Donte Whitner is leaving San Francisco to play in his hometown of Cleveland, and he’ll be well paid by the Browns.
A league source tells PFT that Whitner’s contract will pay him $7 million a year.
Whitner had been pursued by several teams, but he told cleveland.com that the Browns could offer him something no other team could: A chance to play where he grew up, and where his family still lives.
“I’m coming home,” Whitner said. “It’s a dream come true. Everyone dreams about playing for their hometown team and now I have that chance.”
The Browns have gone either 4-12 or 5-11 for six straight seasons, but Whitner believes things are going to change.
“I want to come back to Cleveland and help turn the team and the city around,” Whitner said. “In San Francisco, I went to the NFC Championship game once and to the Super Bowl. I know what it takes to win, and I know what it takes to prepare to win. I can share that with my teammates. We need to instill the culture of winning.”
That will be a tall order, but Whitner is excited about the opportunity.