The Browns were one of the first teams to show interest in signing defensive end J.J. Watt after he was released by the Texans last Friday and it appears the interest is mutual.
Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reports that Watt is “seriously considering” making his way to Cleveland to play for the Browns. Among the reasons that the Browns have caught Watt’s eye is the cap space they have to make a deal with the three-time defensive player of the year as well as a roster he thinks can compete for a Super Bowl.
Serving as a preferred destination for a free agent because of your playoff outlook isn’t something the Browns have much experience with, but Watt’s interest shows how much their success under first-year head coach Kevin Stefanski last season was noticed around the league.
There’s no word on a timeline for Watt to make a decision or if there are talks with the Browns about contract parameters going on at this point.
The Steelers, Titans, Bills, and Packers have also been named as teams with interest in Watt. Their level of interest isn’t clear, but Cabot’s report could lead one or more of them to step up their pursuit if they don’t want to see him playing on the same defensive front as Myles Garrett.