Browns Rumors: Rashard Higgins Agrees to 1-Year Contract; 'Loves' Baker Mayfield

The Cleveland Browns and wide receiver Rashard Higgins agreed to a one-year, $910,000 contract Tuesday despite more lucrative offers from other teams.

Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported Higgins wanted to remain in Cleveland because he "loves" playing with Baker Mayfield. The 25-year-old will be heading into his fifth season with the Browns after being taken in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL draft. 

After setting career highs in receptions (39) and yards (572) in 2018, Higgins was a sideline fixture under former coach Freddie Kitchens. He recorded a career-low four receptions for 55 yards and a touchdown, appearing in 10 games. The tension between Kitchens and Higgins got to the point the wideout refused to go into a game against the Seattle Seahawks.

Higgins' relationship with the fans in Cleveland also appears to have influenced his decision, according to what he told Nate Ulrich of the Beacon Journal in December:

"The fans are wonderful. A lot of people say they're the best in the world, and I kind of feel like that, too. They've been a big supporting cast for me ... just because what I've been through and them feeling my story, how I became who I am today, me getting cut [in 2017], still working hard and making the squad, being somebody that wants to be here."

Higgins will compete for the third wide receiver spot behind Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry. His competition is not especially strong after the Browns limited their free-agent pass-catching targets to tight end Austin Hooper and return specialist JoJo Natson.

It's possible Higgins' decision to stay will wind up paying dividends that allow him to hit free agency in a year with much more leaguewide interest.