Heading into training camp, the Browns receiver room was clear at the top, with Jerry Jeudy and Cedric Tillman leading the way as locks for starters. Things were quickly unclear after that, as the Browns didn't draft any receivers and only added Diontae Johnson and DeAndre Carter in free agency.
While Cleveland figures to run a heavy amount of two-tight-end sets (especially with Harold Fannin Jr. in the mix), they still need someone to step up as the go-to option in the slot. Isaiah Bond could figure into that role, but it's unlikely to see him with a large workload after getting signed last week. After the conclusion of camp, all signs point towards second-year wideout Jamari Thrash being the primary slot in Week 1.
Jamari Thrash appears in line to be starting slot receiver in Week 1
On the second snap of the game (Browns went heavy personnel on the opening snap), Thrash was on the field with the first-team unit alongside Jeudy and Diontae Johnson, with Tilman inactive. He aligned in the slot for 48 of his 70 preseason snaps, including 16 of his 28 in the preseason finale.
Thrash has created plenty of buzz from coaches throughout camp, but he also benefits from the lack of true competition in the room. Aside from Bond, Johnson is the only real threat to the job, but he's been used more out wide as a downfield route runner than a slot specialist.
During his time in the preseason, Thrash caught nine of his 11 targets for 94 yards, putting up at least two yards per route run in each of the last two games with extended looks. It's a small, mostly unimportant sample size, but the former Louisville Cardinal has looked very comfortable operating in the short and intermediate routes and creating separation against man coverage.
Thrash essentially used his rookie campaign as a redshirt year as a fifth-round pick, but his potential emergence into a reliable contributor could go a long way towards reshaping the feel of the room's depth.