Not everyone with the Browns was happy about the trade for Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
Receiver Breshad Perriman agreed to a one-year, $4 million deal Tuesday afternoon to stay with the Browns, but changed his mind after the Beckham news broke. He and the Browns agreed to dissolve the deal, two league sources confirmed to The Chronicle-Telegram, and Perriman took the same offer from the Buccaneers.
Perriman will officially become an unrestricted free agent when the league year begins Wednesday at 4 p.m. and be free to sign with Tampa Bay.
Perriman, 25, was signed off the street Oct. 13 after the Browns suffered a rash of injuries at receiver. He was a pleasant surprise, making two starts in 10 games. He caught 16 passes for 340 yards, a 21.3 average and two touchdowns.
He repeatedly expressed his desire to stay and play with quarterback Baker Mayfield, and general manager John Dorsey consistently said he wanted to keep Perriman. But the sides had trouble agreeing on terms and he appeared headed toward the open market.
The agreement Tuesday avoided that, but only temporarily. Perriman likely felt opportunities would be scarce with Beckham, Jarvis Landry and Antonio Callaway ahead of him on the depth chart.
Browns pull off blockbuster, get Beckham
Perriman, the No. 26 pick of the Ravens in 2015, has sprinter’s speed and good size (6-foot-2, 211 pounds). He was considered a bust in Baltimore — 43 catches, 576 yards, three touchdowns in two years and another missed with an injury — and was cut before last season.
“Breshad’s a good football player,” coach Freddie Kitchens said at the scouting combine. “Breshad had more success with us than he has with anybody else so, of course, we’ve got plans for Breshad moving forward and hopefully we get him back.”
GONE ELSEWHERE
The interest in linebacker C.J. Mosley and cornerback Bradley Roby didn’t result in deals for the Browns.
They were reportedly in the mix for both, but Mosley agreed to a five-year, $85 million deal with the Jets and Roby chose a one-year, $10 million contract with the Texans, according to reports.
Mosley, who’ll turn 27 in June, was the No. 17 pick of the Ravens in 2014 out of Alabama. He’s started all 77 games he’s played, amassing 597 tackles, 43 tackles for loss, nine interceptions, 8.5 sacks and six forced fumbles.
The Ravens hoped to keep Mosley, who intercepted Mayfield in the season finale, but the Jets offered a richer deal.
Roby is also a former first-rounder, taken No. 31 in 2014 by the Broncos out of Ohio State. He has played in 79 games, with seven interceptions, 60 passes defensed, three sacks, seven forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries. He’s scored three touchdowns.
WELCOME BACK
With Greg Robinson at left tackle for the final eight games of last season, the Browns allowed a league-low five sacks. Left guard Joel Bitonio expects even better this year after Robinson recently re-signed on a one-year, $7 million deal.
“Greg’s a good guy, it was fun playing with Greg last year,” Bitonio said at a Special Olympics and Play 60 event. “I think we developed a real good chemistry as the year went on and now we’re going to have all of OTAs and all of training camp to really continue to develop that.
“He’s a big guy, he’s strong, he’s athletic and when he learns the playbook and when he learns the offense, he does a really good job of understanding what to do.”
ALSO STAYING
Backup linebacker and special teamer Ray-Ray Armstrong agreed to a one-year, $2.25 million deal to avoid becoming an unrestricted free agent, a league source confirmed to The Chronicle.
The five-year veteran split last season between the Giants and Browns, playing 15 games with one start. He had 22 tackles on defense and four on special teams.
** Backup defensive lineman Carl Davis (6-5, 320) also re-signed, the team announced.
He was claimed off waivers from Baltimore before last season and appeared in five games, making a tackle. He was a third-round pick of the Ravens in 2015, and has appeared in 33 games with 12 starts. He has 31 tackles and a half-sack.
