The NFL rejected a submitted trade of A.J. McCarron from the Cincinnati Bengals to the Cleveland Browns.

The Bengals notified the league of the proposed trade at 3:55 p.m. ET, and the Browns notified the league shortly after 4 p.m. ET. Because the Browns were late, the league denied the trade. 

The Browns protested the NFL's decision but it was rejected.

The proposed compensation for McCarron would have been a second- and third-round pick in 2018.

The Bengals also tried to trade McCarron in the offseason.

Kenny Britt started for the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, but Hue Jackson isn't going to commit to the veteran receiver going forward.

Britt missed curfew last week.

He wasn't productive in a loss to the Tennessee Titans and when asked if Britt will be given another chance, Jackson said, "We'll see about all of that."

The Browns would owe Britt $10.5 million guaranteed if they cut him this year. The other $6.5 million on his deal wouldn't become guaranteed until March 16.

He signed a four-year, $32.5 million deal in March. He has just 10 receptions for 128 yards and a touchdown.

DeShone Kizer's return as the starter for the Cleveland Browns only lasted into the third quarter on Sunday as he was benched once again.

The Browns replaced him with Cody Kessler when they were trailing the Tennessee Titans 6-3 and 9:32 left in the third quarter.

After the game, Kizer had to answer questions about a video Channel 19 in Cleveland said it possessed showing him at a downtown bar at about 1:30 a.m. ET on Saturday.

After twice saying he was not going to talk about his personal life, Kizer was told about the video. He said "absolutely not" when asked if it showed a lack of commitment.

"I was out," Kizer said. "I was at the facility the next day, preparing for the game and the game right before that. Once again, I am not here to talk about my personal life."

Hue Jackson said there were no curfew issues. Told about the report Kizer was out late, Jackson said it "means a lot."

"A guy's personal time is his personal time, but I still think that is not what our guys do," Jackson said. "I think our guys work at what they do, and I would be surprised if that happened. I have never heard of that. I don't think DeShone has that kind of character or personality that way."

The Cleveland Browns fear Joe Thomas suffered a torn triceps.

Thomas would have season-ending surgery if an MRI confirms a tear.

Thomas' consecutive snap streak ended at 10,363.

Josh Gordon outlined his history of drug and alcohol abuse during an interview on "Uninterrupted."

Gordon was filmed on leave from a rehab facility in Florida where he is attempting to achieve sobriety and return to the NFL.

“I’ve used alcohol many, many occasions,” Gordon said.

“Xanax many occasions, cocaine several occasions. Marijuana most of my life. Codeine, cough syrup, Medazine, very prevalent from where I’m from. It’s what I grew up using.”

Gordon is currently suspended indefinitely by the NFL.

“I’ve been enabled most of my life honestly. I’ve been enabled by coaches, teachers, professors, you know, everybody pretty much gave me a second chance just because of my ability.”

After Week 5 of the 2017 NFL regular season, both the contending teams and those that will be at the top of the draft are becoming more clear.

The Cleveland Browns are 0-5 and have a 49 percent chance of the top pick, according to ESPN's Football Power Index. FPI gives them a 96.3 percent chance of a top-five pick. The Browns are now 1-20 since Jimmy Haslam put together their unconventional front office. 

The San Francisco 49ers are also 0-5 and have a 32.2 percent chance of the top pick and 91.7 percent chance of a top-five pick.

The Chicago Bears and Indianapolis Colts also have better than a 50 percent chance of a top-five pick.

Joe Thomas has been on many bad Cleveland Browns teams over the years and is warning against the concept of tanking for a franchise quarterback coming from the draft.

"It's always fun for fans and the media to have that narrative because it gives you guys something to talk about," Thomas told Manish Mehta of the Daily News. "And for fans, I'm sure they enjoy the optimism of looking toward the future if they don't think that the present is bright.

"But it seems like every year the player that you want to suck for ends up dropping and not being the top pick... or what you expected."

Isaiah Crowell's carries have gone down as the season has progressed, but Hue Jackson says he still believes in the running back.

Crowell carried the ball 27 times in the first two weeks of the season for the Cleveland Browns, but just 12 times in Week 3 and seven times last week.

"Anything that's going on with Isaiah, I take responsibility for," Jackson said.

"Until we get this guy in a rhythm of running, it's unfair for anybody to question what he's doing. We have not been in a situation where we can hand this guy the ball the way I think you have to hand a back the ball. All of those questions can be directed at me. Until we're able to do that can I tell you exactly what it is. I believe in Isaiah Crowell. No question. I have to get this guy the ball handed to him."

Crowell is averaging 2.9 yards per carry and has five receptions for 50 yards.

The Cleveland Browns have a 49.8 percent chance of securing the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. The Browns are 0-4 and have a point differential of -44.

The San Francisco 49ers have the second-highest odds of finishing with the top overall pick at 17.1 percent.

Sam Darnold and Saquon Barkley are currently the top two prospects on Mel Kiper Jr.'s 2018 Big Board.

The Browns and 49ers also had the top-2 picks in last year's draft.

Hue Jackson is once again denying that a divide exists between the coaching staff and front office in Cleveland.

Before Sunday's 31-7 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, it was reported that Browns owner Jimmy Haslam conducted a conference call with his personnel staff during the week to give them a vote of confidence.

The reason for the call was reportedly Jackson saying "go ask the executive team" when asked last week if the Browns are built to win this year.

When a similar report surfaced two weeks ago, Jackson said he's in lockstep with the front office and that the reports are false. He reiterated that Sunday.

"I know nothing about any of that stuff," he said. "People can say what they're going to say. Let's be honest, that has been the [reported] flavor of this organization for years. That doesn't exist in our building at all. I know those things are going to come. You guys are going to ask those questions. I know nothing about that at all."