The Cleveland Browns are very clearly a team in transition, and it'd be nearly impossible to argue otherwise on the heels of a 3-14 season. The roster needs work at many positions, and the hope is that the influx of youthful talent from the 2025 Draft will begin to fill a cupboard made bare by the disastrous Deshaun Watson trade.
One position group that was ignored in the Draft was the receiving corps. The Browns currently have 13 receivers on their roster. Jerry Jeudy, Cedric Tillman, Jamari Thrash, Michael Woods II, David Bell, and Kaden Davis return from last year's squad. Veteran newcomers include Diontae Johnson and DeAndre Carter. Finally, the Browns have a large group of undrafted rookies or second-year players: Gage Larvadain, Cade McDonald, Luke Floriea, Kisean Johnson, and Jaelen Gill.
This group was ranked dead last in the league according to Pro Football Focus' Dalton Wasserman.
"Aside from Jerry Jeudy, who rode an incredible volume of targets to a 74.9 PFF receiving grade last season, the Browns are sorely lacking in proven receiving options. Cedric Tillman showed flashes as a vertical threat before suffering a season-ending concussion. Jamari Thrash and David Bell caught only three passes apiece over the entire season. Free-agent acquisition Diontae Johnson could offer some hope, but he posted just a 65.3 PFF receiving grade while playing for three different teams last season."Dalton Wasserman
PFF crowns Browns WR corps as worst in the NFL
It's hard to debate any part of that assessment, as outside of Jerry Jeudy, the Browns' receivers range from 'unproven' to 'unwanted.' The second-most accomplished receiver of the group, Diontae Johnson, was unable to sign for more than the league minimum with zero money guaranteed after a season that saw him switch teams on three occasions.
The free agent pool in June is understandably shallow, and the players who are still available are usually available for a reason. Be it age, injury, or the right fit, it is not difficult to see why some of these players remain teamless. Keenan Allen (33), Amari Cooper (30), Nelson Agholor (32), D.J. Chark (28, coming off hip injury and four-catch season), and Tyler Boyd (30) headline the group of available pass catchers.
The one name that stands out on the list is Cooper. While he is 30 years old, Cooper has had great success in Kevin Stefanski's offense historically. He had 1,000-yard seasons in 2022 and 2023, before being traded after 6 games in 2024.
Just last week, projected starting QB Joe Flacco had strong words to say about his former Browns teammate after he was asked to compare him to the current #1 WR, Jerry Jeudy.
"Oh, listen, no knock-on Jerry, but, I mean, Amari’s done it for a long time, and he’s a little bit of a different cat. So when I say I see the look in his eyes out here, I think he’s striving to be somebody like that for sure. But, I mean, listen, Amari’s done it for a while now. Like I said, he’s a little bit of a different dude. He’s pretty damn good."Joe Flacco
It all seems to mesh together perfectly for this roster. Cooper is likely not seeking a huge payday at this point in time, and his built-in chemistry with Flacco and Stefanski provides a tangible benefit to bringing him back.
A secondary benefit is that if the Browns ultimately turn to Dillon Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders at some point in the season, the rookies will benefit greatly from having a seasoned veteran out there who is not learning the ropes. Too many young quarterbacks are trotted onto the field with inexperienced weapons, cranking up the difficulty level a notch at the game's most challenging position.
If the Browns decide to stand pat at the position, it could be tough sledding for the pass game in 2025.