New Browns wide receiver Sammie Coates appeared to be on the cusp of a breakthrough before two broken fingers and a groin injury made for a frustrating 2016 season.
But the former Pittsburgh Steeler believes he’s better off because of that experience, hoping it translates to a brighter future after being traded to Cleveland this past weekend.
“After a while, you go through a certain amount of stuff in your life, you go through ups and downs and it makes you stronger,” said Coates, who met with the local media Monday afternoon.
That approach could serve him well in a young and relatively inexperienced receivers room looking for playmakers to complement rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer.