CLEVELAND -- Defensive lineman Danny Shelton may have been traded from the Cleveland Browns to the New England Patriots over the weekend, but there were no hard feelings and plenty of gratitude from the fourth-year professional.
In order to thank the Browns, owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam and the city of Cleveland, Shelton shared a letter on Instagram Wednesday, just hours before the trade will become official with the start of the new year in the National Football League.
“I would like to thank the Haslam family for making my dream of playing in the NFL come true,” Shelton wrote. “I'm grateful for the opportunity to have played under great coaches and general managers who helped me grow as a player and as a man.
“Thank you to the coaches, teammates, and brothers for these past three years. Finally, I want to thank the Dawg Pound. Thank you for the fire that you brought to every training camp and game, and your dedication to the Browns. You were so welcoming to my family, and you will always have a special place in our hearts. Thank you for the memories Cleveland!
“Much love and respect, Danny”
A post shared by Danny Shelton (@im_mista_lavalava71) on
ESPN’s Adam Schefter first reported the Browns dealt Shelton and a selection in the 2018 NFL Draft to the Patriots in exchange for a mid-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft on Saturday afternoon.
A first-round pick of the Browns in the 2015 NFL Draft out of the University of Washington, Shelton burst onto the scene after being introduced as the selection when he wrapped up NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in a bear hug before posing for photos on the stage in Chicago.
In 46 career games with the Browns, Shelton registered 128 total tackles, including 71 solo stops and 57 assists with 1.5 sacks and one pass defended.
The 6-foot-2, 335-pound Shelton was a three-year letter winner for the Washington Huskies, and earned both first-team All-America and CoSIDA Academic All-America first-team honors in 2014. Also, he was a first-team All-Pac 12 Conference and first-team Academic All-Pac 12 selection during his senior year.
In 53 career games with the Huskies, Shelton made 111 unassisted tackles and helped on 97 others for a total of 208 stops from the interior of the defensive line. He had 24.0 tackles for lost yardage, recovered seven fumbles, registered 11.5 sacks and had five additional hits on opposing quarterbacks.
During his final season with Washington, Shelton registered 93 total stops -- 53 solo tackles and 40 assists -- with 16.5 tackles for lost yardage, five fumble recoveries and three hits on opposing quarterbacks. He had nine sacks for 33 lost yards in 2014.
