Kenny Britt becomes first casualty of John Dorsey's Browns regime

John Dorsey has barely had time to move into his office after being hired to be the Cleveland Browns’ new general manager on Thursday. However, he showed no hesitance in marking his arrival by waiving wideout Kenny Britt on Friday afternoon.

Britt was only one year into a four-year $32.5 million deal he signed this offseason, but he has been a non-factor, catching only 18 balls for 233 yards in nine games. Britt was a favorite of fired personnel czar Sachi Brown, but according to the NFL Network’s Ian Rapaport, he quickly fell out of head coach Hue Jackson’s favor (1:00 mark).

Britt will make only $10.5 of his $32 million deal, but is eligible to be picked up by any team that believes he can soften up his stone hands and prove his 1,000 yard season in 2016 wasn’t an anomaly. However, his Browns tenure damaged his reputation. Britt’s effort and season-long case of the dropsies was an issue throughout his 2017 campaign.

The Browns highest-paid receiver began drawing the ire of Browns fans in Week 1. Trailing the Steelers, 21-10 in the fourth quarter, Britt dropped a throw from Deshone Kizer on 2nd and 19, which would have given the Browns a first down later. In Week 4, Britt had to apologize for a litany of dropped pass, one of which killed a drive in the redzone after it ricocheted into the arms of a defensive back.

It’s also not a coincidence that Britt was waived a week after Josh Gordon produced four catches for 85 yards in his long-awaited return to the Browns. Between Gordon’s apparent return to form and Britt’s unreliable play, Dorsey’s roster modification has already proven to be highly popular and judicious decision.