Isaiah Crowell gets big vote of confidence from Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns put a big vote of confidence in running back Isaiah Crowell, tendering him at a second round level before free agency…
Before the start of free agency, the Cleveland Browns want to make sure other teams know that running back Isaiah Crowell basically isn’t going to be available when free agency opens up…
#Browns placed a 2nd round tender on RB Isaiah Crowell worth $2.81M. The two sides are working on a long-term deal & hope that replaces this
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 28, 2017
By most metrics, Crowell enjoyed his best season as a professional in 2016, going a bit under the radar due to the fact that the Browns were barely able to squeeze out a single victory. Crowell rushed for a career-high 952 yards on 198 attempts, starting all sixteen games. He scored seven touchdowns, one off of his career-high of eight, and also caught 40 passes.
There’s no question that Crowell has talent, and he always has. He didn’t have the most conventional route to the NFL after being dismissed from the Georgia football program, but has consistently showed he has at least the potential to be a featured back in the NFL.
This past year, he averaged 4.8 yards per carry, the highest number in his career, and capped off the season with 152 yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers, averaging eight yards per carry.
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Also working in Crowell’s favor? He just turned 24 years old in January, so his best playing days are likely still ahead of him.
The Browns are certainly making the right choice by investing highly in him, even as a restricted free agent. Cleveland has more cap space than any team in the NFL, and they can offer Crowell a high tender as well as a long-term deal without any significant ramifications for the foreseeable future.
With Crowell likely to get interest if given his original round (undrafted) tender in restricted free agency, the Browns essentially eliminated any competition for his services by slapping him with a second round tender, a price that no team is likely willing to pay given the strength at running back in this year’s draft.
This is a good move by the Browns, and one of many moves yet to come for this franchise as they continue to rebuild.