Let's get one thing straight. There's an artificial ceiling on the highs any passing attack can reach, and that is the quarterback. Unfortunately for Browns fans, the soonest that position can meaningfully change is sometime in March of 2027.
That doesn't mean this season should be a wash, though.
Despite marked improvement from Deshaun Watson, few out there believe he is the answer for Cleveland's future. Still, head coach Todd Monken is a competitor. He's going to spend this season tinkering with his offensive attack and ultimately building a system that will most likely carry over into 2027, regardless of how this season unfolds.
It's also important to note one thing about Monken. His gruff, no-nonsense demeanor screams that he loves to pound the rock and dominate the trenches. Make no mistake about it, however, Monken would love to fill the airspace with 50-yard bombs that would make Andy Reid blush.
He did it with Lamar Jackson. Now he just needs to find his QB in Cleveland.
A potential answer to the Browns' offensive woes is sitting on the bench, blocked by the veteran (and expensive) Jerry Jeudy
So we've gone over how Patrick Mahomes isn't going to magically appear in brown and orange in a few weeks and take the Browns to the Super Bowl. That's alright. The Dawg Pound is a patient bunch. In any case, there is something missing from the Browns' pass attack that wouldn't take a universe-melting trade to fix — speed.
KC Concepcion chose not to run the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. Projections had him somewhere in the 4.42-second range, though his refusal to run likely means it was a bit slower than that. For a sub-6-foot receiver to bypass the 40-yard dash, it likely speaks volumes. He's plenty fast and has considerable wiggle, but he's not an absolute burner in the mold of a Tyreek Hill or Jameson Williams, for example.
Second-rounder Denzel Boston also chose to forgo the 40-yard dash, though he was projected even slower, around 4.52 seconds. Once again, we can safely assume it would've been a touch slower, otherwise he likely would've run to improve his stock. It's perfectly fine, as with his 6-foot-4 frame, he has demonstrated the ability to outleap defenders with more than enough juice to get open and make a house call.
Then there's the Browns' third-leading snap-getter at receiver, veteran Jerry Jeudy, who ran an official 4.46 40-yard dash when he came out of the draft in 2020. He was always viewed as a possession receiver with reliable hands and crafty route running. On this Browns team, however, his skill set is somewhat redundant.
What's more, following the 2024 season in which Jeudy put up 90 receptions, 1,224 yards, and four touchdowns on 149 targets (ninth-most that season), things have only gone downhill. A quiet 2025 season led Browns head coach Todd Monken and general manager Andrew Berry to reaffirm their belief in the former Alabama star. Berry went so far as calling him the team's "bell cow" at receiver.
Well, that bell cow had zero targets in Sunday's victory over the Carolina Panthers. That was a week after seeing one target in an upset over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
What makes matters worse is the fact that his presence on the field keeps speed demon Isaiah Bond off of it. As a reminder, Bond blazed a 4.39 official 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine in 2025.
Bond has played just 16 snaps on the year. Despite this, he is Pro Football Focus' fourth-highest-graded Cleveland Brown on offense with a 63.9 grade. Conversely, Jeudy ranks 21st (out of 22) with a 50.3 grade.
You may be wondering why Jeudy keeps getting the nod, and the answer is simple: money.
Jeudy is pocketing north of $13 million from the Browns this year. That contract was also given to him by Berry. I don't fancy myself an investigator, but it's not hard to connect the dots here.
The next reasonable step might be to explore a trade.
A Jerry Jeudy trade could solve two problems for the Browns at once
So, without anyone asking, we've come up with a win-win-win solution to keep everybody happy.
The Las Vegas Raiders just lost starting receiver Jack Bech to a broken forearm on Sunday. What was already among the league's thinnest receiving corps couldn't afford that blow. Interestingly enough, Jeudy's former wide receivers coach from his Denver days, Zach Azzani, is now holding the same post out in Las Vegas.
Perhaps a reunion is in the cards? The shockingly 3-0 Raiders might be inclined to keep the good times rolling. A player like Jeudy wouldn't cost a ton in assets, and he would become their most accomplished wideout overnight. Most of that $13 million has already been paid out to Jeudy in the form of bonuses. Ultimately, he will make around $1.1 million the rest of the season.
Jeudy gets a fresh start and the chance at a premier role. The Browns save some change and get their speediest weapon onto the field in Bond, stretching the defense and opening up space in the process. They also get a draft pick in 2027 to add to their young nucleus. The Raiders also get an accomplished wideout to fill a void in their pass game at little cost. It's too perfect not to happen.
While it's difficult to admit to ownership that you lit some money on fire, it becomes a lot easier when you can show them a draft pick or two that were essentially the cost of doing business.
Berry has proven himself to be a tactful negotiator, and thus he would be unlikely to initiate the call. Still, when the move would have a ripple effect that reaches the field, it becomes worth considering.
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