Cleveland Browns: Getting to know Richard Mullaney

The Cleveland Browns did not get much production from the starting wide receivers in Thursday’s win, but one surprising name stood out among the receivers.

Preseason football is about the starters getting some reps before the regular season, but a lot of the actual game action is between under-the-radar guys looking to earn one of the final 53 roster spots.

Isaiah Crowell was one of these players in 2014, and Richard Mullaney may be one in 2017.

Mullaney led all Cleveland Browns receivers Thursday night with 70 receiving yards, which included a 52-yard reception from DeShone Kizer that nearly went for a touchdown.

Mullaney is a player most Browns fans have likely never heard of before, and that is expected considering he was picked up this summer to add some depth to the receiver position in camp.

Here is his NFL bio from clevelandbrowns.com:

"Originally signed by the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent on May 5, 2016…Waived by the Texans on July 25, 2016…Signed by the Dallas Cowboys on Aug., 16, 2016…Waived by the Cowboys on Aug., 30, 2016…Signed by the Cleveland Browns on June 12, 2017."

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Mullaney played one year of college football at Alabama after playing three years at Oregon State, and entered the NFL undrafted.

The young receiver showed up at the bottom of the Browns’ first unofficial depth chart this preseason, but his nice game on Thursday should result in him getting consistent reps in the remaining preseason games, at least in the second half.

Mullaney remains a total longshot to make the roster and two nice catches does not change much after one game.

However, this group of receivers lacks any dominant talent, and only Corey Coleman and Kenny Britt are considered to be potential playmakers. Duke Johnson is essentially the third option, which is not a great reflection on players like Ricardo Louis, Rashard Higgins and Jordan Payton.

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So while Mullaney making the final roster may seem unlikely now, this Browns team is in no position to cut a player who continually has great performances, making the former Alabama receiver a player to keep an eye on over the next three preseason games.