Vernon over Minnesota’s offer of DE Everson Griffen." />Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesHorizontal - WhiteDawgs EDTShareTweetShareShareBrowns reportedly turned down Vikings trade offer for Kevin ZeitlerBrace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY SportsThe Cleveland Browns were able to bolster their pass rush by trading for defensive end Olivier Vernon in March. But Vernon might still might be a member of the New York Giants if the Minnesota Vikings had gotten their way.According to Andrew Krammer of The Star-Tribune https://www.brownsfanshop.com/Duke-Johnson-Jersey , the Browns were in discussion with the Vikings about trading guard Kevin Zeitler to Minnesota in exchange for defensive end Everson Griffen:It is not clear who initiated the trade talks, but Browns general manager John Dorsey looks to have made the right call by acquiring Vernon, who is 28 years old and coming off a season where he earned a grade of 86.3 last season from Pro Football Focus, over Griffen, who is 31 and earned a grade of 68 from PFF last season.Speaking of Vernon, who has two years left on the five-year deal he signed with the Giants in 2016, Monday Morning Quarterback’s Andy Benoit had an interesting note in his article about the Browns draft needs. According to Benoit, the Browns may be looking for a defensive end in the upcoming draft so that Dorsey will have the flexibility to release Vernon after just one year in Cleveland:While there has been some chatter about Vernon being a candidate for a re-structured contract at some point, this is the first time we’ve seen someone float out the idea of Vernon being a one-and-done player with the Browns.According to spotrac.com, Vernon carries a salary of $15.5 million in each of the next two seasons, but there is no dead money that would hit Cleveland’s cap space if Vernon were to be released. It seems a bit of a stretch to think that Dorsey would cut Vernon after just one season, especially since it cost the Browns one of the league’s best guards to acquire Vernon. More likely, the Browns will look to work out a new deal with Vernon that will give him some more financial security. BEREA, Ohio (AP) — As Baker Mayfield threw long passes to his wide receivers and short ones to backs before Sunday’s game against Carolina, Browns interim coach Gregg Williams knew his rookie quarterback was going to have a good game.It wasn’t any sight.It was a sound.“You can hear the ball come out of the quarterback’s hand with a ‘ssssssst’ and you can hear how tight the ball was coming out of his hand,” Williams said. “It was bringing a smile to my face when I saw him warm up and really the entire game he was zipping it.”Mayfield zipped it all day long, completing a 66-yard pass on Cleveland’s first play and whipping several passes into tight coverage during a 26-20 win that gave the Browns their fifth win and kept their faint playoff hopes flickering.Mayfield’s arm strength isn’t usually the first thing mentioned when discussing the No. 1 overall pick’s top attributes. More often his accuracy, leadership and Greg Joseph Jersey , of course, abundant confidence are brought up first. But Mayfield, whose “I woke up feeling dangerous” has become a catch phrase around Cleveland, has shown he can rear back and fire the ball with any quarterback.After the Browns fell behind the Panthers 7-0, Mayfield quickly stripped Carolina of momentum by stepping up and throwing a laser down the field — the ball traveled more than 60 yards — to receiver Breshad Perriman, who hauled in the deep pass to set up Cleveland’s first TD.The play exemplified Mayfield’s confidence, and the trust he has built with Cleveland’s coaching staff.“That was a rocket and that was a long throw, and it is a long throw on the money,” Williams said. “In practices, we have seen longer throws and we have seen even more accurate throws that other people have not seen yet.”Mayfield showed off his arm — and accuracy — a little later with a 51-yard TD toss to receiver Jarvis Landry, who appeared to be well-covered on the play. Mayfield, though, squeezed his throw between two defenders, showing both fearlessness and faith.“It was where it needed to be,” Landry said. “The guy’s back was turned. The corner that was coming from the outside was trying to squeeze it, and the ball literally went between both of them. It was a hell of a throw.”Mayfield is bringing the heat.The Browns (5-7-1) have won three of four going into this week’s game in Denver, and in those victories, he has completed 79 percent of his passes (54 of 68) for 712 yards with eight TDs and no interceptions. Mayfield has also shown remarkable resiliency by shaking off a three-pick performance in the first half at Houston to pass for 351 yards in the second half while standing in the face of the Texans‘ tenacious pass rush led by J.J. Watt.Williams has been cautious to heap too much praise on the 23-year-old Jabrill Peppers Color Rush Jersey , but lately he has gone out of his way to compliment his young QB.Following Wednesday’s practice, Williams said Mayfield’s arm was “off the charts” in terms of its liveliness.“He had a live day on Sunday, but (snaps fingers) came back today and it looked like it was even more live today,” Williams said. “The first thing I thought was ‘young’.”But beyond Mayfield’s youth and the life in his high-velocity arm, Williams sees something special.“The good quarterbacks, some of the times when some of us may judge a throw that, ‘Wow, that was not a very good throw.’ Why? Because it was on his back shoulder?” Williams said.“It was on his back shoulder because that is the way that the guy throws the player open. Drew Brees and some of those guys — Joe Montana, Warren Moon, Peyton Manning — and all of the guys that I have been with or gone against — will throw the guy open.“He is doing that. That is a natural thing. That is not something that can be overly taught at this level. If we have to spend a lot of time trying to teach that at this level, he probably will never ever get it.”NOTES: While the Browns remain a long shot to make the playoffs, S Damarious Randall believes they belong in the postseason. “We feel like we’re a playoff team,” Randall said. “We feel like we deserve one of them six spots. We know we dug ourselves in a hole, and we know that we need some help. It starts with us winning out. If we win out, they just better not let us in the playoffs.” … Rookie S Denzel Ward remains in concussion protocol. He missed Sunday’s game.