During a press conference before the Cleveland Browns begin training camp, it was announced that Ricardo Louis will miss the entire 2018 season.
A crowded Cleveland Browns wide receiver room will be a little less crowded to begin training camp, as wide receiver Ricardo Louis will miss the entire season due to a neck injury.
Before the Browns have even started their training camp practices, they are already down two wide receivers. Cleveland will also be without Josh Gordon for an unknown amount of time during training camp.
Browns head coach Hue Jackson said that Louis suffered the neck injury late in 2017 season. He also said that Louis already underwent surgery for the injury.
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Last season, Louis played in all 16 games, including starting nine of those games. He caught 27 of his 61 targets for 357 receiving yards. In his two-year career, Louis has 45 receptions for 562 yards, but has does not have a touchdown reception.
Entering training camp, Louis was going to be battling for a roster spot after the Browns loaded their wide receiver room during the off-season. Cleveland added four new receivers this off-season, including two in the draft.
The injury to Louis will create an opportunity for multiple receivers that were going to be battling for one of the last roster spots.
Louis would have been entering a competition with Rashard Higgins, Jeff Janis, and Damion Ratley for the last one or two roster spots for wide receivers.
With Ratley and Janis being John Dorsey acquisitions, they might have had the upper-hand at those roster spots over Louis and Higgins. Even with the news of Louis’ injury, Higgins will still have an uphill battle to make the Browns final 53-man roster.
One name that this could create an opportunity for is undrafted rookie Evan Berry. The Browns signed Berry as a wide receiver even though he primarily played at defensive back during college. Berry is not got going to make the roster for what he can do as a receiver. Berry showed in college is an excellent return man, and Louis’ injury could create a roster spot for Berry to slide into.