CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Browns released center JC Tretter, who was recently re-elected as president of the NFL Players Association, while the team accelerated its pursuit of controversial quarterback Deshaun Watson.

Tretter spent five seasons with Cleveland as a dependable leader and anchor of one of the league’s best offensive lines. The 31-year-old played through some serious leg injuries during while playing in 80 games.

Tretter also played a major role in the union setting protocols with the league during the COVID-19 pandemic. He was unanimously re-elected to a second term on Friday.

“For the past five seasons, JC has been a mainstay and iron man at center for us,” said Browns General Manager Andrew Berry. “He came to our organization at a time of instability and was one of the key veterans that helped turn the tide over the past several years.

“His leadership – both within the locker room and the field – will be missed.”

Tretter posted “A letter to Cleveland” on Twitter thanking the people who work behind the scenes, the team’s training and strength and conditioning staffs and his teammates, singling out All-Pro guard Joel Bitonio.

Tretter’s release came as the Browns intensified their interest in Watson, who has played his last game with Houston. Cleveland has a scheduled meeting Tuesday with Watson, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press.

Watson met with New Orleans and Carolina on Monday, according to multiple reports.

The Browns are doing their due diligence and want to get to know Watson better, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the matter.

Watson has a no-trade clause and would have to agree to be traded to Cleveland.

The Browns may have a little more to offer in quarterback Baker Mayfield, who had an injury-altered 2021 season. Cleveland general manager Andrew Berry has said several times this offseason that Mayfield is expected to return as the starter, but it appears the Browns could move from that plan.

BRONCOS: Denver and defensive end Randy Gregory have agreed on a $70 million, five-year contract that will prevent the Dallas Cowboys from keeping one of their top targets in free agency, a person with knowledge of the deal said.

Gregory’s contract includes $28 million guaranteed. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal can’t be announced until Wednesday when the NFL’s business year begins.

The 29-year-old Gregory has had a suspension-filled seven years in the NFL but was coming off a productive and drama-free season. The Cowboys hoped the goodwill built in standing by a troubled player would lead to a return.

BENGALS: Cincinnati re-signed defensive tackle B.J. Hill to a three-year, $30 contract.

Hill was a critical player on the Bengals’ defensive line during their run to the Super Bowl last season, especially after the injury to Larry Ogunjobi, who is expected to sign elsewhere.

The 26-year-old Hill came to Cincinnati last August via a trade with the New York Giants in exchange for little-used offensive lineman Billy Price. Hill went on to play in 16 regular-season games and all four playoff games, with three postseason starts. He had 50 tackles and was fourth on the team with 5 1/2 sacks. In the postseason, he had 13 tackles, 1 1/2 sacks and intercepted a pass.

DOLPHINS: Offensive lineman Connor Williams agreed to a two-year, $14 million deal with Miami, who went into free agency knowing that position group was one in need of upgrades.

Williams comes to the Dolphins after spending his first four NFL seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, with whom he made 57 appearances, 51 of them starts.

Williams’ deal includes $7.5 million in guaranteed money, said agent Drew Rosenhaus. Another Rosenhaus client, linebacker Duke Riley, also has agreed to return to the Dolphins on a one-year deal worth $3 million. Riley played in 16 games with Miami last season.

Also, the Dolphins re-signed wide receiver Preston Williams on a one-year deal with a value that could reach about $1.9 million. Preston Williams has appeared in exactly eight games in each of his three seasons with the Dolphins; he caught 32 passes in 2019, 18 passes in 2020, and just six this past season.

 LIONS: Detroit signed unrestricted free agent Tracy Walker to a $25 million, three-year deal and he is determined to be part of the team’s turnaround.

“Everybody just always doubts the Lions, and I hate that,” Walker said.

Since drafting Walker in the third round four years ago, Detroit has averaged four wins a season.

Even though the Lions was 3-13-1 in 2021, Walker was encouraged by how they finished the season under first-year coach Dan Campbell with three wins over the last seven games.

Detroit retained some depth earlier in the day on the other side of the ball, keeping restricted free agent Evan Brown off the market with a $2 million, one-year contract.

JETS: New York is signing former Seattle Seahawks cornerback D.J. Reed, according to a person with direct knowledge of the move.

The 25-year-old Reed will be reunited with Jets Coach Robert Saleh, who was his defensive coordinator in San Francisco his first two seasons after being drafted in the fifth round in 2018 out of Kansas State.

