worked with him in Tampa Bay, which could create a strong connection between the two.
"Of Evans' suitors, the Browns make more sense than some, partly because the future Hall of Famer thrived with Browns head coach Todd Monken as his offensive coordinator in Tampa and would welcome the chance to reunite with him," said Mary Kay Cabot, a Browns insider.
It is clear that Cleveland has several needs on offense, and the wide receiver position is one of them, especially after a disappointing season from Jerry Jeudy. However, despite his veteran status, Evans is expected to cost between $13 million and $20 million per year. He is also coming off a 2025 season in which injuries affected him for the first time in his career, raising some concerns.
Mike Evans had 11 consecutive seasons with over 1,000 receiving yards; the only season he failed to reach that mark was the most recent one, when he missed eight games due to injury. It remains to be seen what the Browns decide, but taking the risk on a player who has performed at an elite level throughout his career could be worth it.