BEREA, Ohio — The Browns are one of a few teams Gerald McCoy is intrigued by, and he could make a visit to Cleveland if things progress, a league source told cleveland.com.

The Browns have expressed interest in McCoy, 31, and have been in contact with his representatives. Browns offensive coordinator Todd Monken, who spent the previous three season in Tampa Bay with McCoy, also said Wednesday that Browns GM John Dorsey has asked him about McCoy.

“I think a lot of Gerald,’’ Monken said Wednesday before the fifth OTA. “He was an outstanding football player for us and he’s had a tremendous career. I like Gerald a lot.’’

The Bucs released the six-time Pro Bowler on Monday rather than pay him the $13 million he was owed in 2019. A number of teams are interested in signing him, but he wants to play for a contender. In his nine seasons with the Bucs, he’s never made the playoffs, so that’s a priority.

The New England Patriots are interested, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, as are the Colts, according to Mike Chappell of Fox 59 in Indianapolis. McCoy will likely line up a visit or two over the next few days.

But the Browns’ young and talented roster is appealing to McCoy, the source said. On defense alone, the Browns have Myles Garrett, Olivier Vernon, Damarious Randall, Denzel Ward and more. If he signs with the Browns, he might have to win over fellow Pro Bowler Garrett, who said Tuesday the Browns are set at defensive tackle.

“What they decide to do, I’ll be OK with and I’ll accept it and move on,” Garrett said, “but I think we’re good with what we have.”

Garrett, who’s fiercely loyal to his current linemates, was the same way last year when the Browns considered drafting pass-rusher Bradley Chubb. Garrett went to bat for Emmanuel Ogbah.

“I’m always going to be passionate about the guys we have in the locker room because they’ve always been OK with me, they’ve always done right by me," Garrett said, "so I have no problem playing with them, going out there and sweating, bleeding and winning with them.”

One Browns player McCoy won’t get an argument from is Odell Beckham Jr., who lobbied for him on Monday by responding to a tweet announcing his release with “Cleveland!" McCoy would probably also get a thumbs-up from fellow former Oklahoma Sooner Baker Mayfield.

McCoy would likely step in as a starter given his track record. At the very least, he’d play a big role in the tackle rotation with Larry Ogunjobi and Sheldon Richardson.

Since 2010, McCoy has recorded 54.5 sacks, 296 tackles, 79 for a loss and 140 quarterback hits. His sack totals rank fourth in the NFL among defensive tackles since 2010.

The writing was on the wall that McCoy, 31, wasn’t long for the Bucs, at least not at $13 million a year at the NFL Annual Meetings in March.

“He’s not as disruptive as he was four years ago,’’ new Bucs coach Bruce Arians said at the annual coaches breakfast there. “He’s still a good player. If he’s here, he’s our starting three [technique]. No doubt about that."

He added, "Is the price, the productivity the same? We’ve got to find that out.''

McCoy took to Instagram on May 5 to to respond to the criticism saying in a video, “Cinco de Mayo, everybody out. Probably getting ready to go drink. Probably drinking right now. Don’t matter,” McCoy said in the video. “They want to question me? This is what I do on Cinco de Mayo. I work. I work.

“Oh, and, I’ve got my kids with me. How many people doing that? All-Pro on and off the field. Want to question me, the heck? ‘Is he going to be ready? Does he love football?’ What? Y’all crazy. Lost y’all mind. I work. Don’t you ever question me."

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