CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Browns extended the red carpet for Rashard “Hollywood ” Higgins again.
Baker Mayfield’s favorite target, Higgins is returning to the Browns on a one-year contract, the recipient told cleveland.com. The deal is worth $ 2.38 million fully guaranteed, said a league source.
As soon as the deal was reached, Mayfield tweeted ‘what are we doing Hig?!?
Higgins replied: “Let’s go back. ”
The two formed a dynamic duo on the training ground in 2018, when they did rep after rep together in the attack of the second team and developed unshakable chemistry.
In 2020, Higgins intervened after Odell Beckham Jr. suffered a torn ACL and picked up 37 passes for 599 yards and four TDs. The receptions were in fourth place in the team, but the shipyards were in second place. The TDs were also tied for second, behind Kareem Hunt’s five.
Higgins, 26, expected to sign a multi-year deal with a huge signing bonus, but in a depressed market, the desired offer apparently never materialized. Spotrac.com estimated its market value at around $ 6.25 million a year for four years, but it obviously didn’t come close to that.
Going to the free agency, the Browns informed him that they would love to have him back on a one-year contract. The choice of the Browns in the fifth round of the Colorado State in 2016, Higgins attracted the interest of several teams, but ultimately decided to return and maintain his great success with Mayfield.
The front line also knows how important Higgins has been to Mayfield: his passer standings when targeting Higgins was a 126.1 time-high.
Higgins made it clear last month that he wanted to be back and that money wasn’t everything.
“Listen, don’t give up on me. I never gave up on you, ” he said in an interview on ESPN 850. “Tell Andrew [Berry] to send the papers and I’m signing wherever I have to sign. ”
It was the second consecutive season that Higgins tested the free agent’s waters, only to return to the Browns. In the last off-season, he received a slightly higher offer from at least one team, but re-signed a $ 910,000 one-year contract to stay with the Browns.
The Browns were unable to shell out much money for a third recipient this off-season because Beckham and Jarvis Landry occupied more than 16% of the salary cap, with $ 15.75 million and $ 14.753 million hits, respectively. The Browns also gave KhaDarel Hodge the right of first refusal for $ 2.123 million for 2021, and have the sixth round of 2020 to choose Donovan Peoples-Jones in his rookie contract.
But they always wanted Higgins back. Their deal came on the same day that the Browns reached a one-year deal with their own linebacker, Malcolm Smith, and allowed David Njoku’s $ 6,013 million option offer to be fully guaranteed. It also happened on the day they announced security deals with John Johnson III and defensive tip Takk McKinley.
In addition, Higgins wanted to go back and write a happier ending to his season. In the AFC’s 22-17 divisional defeat to the Chiefs, Higgins was involved in a controversial move in which he reached the goal line after a reception, but fumbled with a Chiefs touchback when he was hit from helmet to helmet by security guard Daniel Sorensen , which was not flagged or fined afterwards.
Coach Kevin Stefanski reminded Higgins that he violated the Browns’ rule of not extending the ball in that situation, but praised his effort. Higgins ended up with an 88-yard score in five receptions to keep things close to the Super Bowl champions.
“Let me be very, very clear: Rashard Higgins is a warrior,” said Stefanski after the game. “He fought all season. He did everything I asked of him from the moment we met in July. I will never doubt that boy’s effort. He’s a team player all the time. “
It was a long journey from the Browns to Higgins, who was discharged in 2017 and signed with the training team the next day. But he keeps coming and keeps picking up touchdown passes – about one for every 10 receptions.
He is also perfect at walking the red carpet in the final zone after each tank destroyer, while his teammates act as paparazzi. Mayfield, who is more than happy to play the role, ran a perfect slide and spun in the final zone to take imaginary photos of Higgins after a tank destroyer capture against the Titans.
Nick Chubb said it was the most athletic move he has seen Mayfield make, but Higgins will try to give him a better chance of overcoming him.
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