CLEVELAND — General Manager John Dorsey says that defensive tackle Gerald McCoy will visit the Browns on Friday.
“It’s a chance for us to kind of get a chance to meet each other one on one, and let’s find out who Gerald is,” Dorsey said Thursday during a downtown celebration for Cleveland’s selection by the NFL to host the 2021 draft. “It also gives Gerald a chance to see who the Cleveland Browns are and what direction we’re headed.”
A six-time Pro Bowler, McCoy was let go after the Bucs couldn’t find a trade partner willing to take on his $13 million salary. They agreed to terms with Ndamukong Suh to take his spot.
Dorsey downplayed the significance of McCoy agreeing to meet with the Browns, who have major expectations in 2019 following an offseason in which the team added star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson, and edge rusher Olivier Vernon.
“We’re going to turn over every rock and let’s just see what happens,” Dorsey said. “I mean, it’s just a visit.”
But the idea of adding McCoy to a defensive line rotation that already includes Pro Bowler Myles Garrett, Richardson, Vernon and Larry Ogunjobi, has Browns fans even more excited.
McCoy had six sacks in 14 games last season and has 54 ½ in 123 career games.
During his visit, he’ll get to meet new Cleveland coach Freddie Kitchens as well as coordinator Steve Wilks. He’s already familiar with Browns offensive coordinator Todd Monken, who spent three seasons in Tampa and speaks highly of McCoy.
“I think a lot of Gerald,” Monken said following Wednesday’s practice. “Gerald has had a tremendous career and was an outstanding football player for us. He’s a great person.”
NFL Network reporter Mike Garafolo said McCoy is also being looked at by the Cincinnati Bengals and the Carolina Panthers.
Free agent DT Gerald McCoy has told interested teams he will visit the #Browns first, sources tell me and @RapSheet. Visit to happen in the next day. Among the other interested teams in the former #Buccaneers lineman are the #Panthers and #Bengals.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) May 23, 2019
McCoy, who some speculated was a trade target of the Browns, was released from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers earlier this week, because everything is coming up Browns right now, and we're still not sure how to make sense of it all, so let's all just enjoy this.
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