Power Ranking AFC North WR Corps: Cleveland Browns can hold their own
By Randy Gurzi
AFC North WR Rankings No. 3: Cleveland Browns
Top 4 Wide Receivers: Amari Cooper, Donovan Peoples-Jones, David Bell, Jakeem Grant
This offseason was an interesting one for the Cleveland Browns. They made two huge trades that reshaped the offense.
One was considered a steal, which was when they landed Amari Cooper in exchange for a fifth-round pick. A four-time Pro Bowl selection, Cooper has 7,076 yards and 46 touchdowns in his seven seasons in the NFL.
As for their other trade, the jury is out on that but some feel they overpaid for Deshaun Watson. Not only did they give up three Round 1 picks, but they signed him to a five-year deal worth a fully-guaranteed $230 million.
Should he become the player they hope for, it won’t be mocked at all because an elite quarterback is always worth it. Always.
But this isn’t about Watson, it’s about wideouts and Cleveland is still lacking somewhat in that department. While Cooper is a legit No. 1 target, they don’t really have anyone else who has proven themselves in the NFL — and they’re also not in the running for any other free agents.
This means the second receiver is going to be Donovan Peoples-Jones who had a solid season in 2021 with 34 receptions for 597 yards. Behind him will be rookie David Bell from Purdue — who could prove to be a steal but is still an unknown as a pro.
Fourth is likely Jakeem Grant, who currently has the edge over Anthony Schwartz. Grant was an underrated signing and is a guy who can flip the field in a hurry but overall, this group has a lot to prove.