Browns Would Be Wise to Target Andre Johnson over Brian Hartline

Earlier this week, the Cleveland Browns met with free-agent wide receiver Brian Hartline, who was released by the Miami Dolphins after six seasons. Hartline has also drawn interest from the Chicago Bears, New England Patriots and Houston Texans, reports The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer's Mary Kay Cabot. 

Meanwhile, a disgruntled Andre Johnson has been allowed to seek a trade after the Texans wanted to both reduce his playing time and his $10.5 million base salary for 2015. It's possible that Johnson could be released if no trade partner materializes, but it's hard to imagine a seven-time Pro Bowler not drawing interest even if he is in the waning years of his career.

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At the same time, the Browns have a glaring need at wide receiver, especially when it comes to receivers with extensive NFL experience. That's the impetus for their meeting on Tuesday with Hartline. Though the Browns have not, as far as we know, reached out to Johnson about a trade, between the two receivers, Johnson would be the better target.

There are roadblocks to either player coming to Cleveland. If Hartline is truly as in demand as reported, he can pick the best option for him. That means, as Cabot points out, taking less money to play with a quarterback like Tom Brady, or demanding more to play with Cleveland's Josh McCown (or Johnny Manziel).

For Johnson, the obstacles are obvious: He'd have to consent to any trade offer the Browns make, and if he's looking to close out his career with a Super Bowl contender, then he could easily rule out Cleveland. Should he hit free agency, then expect his price tag to rise in order for him to accept a contract from the Browns.

But assuming most things are equal and the Browns had to make a choice, then Johnson would be a better fit in Cleveland than Hartline. 

Johnson is the more dangerous receiver. Yes, he had only 936 yards and three touchdowns on his 85 catches in 2014, giving him an average of 11.0 yards per reception, but he still is a threat any time he catches a pass. He cannot be ignored on the field. Though Johnson is not as fast as he used to be, his veteran instincts can still win out against younger cornerbacks and safeties.

Hartline, on the other hand, is a No. 2 receiver at best. He caught only 39 passes for 474 yards in Miami in 2014—a season in which he could and should have been featured more prominently.

Player	Games	Starts	Tgts.	Rec.	Rec.%	Yds.	YPR	TD	YPG
Hartline 2014	16	16	63	39	61.9%	474	12.2	2	29.6
Hartline Career	92	69	522	298	57.1%	4,243	14.2	12	46.1
Johnson 2014	15	15	146	85	58.2%	936	11.0	3	62.4
Johnson Career	169	169	1,640	1,012	61.7%	13,597	13.4	64	80.5

The Texans' quarterback situation can help explain away some of Johnson's disappointing season; that's not the case for Hartline, whose quarterback, Ryan Tannehill, had a strong year. A murkier quarterback situation than Houston's looms presently in Cleveland. Johnson seems more equipped to make the most of it than Hartline.

Johnson would also be a better addition to Cleveland's locker room. Johnson has long embraced a mentorship role, saying in 2012 that:

"

I really didn't have a veteran guy to look up to when I first got here so it was kind of tough at first. You have to learn a lot of things on your own. I was able to see veteran guys during the offseason and talk to them a little bit, and talk to guys I played against and they would tell me things they saw in my game. I think that is a good thing when you have a veteran guy here who has been through a lot and they can help you and show you the ropes.

"

In contrast, Hartline's locker room presence can be summed up by his virulent defense of former Dolphins offensive lineman Richie Incognito. It's not the loyalty to the player that is the problem, but rather his defense of Incognito's behavior that doesn't seem to indicate willingness to assist younger players. He came off, during that time, as more interested in letting others build a supportive locker room environment.

It's unknown how much of a reduction in pay or playing time Johnson was asked to take. However, given the Browns' receiving corps presently, he should take a prominent role in the Browns' passing game—one that he may not get from other suitors. The Browns may be one of the few organizations that can both afford to pay Johnson's 2015 salary and get enough playing time out of him to justify it.

It's also clear that both Hartline and Johnson would be more amenable to continuing or finishing their respective careers on a team with a better chance of immediate playoff or Super Bowl contention. Therefore, it's possible that the Browns could miss out on both receivers despite their best efforts.

Neither Hartline nor Johnson would represent a long-term anchor of the Browns' offense. Either would provide a veteran presence to a receiving corps that needs one. And, given the number of teams interested in Hartline's services, there's no guarantee that Hartline would ultimately be less expensive than Johnson.

What Johnson can provide the Browns in the short term, both on the field and in the locker room, is simply more than what Hartline can. Therefore, the Browns should focus more effort on trying to trade for Johnson than wooing Hartline away from the other teams pursuing him.