Nate Burleson will visit Cleveland Browns
Nate Burleson (13) during the game against the Baltimore Ravens at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
Veteran wide receiver Nate Burleson is starting to make some more rounds on the free agent market, and he’s getting more interest than he did when he was first released by the Detroit Lions. Although the Lions lacked depth at wide receiver at the time, their decision to release Burleson was an easy one due to his salary, but he’s a quality veteran option as a WR3 now that he’s affordable on the open market. It would only take a one-year deal at the veteran minimum with some incentives to sign him, and he makes up for a lack of physical tools with experience and reliability on the inside and outside.
FOX Sports’s Alex Marvez reports that Burleson will visit the Cleveland Browns on Saturday after visiting the Miami Dolphins, and it will be interesting to see if other teams schedule visits with him. He’s also been linked to the Tennessee Titans and Dallas Cowboys earlier this offseason, and both teams make sense as potential suitors.
At 32, Burleson is on his last legs in this league, but he can still be a productive WR3/4. I think he would be a solid signing for the Browns organization, especially as they look to find a new franchise quarterback in this year’s draft with Brian Hoyer as the stopgap or backup QB. Josh Gordon is an elite player, but the Browns don’t have much outside of him and star tight end Jordan Cameron. A top WR2 should be a top target for the Browns in the draft, but they would do well to add Burleson as a reliable backup, especially since Greg Little is anything but reliable, especially his stone hands.