5 Looming decisions for Cleveland Browns ahead of 2019 season

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DENVER, CO – DECEMBER 15: Wide receiver Antonio Callaway #11 and wide receiver Jarvis Landry #80 of the Cleveland Browns prepare for a game against the Denver Broncos at Broncos Stadium at Mile High on December 15, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) /

5. Wide Receiver Depth Chart

Adding Odell Beckham in the offseason transforms the entire Cleveland offense. Even without a superstar on the field, Baker Mayfield had 3,725 yards passing and 27 touchdowns — and Tyrod Taylor had another 473 and two scores in his three starts. Overall, the Browns crossed the 4,000-yard mark through the air and had nearly 30 touchdown passes.

Clearly, there was already plenty of talent in the receiving corps with Jarvis Landry, Antonio Callaway, Rashard Higgins, and tight end David Njoku on the roster. With all those players returning, the addition of OBJ makes them one of the more feared passing attacks in the NFL. That doesn’t mean they remain without questions though — but thankfully, the questions really only concern who makes the team and what order they will be on the depth chart.

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OBJ and Landry have their spots sealed as the No. 1 and No. 2 options. Both will move around and play outside as well as in the slot, but these are the top receivers on this team. From there, it becomes more cloudy. Antonio Callaway is clearly the most athletically gifted option behind those two and has the kind of speed needed to change the game in the blink of an eye.

The problem is, he showed up to camp out of shape which led to him playing with the backups early on. He’s started to catch up, but while that was going on, Higgins has been taking advantage of the extra attention as he has been reminding everyone that he too can make some big plays.

The questions don’t stop there as the Browns will then need to decide how many receivers to keep and who ultimately makes the roster. They added former third-round pick Jaelen Strong in the offseason and he will compete with Derrick Willies and Damion Ratley for a spot on the team. Strong has shown flashes of being a legitimate player but has struggled with injuries and inconsistent play.

Ratley has deep speed but needs refinement and Willies suffered an unfortunate injury after making the most out of his NFL debut last season. He has a great rapport with Mayfield and could be a player to watch down the road.

Then there’s Damon Sheehy-Guiseppi, who could make the roster as a return man. Another blazing fast player, the preseason will be huge for him as he needs to show he deserves a spot as a returner, which could alter how many wideouts they take to the 53-man roster.

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