Antonio Callaway drawing good reviews on second day of Browns OTA’s
By Dan Justik
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Antonio Callaway received praise from both Freddie Kitchens and Baker Mayfield on Wednesday.
Having a quiet offseason has been nothing but good news for Cleveland Browns wide receiver Antonio Callaway, who has dealt with his fair share of off-field issues.
Although he may not have made much noise off the field this offseason, he is starting to generate some talk about how well prepared he looks for the 2019 season, especially after the second day of practice during voluntary OTA’s.
When Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens and quarterback Baker Mayfield spoke to the media on Wednesday, they both mentioned how good Callaway looks as he prepares for his sophomore season.
Kitchens says WR Antonio Callaway is in better shape than he was compared to start of training camp last year and has added explosiveness.
— Andrew Gribble (@Andrew_Gribble) May 15, 2019
More praise for Antonio Callaway, this time from Baker Mayfield.
— Andrew Gribble (@Andrew_Gribble) May 15, 2019
“You can tell he’s been working on his craft.”
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After struggling out of the gates to start the 2018 season, perhaps because he was not in as good of shape as he could have been per Kitchens, Callaway seemed to figure things out after the team’s bye week and during the second half of the season.
In 16 games last season, the 22-year-old wide receiver caught 43 passes for 586 yards and five touchdowns. In the final eight games of the season, Callaway caught 22 passes for 350 yards and three touchdowns.
With the Browns offense expected to take a big jump in 2019 with the addition of Odell Beckham Jr., Callaway will have plenty of chances to make impact plays. And if he can build a solid chemistry with Mayfield, it would positively impact his performance, as shown by Rashard Higgins last season. Higgins had a career year in 2018 after creating strong chemistry with Mayfield during the summer and training camp.
Callaway showed flashes of being a deep threat last season because of his speed. With Browns offensive coordinator Todd Monken implementing some of his Air Raid concepts into the offense, Callaway should have opportunities to pop the top off a defense.
Callaway’s speed is arguably the best trait of his game as he can outrun almost every defender on the field. Even when the ball is in his grasp, he can glide past almost any would be tackler. If Kitchens is correct in saying that Callaway is more explosive, he could become a dangerous playmaker for the Browns offense.
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Because the Browns are expecting to make the playoffs in 2019, it is a good sign that the younger players on the roster are developing their talents throughout the offseason. If Callaway’s work over the summer translates to success on the field, he could have a breakout year in 2019.