BEREA, Ohio -- Since the Cleveland Browns hired John Dorsey as general manager last December, the veteran decision-maker proved willing and able to make any deal that he believed improved the team, and sometimes, there was addition by subtraction.
The Browns continued that trend on Sunday night when they traded wide receiver Corey Coleman to the Buffalo Bills for a seventh-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Coleman was selected by the Browns with the No. 15 pick in 2016 after they traded No. 2 to Philadelphia, who spent the pick on franchise quarterback Carson Wentz.
“We always try to find ways to continue to get better, however we think,” Browns coach Hue Jackson said after Monday’s training-camp practice at team headquarters in Berea.
“Sometimes, that’s adding players. Sometimes, that’s moving players. There’s a lot of different ways to get your team better. Again, there’s a plan in place, and we’re executing that, and again, we’ll keep going from there.”
Coleman was bitten by the injury bug on multiple occasions since being selected by the Browns and was limited to 56 receptions for 413 yards, five touchdowns and 34 first downs in 19 career games. Known for his breakaway speed, the 5-foot-11, 185-pound Coleman had just eight 20-yard receptions and three 40-yard catches in his two seasons with the Browns.
“At the end of the day, I don’t think any of that matters right now,” Jackson said. “What matters is, we’re going to coach the guys who are here, and like I said, wish Corey the best of luck.
“Corey is in Buffalo now. Wish Corey well, appreciated the time to coach him while he was here, and like I said, just wish him luck.
“We like the group that we have here right now. We’re going to coach the group. It’s a very young group, a very talented, young group, and we need to get these guys better.”
By trading their first-round pick from the 2016 NFL Draft, Jackson hopes fans understand there is a new standard in the building, one that places a premium on winning.
“That’s the urgency,” Jackson said. “We want to win. Every decision we make, as we go throughout this, is about winning and trying to put the best football team on the field for our fans and for our organization. There’s no other hidden agendas for anything.
“This is a production-based business everywhere, offensively, defensively and on special teams. As this thing winds down, there’s going to be some tough decisions that we have to make, but every decision is made with the thought in mind: ‘How do we win?’”
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