Cleveland Browns Give Up on WR Greg Little
The Cleveland Browns really must not be fans of Greg Little. Despite facing a potential season-long suspension for star wide receiver Josh Gordon and backup receiver Nate Burleson breaking his arm, the team still didn’t think enough of Little to have him stick around.
The former second round draft pick out of North Carolina was owed under $800,000 for the 2014 season, so the issue here wasn’t money. Despite not having an ideal situation at wide receiver, the Browns just didn’t want to waste any more time. Translation: they just didn’t want him on their team anymore.
No one can really blame Cleveland, though, as Little was a bust even for a second round pick, as he established career highs in receptions (61) and receiving yardage (709 receiving yards) as a rookie, and would never approach those numbers again.
In three seasons with the Browns, Little struggled mightily with drops, was an inconsistent route-runner and rarely made difference-making plays.
While Little certainly was a disappointment in Cleveland, he can’t take all the blame. The Browns haven’t had anything close to consistency at the quarterback position during his entire stay with the team. In fact, thanks to good size, solid speed and a suspected ability to make plays on the ball, Little is sure to find a team willing to kick the tires on him leading into 2014.
For Cleveland, the move comes just one day after they brought in former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Miles Austin and former Chicago Bears wide receiver Earl Bennett. Austin has struggled to stay healthy since a breakout 2011 season, but he and Bennett both seem like more reliable receivers than Little at this point.
The Browns can’t be done re-making their wide receiving corps if they want rookie quarterback Johnny Manziel to succeed, however. Getting rid of the inconsistent Little might actually be more help than bad, but it’s still another talented receiver out the door. With no Gordon or Little, Cleveland should still look to bring in another receiver or two for Manziel to work with as he progresses to the eventual starter under center.
Leave a Reply