Mohamed Sanu

Bengals receiver Mohamed Sanu could land with the Browns this offseason.

(Paul Sancya/Associated Press)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns are expected to pursue Bengals receiver Mohamed Sanu, who's set to become a free agent March 9, a league source told cleveland.com.

The fifth-year receiver could be reunited in Cleveland with coach Hue Jackson, who spent all four of Sanu's years in Cincinnati with him, including the final two as offensive coordinator. Jackson loved Sanu's versatility and would undoubtedly want to have him here, a source said. In addition to playing in the slot, the former high school quarterback can throw, run and play some wildcat.

Bengals No. 2 receiver Marvin Jones also plans to test the market.

"I love Cincinnati," Jones told NFL Media's Scott Hanson at the Super Bowl. "But at the same time, I am a free agent. It wouldn't be good for me not to test the waters a little bit. It's just an exciting process." He added that he plans to "look at all angles" in free agency and hopes someone makes him a blockbuster offer.

The Bengals hope to re-sign him, but he'll command big money on the open market. For comparison's sake, Lions No. 2 receiver Golden Tate signed a five-year deal in 2014 worth $31 million, including $16 million guaranteed. The Bengals hope to re-sign Jones, but will have plenty of competition. He also told the Cincinnati Enquirer he won't take a hometown discount.

The Browns are in the process of trying to re-sign receiver Travis Benjamin and might have Josh Gordon back if NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell re-instates him from his year-long drug ban. But Jackson will undoubtedly want to add to the position regardless. In Cincinnati, he had A.J. Green, Jones, Sanu and tight end Tyler Eifert as formidable weapons for Andy Dalton.

As for Sanu, he has "virtually no chance'' of returning to Cincinnati and will pursue other opportunities, multiple league sources told FoxSports.com Thursday. FoxSports also named Cleveland as a potential suitor, along with Atlanta and the New York Giants.

A third-round pick out of Rutgers in 2012, Sanu (6-2, 215) started only four games in 2015 with Green and Jones returning from injury, and caught 33 passes for 394 yards and no touchdowns.

But in 2014, when pressed into service because of injuries, he caught 56 passes for 790 yards and five TDs. During one three-game stretch replacing Green, he caught 15 passes for 299 yards and a touchdown.

Given that, Sanu is hoping for more playing time on a less loaded offense.

"I think about that all the time," he told Sirius XM NFL Radio Thursday night. "When you've got so much talent on one team, it's hard to get the ball. It definitely crossed my mind going elsewhere. We've just got to see how everything unfolds."

Jackson was asked at the Senior Bowl about Jones and Sanu becoming free agents.

"That doesn't mean you can get them,'' he told cleveland.com.

He acknowledged that he likes big wideouts "but what we need to do is improve everywhere. It's not just at receiver. It's everywhere across our football team. My goal is to look at everybody, big, small, large, wide. If they can help the Cleveland Browns win, then we're going to be very interested in him, and if it's the right fit for us, we'll make it happen.''

He added, "we do know the prototype player we want, what the characteristics are, and there are some guys that fit into criteria but we'll be open to whoever can make us better.''

One source suggested that Sanu, a high-character guy, would be a good influence on Gordon if the Browns keep him around. As of Thursday, the coaching staff wasn't counting on having Gordon.

Asked if he's discussed the possibility of having Gordon, offensive assistant Pep Hamilton said "we have not.''

So while Sanu is ready to move on, the Browns might provide a landing spot for him.