It is no secret that the Cleveland Browns have a lot of decisions to make in the offseason.
Among the free agents to be considered for contract extensions is safety M.J. Stewart.
Stewart, 25, was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2018.
He spent his first two seasons in Tampa Bay before joining the Browns in 2020.
His now expired rookie contract was a 4 year $5.08 million deal.
While many Browns fans hope he signs a new deal with the team, he took to Instagram to hint that he could be on his way out.
What Stewart Posted
#Browns MJ Stewart, who’ll be an UFA this offseason, on Instagram: pic.twitter.com/VznooOfA6q
— Brad Stainbrook (@BrownsByBrad) January 17, 2022
“Man What A Time I Had In Cleveland!! I Want To Thank The Organization And The City Of Cleveland For Giving Me Such A Great Experience. Year 4 In The Books But My Story Is Just Beginning ‼️‼️”
As expected, his post received a lot of reactions, most notably from teammates.
Comments included:
John Johnson III wrote: “Come back☹️”
Anthony Walker Jr. wrote: “HITTER 😤😤”
David Njoku added: “Jack boi !!!”
Making The Case For Extending Stewart
If the #Browns don’t re-sign MJ Stewart I’ll be upset not gonna lie.
— Zach (@ZachNoah52) January 17, 2022
Since coming over from Tampa Bay, Stewart has played in 29 games over the past two seasons.
He has 2 interceptions, 1 forced fumble, and 52 solo tackles.
.@Checkout_Marv WITH THE TAKEAWAY‼️
📺: https://t.co/NyBDmNclTK pic.twitter.com/5H3dSgpSSw
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) January 11, 2021
In addition, Stewart has 1 sack, 1 quarterback hit, and 4 tackles for loss.
Stewart is a smart and versatile player that fits the Browns mold of being able to play multiple positions; he plays both safety and cornerback.
He was steady, consistent, and reliable while filling in for Ronnie Harrison, John Johnson III, and Grant Delpit throughout the season.
It is hard to fathom that the Browns will want to part ways with him given his contributions to the team over the past two seasons.
It certainly sounds as though Stewart is keeping his options open and will go to a different team if necessary.
The problem people do not understand is this…. M.J. Stewart has played well enough that a team who’s in dire need of starting safety and/or nickel corner help may be willing to give Stewart a deal worthy of what a mid-to-low end starter would make. Right now, the Browns have their starting safeties set for ’22 in Johnson + Delpit and are set @ nickel as well with Troy Hill.
So, if he has an opportunity to become a starter for another team or continue being the backup nickel and/or # 3 or 4 safety, he’ll likely choose the former. These situations don’t always boil down to money, the often involve playing time.
Probably his best move to leave Cleveland!
I can’t possibly imagine anyone wanting to play for a bunch of wannabe’s!
Very logical assessment. Seems his trajectory is upward and we may not be able to afford him.
Since the browns got recarnated . They have never been loyal to one player. Why would any player want to be loyal to Cleveland?Browns ( or the city of Cleveland ) can never be patient with anyone. When will the Browns learn?
You’ve hit the nail on the head. They have a terrible history of moving good players around to save money.