It's been clear all offseason that the Browns desperately need an infusion of young talent into their receiving corps. The 2025 outfit's rendition of what we'll generously refer to as offense ranked 31st in the league in passing. The team's entire group of wide receivers put up a measly 1,467 yards for the season on 117 receptions, with both figures ranking dead last in the league.
What's more, the Browns' receiving corps had 25 drops in 2025, which ranked ninth-worst in the league. So whether it was coaching, quarterback play, or wide receiver performance, the answer is all of the above. Todd Monken had something to say about the matter when he spoke to ESPN's Kevin Clark on This Is Football.
In 2024, the Browns actually had a Pro Bowl receiver. Jerry Jeudy came to Cleveland via trade from the Denver Broncos and hit the ground running, setting career-best marks in receptions (90) and yards (1,229). Yes, he accomplished this on the league's ninth-most targets by any player, but the takeaway was that he could be relied on as a top option. Much was expected of Jeudy in 2025, but he failed to deliver on the previous season's promise.
Todd Monken believes he can get Jerry Jeudy back to his best form
In Monken's sitdown with Clark, he was asked to name a player who is going to take a leap in 2026. He mentioned some obvious candidates, such as second-year players Mason Graham, Quinshon Judkins, and Harold Fannin Jr. Nestled in his answer, however, was Jeudy — particularly Monken's belief that the new coaching staff would be able to get him back to 2024 form.
"I think we're going to be able to get Jerry Jeudy back to two years ago," Monken said. "And that's not a leap."
It would be quite the development for Jeudy to get back on track in 2026. It will undoubtedly be a tall task. Jeudy's 10 drops in 2025 were tied for second-most in the league. According to Next Gen Stats, his average yards of separation (2.5) at the time of the catch or incompletion ranked 62nd out of 83 qualifiers. Finally, Pro Football Focus placed him 72nd out of 81 wide receivers last season.
Those metrics paint a much gloomier picture of Jeudy's outlook than Monken would care to admit. Nonetheless, in an offseason mired in trade rumors (or even an outright release), it's clear that Jeudy is in the team's plans for 2026.
This should in no way preclude the team from addressing the position with one of their top picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, but it does provide interesting insight into the offensive planning that's already underway. Whether Jeudy can get back to form in 2026 is inconsequential to the team's need at the position. With the only outside addition to this point being special teams ace Tylan Wallace, it's beyond clear that returning the same unit as last season is out of the question.
In just a few more days, the draft will commence, and the annual hope cycle begins. Buckle up, Browns fans.
Add us as a preferred source on Google