Cleveland Browns

Browns' Pettine: No thoughts of cutting WR Dwayne Bowe

Published Sep. 28, 2015 5:43 p.m. ET

foxsports

Dwayne Bowe had visions of leaping into the Dawg Pound multiple times when he signed with Cleveland this offseason. Instead, he's stuck in the dog house.

Bowe, who has been slowed by a hamstring injury, was a healthy scratch for Sunday's loss to Oakland, the second time in three games he's been inactive. Bowe played sparingly the one game he did dress and was targeted just once.

Head coach Mike Pettine said Monday that Bowe was simply a victim of a "numbers game" due to the injury to nickel corner K'Waun Williams. Those weren't the kind of numbers Browns fans were looking for when Bowe was signed to a two-year, $12 million deal with $9 million guaranteed to be the team's No. 1 receiver. When asked if the Browns were considering parting ways with their disappointing signee, Pettine answered flatly.

"No. It’s a long season. We’re confident we’ll get him contributing here sooner rather than later," Pettine said Monday via CBS Cleveland.

Yes, it's a long season, but the Browns need to see a return on their investment sooner rather than later. Travis Benjamin is the only receiver with a touchdown catch or 100-yard game over Cleveland's first three games.

h/t: CBS Cleveland