FALCONS: Younghoe Koo, who has give the Atlanta Falcons a reliable option on field goals and extra points since 2019, has signed a five-year, $25.25 million contract as an unrestricted free agent.

Koo leads the NFL with 87 field goals since joining the Falcons in Week 10 of the 2019 season. He has been especially reliable in clutch situations, making 20 of 23 attempts in the fourth quarter and overtime.

RAMS: Left tackle Andrew Whitworth is retiring after a 16-season NFL career capped by his first Super Bowl championship last month with Los Angeles.

Whitworth made his long-anticipated decision official Tuesday, just over a month after the Rams beat his former team, the Cincinnati Bengals, to win his first ring.

Whitworth turned 40 last December and became the oldest player to start at left tackle in the modern NFL. The two-time All-Pro selection protected Matthew Stafford’s blind side all the way to a 23-20 victory in the Super Bowl at the Rams’ own SoFi Stadium.

TITANS: Tennessee released veteran cornerback Janoris “Jackrabbit” Jenkins after one season to clear approximately $6.9 million in salary cap space before the start of the new league year.

The Titans announced the move along with a multi-year extension for center Ben Jones, keeping him from the free agent market that opens Wednesday afternoon.

Jenkins joined the Titans a year ago on a two-year contract. He started 13 of 14 games played and had one interception in the end zone in a big win over San Francisco in December. Jenkins also had 55 tackles, six passes defensed and a forced fumble.

JAGUARS: Jacksonville followed its free-agent spending spree with a cost-saving move: cutting veteran linebacker and defensive captain Myles Jack.

The Jaguars created more than $8 million in salary-cap space by releasing Jack, who started 82 games over the last six seasons and will forever be remembered in franchise lore for quickly – and possibly erroneously – being ruled down following a New England fumble in the fourth quarter of the 2018 AFC championship game. Tom Brady rallied the Patriots after the call, preventing Jacksonville from making its first Super Bowl.

Dumping Jack will cost the Jaguars $4.8 million in dead money in 2022 and save them $8.35 million against the cap.

CHARGERS: Bryan Bulaga was released by Los Angeles after playing only one game last season.

The offensive tackle was beset by injuries during his two years with the Chargers, including a back injury in last season’s opener at Washington which sidelined him after playing the first half.

Bulaga played in only 10 games in 2020 and was in for every offensive snap in only five. His release saves the Chargers $10.75 million in salary cap space.

VIKINGS: Minnesota agreed to terms on a two-year, $12 million contract with linebacker Jordan Hicks, continuing a revamp on defense to fit a new scheme and work around the salary cap.

Hicks spent the last three seasons with Arizona. Because the Cardinals released him last week, he was eligible to get a deal formally done with any team prior to the start of the new league year on Wednesday. Otherwise, players can’t sign with new clubs until then.

Hicks will likely slide into new defensive coordinator Ed Donatell’s system as an every-down linebacker next to 2019 All-Pro pick Eric Kendricks.

The 29-year-old Hicks was a third-round draft pick by Philadelphia in 2015 who played his first four seasons with the Eagles, winning a Super Bowl in 2017-18. He has started 51 straight games – plus one in the 2021 playoffs for the Cardinals — for the third-longest active streak by NFL linebackers.

RAIDERS: Las Vegas made its first move of the free agency period, agreeing to a one-year contract with cornerback and returner Darius Phillips.

Phillips announced the deal on Twitter. He can’t sign the contract until the start of the league year on Wednesday.

ESPN first reported the deal and said Phillips will be paid $2.25 million this season.

GIANTS: The New York Giants have started rebuilding their offensive line with free agency, agreeing to contract terms with Mark Glowinski and Jon Feliciano.

The Giants added a third free agent on Tuesday, coming to terms on a two-year deal with veteran quarterback Tyrod Taylor.

Feliciano tweeted about his decision to join the Giants on Monday, a move from Buffalo that reunites him with new Coach Brian Daboll and line coach Bobby Johnson. He can play any position on the line. It is likely New York plans to use him at center with incumbent Nick Gates coming off a broken leg.

A starter most of his four seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, Glowinski has agreed to three-year deal. The 29-year-old is expected to be slotted in at right guard.

Right guard Will Hernandez became a free agent after last season.

Feliciano, 30, played both guard positions and center for the Bills.