The Browns only said that Hardesty signed a multiyear deal. However, The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported that the maximum value of Hardesty's contract is $3,372,750, with a total of $1,572,750 guaranteed and a signing bonus of $1 million, according to a league source.
Hardesty, a second-round draft pick, will have the chance to challenge fifth-year veteran Jerome Harrison for the Browns' starting running back job. Hardesty started 19 of 49 games at the University of Tennessee and ran for 2,391 yards with 26 touchdowns.
The Browns also acquired running back Peyton Hillis in an offseason trade that sent quarterback Brady Quinn to the Denver Broncos.
The Browns later agreed to terms on a four-year deal with another second-round pick, safety T.J. Ward, The Plain Dealer reported. That leaves first-rounder Joe Haden as the only unsigned rookie.
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