Several of you (actually, more than several) have pointed out a photo taken at the Browns’ facility and placed on Reddit and ultimately Twitter. Since many more than several of you will continue to point out the photo until we address it, here goes.
The photo shows handwriting that identifies various teams followed by the last names of certain players. Some believe it’s the team’s “free-agent big board.”
It’s not, according to the team.
A Browns spokesman told PFT that the list is maintained by employees of the team website’s video department. Based only on external reporting and speculation and not on actual information from the football operations, the employees keep a list of players for whom video needs to be ready in the event a visit or a signing with the Browns occurs.
The explanation makes sense. The list has no organization or ranking. It’s just names, without regard to position or priority.
The visible names are “Verner” (cornerback Alterraun, who signed with the Bucs), “Tate” (running back Ben, who has visited the Browns), “Revis” (cornerback Darrelle, now a free agent), “Carroll” (cornerback Nolan), “Moats” (linebacker Arthur), “Grossman” (quarterback Rex), “Hawkins” (receiver Andrew), and “Edelman” (receiver Julian).
Other names are obscured, but it looks like no more than 12 appear. Surely, that’s not every player the Browns are considering in free agency.
So it’s much ado about nothing. But we’re not inclined to complain whenever there’s a topic about which there’s much ado. Even if our role is merely to say there’s nothing to see.