Cleveland Browns To Sign Former Akron Zip, Punt Returner Jojo Natson

The Cleveland Browns have added a special teams player and brought in a player from the University of Akron, adding Jojo Natson, a kick and punt returner according to Ian Rapaport of NFL Network.

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Cleveland Browns have agreed to deal with a punt returner. Jojo Natson, who played collegiality for the University of Akron. The deal is for one year and reportedly worth $1 million. Natson spent the last two seasons with the Los Angeles Rams, where the Browns grabbed a special teams player in wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge last year. Natson is a speedster that has yet to reach the end zone in the NFL returning kicks, but he has posted averages that will make special teams coach Mike Priefer happy.

The #Browns are signing WR and returner JoJo Natson to a 1-year, $1M deal, source said. He spent the last two years with the #Rams.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 19, 2020

In 2018, Natson averaged 10.8 yards per punt return with the Rams on 26 returns. The goal of a punt return is to field the ball first, but advance the ball what amounts to a first down from where they catch it.

Natson will certainly be someone they look to return kicks as well. Priefer is staunch in his belief that the Browns will continue to return kickoffs, even if they could settle for touchbacks. The Browns were miserable in this aspect of the game last season, often ending up short of where a touchback would start them.

Priefer's argument is pretty simple. The Browns can't win if they don't play. So getting someone like Natson could be key in improving their starting field position. The deal is worth only $1 million, so the Browns could ultimately decide they won't keep Natson on the regular roster, but this does represent an investment in special teams, which is something that was important to Priefer and why he chose to take the job with the Browns under Freddie Kitchens as head coach.

The Browns ran through a number of punt returners last year, never really finding an answer they were satisfied could do the job. Natson should give them that and hopefully his speed despite his diminutive 5'7" 153 size can provide a spark or at least consistently change the Browns field position for the better.