Key Position Battles: Wide Receivers
The Browns are desperately trying to improve their team after a devastating 0-16 campaign and they did just that by bolstering their wide receiver corps. The core of this club consists of Josh Gordon, Jarvis Landry and Corey Coleman. Anyone else after those three will have a fight on their hands for a roster spot. Unlike some other positions, receiving rooms are usually deep and have multiple players on the field at once, we’ll have to break each situation down.
Josh Gordon is your go-to guy nearly every play. At one point, he was considered one of the best receivers in the league after a historic 2013 season. Even now, many are still high on him. He’s an unstoppable force and a clear No.1 wide receiver on this team.
With the recent news of Gordon taking a break from football to focus on his treatment plan, it’s been reported that the team has discussed adding former Cowboys’ WR Dez Bryant as insurance if he slips up. That would give the Browns an extremely talented receiver group, but Bryant’s baggage and strong personality may be too much to handle for a young locker room trying to build something.
After playing for the Dolphins, Jarvis Landry was shipped to Cleveland via trade. He’s a very talented receiver, but also very limited. He does most of his damage underneath and excels at creating yards after the catch. Making the Pro Bowl three times in four seasons shows that he has it and will make it nearly impossible to be replaced. Landry will make a solid No.2 receiver to compliment Gordon when he gets back.
The next guy is Corey Coleman. After being selected in the first round in 2016, he’s had issues trying to stay on the field because of a broken hand in consecutive years. For the times he was on the field, he’s been inconsistent, showing flashes representing a first round pick. Coleman and freshly drafted receiver Antonio Callaway will be battling for the third spot. If Coleman can continuously prove himself in camp, it will be tough for Callaway to snatch that spot from him.
The Browns should look to keep around six receivers because they have two guys in Duke Johnson and David Njoku who don’t play the position but are capable of doing so. This is where the rest of the guys fall in.
Unfortunately, for Ricardo Louis, he will sit out the 2018 season with a neck injury. The team may look to add another receiver or give one of the guys on the bubble a better shot to make the team. As for Jeff Janis, he’s listed a WR, but he’ll be mostly used for special teams as a gunner.
Image: Yahoo Sports
