Cleveland Browns smart to keep all four rookie WRs

The Cleveland Browns kept all four rookie wide receivers drafted by the team in this year’s NFL Draft.

The Cleveland Browns are preparing for Week 1 of the regular season and are doing so with all four of the rookie wide receivers drafted this year.

Corey Coleman, Rashard Higgins, Ricardo Louis and Jordan Payton all made it through the roster cuts, joining Andrew Hawkins and Terrelle Pryor as the receivers on the roster. Josh Gordon will join the group once he returns from his four-game suspension.

Coleman and Higgins seemed to be locks for the roster, but Louis and Payton did not see much time on the field during the preseason. The status of being drafted by this current front office likely made all the difference.

Marlon Moore, Taylor Gabriel and Darius Jennings were all casualties of the cuts, although Jennings remains on the practice squad.

When looking at those three, there is not one who can be a major difference maker for the Browns on offense. They are not bad receivers, but it was smart for the front office to stick with the players drafted this year. All four players were drafted for a reason, so they should all be given a chance to prove they can be valuable players.

There will surely be a tough learning curve ahead for the entire receiving corps, as the 5-foot-7 Hawkins emerges as the veteran leader of the group. Pryor has NFL experience, but this will be his first full season as a wide receiver, so he is almost like a rookie in that sense.

Then there is Josh Gordon, who may end up taking one of the six spots upon his return, unless the front office sees fit to keep all seven. He has not played in an NFL regular season game since 2014, so he will also be learning as he goes along.

The front office had a decision to make. They could have kept a few of the receivers from last year’s roster to establish some sense of stability, or stick with the draft picks with the understanding it will take a season or two before the entire group is adjusted to the NFL. Going with the latter further establishes the idea of the rebuild, as the front office is doing its best to erase any reminders of Ray Farmer from the roster.

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Farmer set this team back years, so sticking to the concept of starting over is not a bad decision. With 14 players drafted, and 13 making the final roster, the front office has the chance to build the team their way. No one knows if it will work, but it is the determined strategy needed if this team is going to have any chance at winning in 2016 and beyond.

Browns fans may not be used to so many draft picks making the final roster, but that is due more to bad drafts than any specific strategy being used. The fact the Browns are able to keep players drafted in all seven rounds shows the front office took its time to do research on each pick, and not just draft a player that looks good on tape. That is how one ends up taking Justin Gilbert in the top-10.

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Josh Gordon is going to be the receiver to watch in 2016, but the four rookies should serve as capable members of this rebuilding roster.

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