Analyzing the Cleveland Browns depth chart at wide receiver

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CLEVELAND, OH – DECEMBER 23: Rashard Higgins #81 of the Cleveland Browns dives for a touchdown in front of Darius Phillips #23 of the Cincinnati Bengals during the third quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium on December 23, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

Hard to keep him off the field: Rashard Higgins

The top three wideouts have already been mentioned, but a fourth player on the roster deserves to be on the field a lot. A former fifth-round pick in 2016, Rashard Higgins has developed every season that he’s been in the league and was one of the more well-rounded players in the receiving corps in 2018.

Higgins put up back-to-back 60-plus-yard receiving games in Week 4 and Week 5 but then missed the next three weeks due to an MCL injury. He then returned to the field and made a couple of nice plays while working back into a rhythm including a beautiful 28-yard touchdown in Week 10 against Atlanta.

Not long after his return, Higgins started to feel it again and had 60 yards and a touchdown off six receptions in Week 16 before finishing the year with an 86-yard performance in Week 17. In all, Higgins had 36 receptions for 572 yards and four touchdowns.

After the season ended, Higgins — who was a restricted free agent — was signed to an original tender which pays him just over $2 million this season. While he’s suddenly in a crowded positional group, Higgins could make himself a lot of money in free agency next offseason should he continue to develop as a route runner and pass catcher.

It’s also going to be really hard to keep him off the field if he continues to make the kinds of strides he did during this past year.

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