The Cleveland Browns are clinging to the project known as Dwayne Bowe.
Coach Mike Pettine on Monday confirmed the team has no plans to cut the veteran wideout despite Bowe playing just eight snaps all season due to a nagging hamstring injury.
"No. It's a long season," Pettine said, per Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer. "It hasn't started out the way that we've all -- including Dwayne -- wanted it to but we're confident that we'll get him contributing here sooner than later."
Bowe's comprehensive lack of production is especially troubling after the 31-year-old signed a two-year, $12.5 million deal in March with an ungodly $9 million in guarantees. That contract makes it next to impossible for Cleveland to cut the receiver, even amid whispers that some Browns coaches would like to move on from Bowe.
Pettine preached patience, though, promising that former Chiefs playmaker is "going to play," while saying: "Dwayne will help us, but he's just not there yet. The setback that he suffered during training camp, it's just hard to make those reps up. Now that we're in a practice week we're hopeful we'll get him out there and he'll contribute as we expect him to do."
When Bowe inked his massive pact, Browns general manager Ray Farmer called him a player who "adds a big, tough and physical presence to our group."
Instead, Bowe looks like another large-bodied pass-catcher who won't live up to the promise for the Browns in a post-Josh Gordon universe. Terrelle Pryor and fourth-rounder Vince Mayle are no longer on the team, while Bowe and stone-handed tight end Rob Housler have teamed for zero catches.
Cleveland's front office is in a jam. They overpaid -- by many, many millions -- for an aging player. Now they're stuck with him.
