3 Cleveland Browns tumbling down depth chart during the preseason

Cleveland Browns: Rashard Higgins, WR

Wide receiver Rashard Higgins is a favorite of many Browns fans and one of Baker Mayfield‘s favorite targets. However, he’s always seemed to be in the coaching staff’s doghouse, having issues with the previous coaching staff and seemingly the current staff as well (he hardly saw the field at all before the OBJ injury in Week 7 last year).

This, paired with his roller-coaster play on the field at times, is a reason that Higgins is at risk for a significant role on the depth chart, and at risk of even making the team as well.

Many will argue with Higgins’ appearing on this list, and those people do have a case. Higgins is typically a good receiver that makes a positive impact when he’s on the field with the starting unit. Mayfield has faith that Higgins will catch just about anything thrown his way, and many numbers from past seasons show that he can be very effective, including his yards per target among receivers that qualified.

However, Higgins is still very inconsistent and seems to alienate himself from his teammates and coaching staff. He has continued to show that inconsistency this preseason, making a great catch in practice over several defenders in a joint practice during the week with the New York Giants, while then dropping a pass in the end-zone just a few days later.

With the Browns anticipating a return of Odell Beckham Jr this season, as well as the emergence of young receivers the last few years like Donovan People-Jones and Khadarel Hodge, Higgins may very well see himself once again on the outside looking in on the depth chart. And if he refuses to go into a game under this staff, something he did under the previous staff just a few years ago, Higgins might be looking for a new helmet logo to wear on Sundays.