Cleveland Browns: What options do the Browns have at wide receiver?

CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 14: Rod Streater #13 of the Cleveland Browns is escorted offsides the field by medical staff in the first quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at FirstEnergy Stadium on October 14, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 14: Rod Streater #13 of the Cleveland Browns is escorted offsides the field by medical staff in the first quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at FirstEnergy Stadium on October 14, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /
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CLEVELAND, OH – OCTOBER 14: Pass is incomplete to Antonio Callaway #11 of the Cleveland Browns in the second half against the Los Angeles Chargers at FirstEnergy Stadium on October 14, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH – OCTOBER 14: Pass is incomplete to Antonio Callaway #11 of the Cleveland Browns in the second half against the Los Angeles Chargers at FirstEnergy Stadium on October 14, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

The Cleveland Browns seem to be cursed at the wide receiver position, and they need to consider any and all options to add talent and depth to the position.

The wide receiver position has been a black hole for the Cleveland Browns in the first six weeks of the 2018 regular season.

Off-field issues, drops, and injuries have been the story of Browns wide receiver unit since the beginning of the season.

The Browns decided to trade Josh Gordon after they felt they could not help him overcome his of-field issues with substance abuse. Trading Gordon left the Browns without a proven play-maker at the position.

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Behind Jarvis Landry, the Browns were hoping that young wide receivers would be able to step into bigger roles and produce. But that has not happened for Cleveland.

Antonio Callaway was expected to be the vertical threat that would replace Gordon. But the rookie has struggled mightily at the beginning of the season, and he has been the main focus of the drop problem at the position.

Callaway has caught only 15 of his 39 targets for 186 yards and a touchdown. He has eclipsed more than 50 yards in only two of the six games this season. His lack of production has severely hindered the Browns passing game.

Rashard Higgins has been the best receiver behind Landry, and he has been a frequent target for Baker Mayfield. He has caught 16 of his 23 targets for 244 yards and a touchdown. He has not been a big-play receiver, but his solid route running gives Mayfield an option to throw to. But Higgins has dealt with some drops this season, but not nearly as bad as the rest of the Browns receivers.

Higgins suffered a sprained MCL against the Raiders, which is what started the string of bad luck at the position for the Browns.

Replacing Higgins on the field was undrafted rookie Derrick Willies. After making a couple plays against the Raiders, the Browns were ready to expand his role when they played the Chargers. But two days before the game, Willies fractured his collarbone, leaving the Browns with only four active receivers against the Chargers.

That number dwindled during the game, as Rod Streater was injured on a special teams play. That left the Browns with only Landry, Callaway, and Damion Ratley as healthy receivers.

There is no doubt that the Browns need to add a player to the group in the next week or two, so here’s a look at some options the Browns should consider.