The Cleveland Browns officially acquired former Denver Broncos WR Jerry Jeudy yesterday via trade. Speaking to reporters for the first time since the move, he called the feeling “surreal”, via Mary Kay Cabot. Via Cleveland.com and talked about how the Browns have shown interest in him for the past couple years, which just shows him that he has value to them.
“I had heard that the Browns were interested in me even two years ago”, he said. “To hear that, and then be here now is exciting. I feel like I am wanted, and the team has really made me feel welcomed”.
The Browns have built the vast majority of their passing game via trade. That obviously includes the highly questionable trade for QB Deshaun Watson in 2022, and also now their top three receivers. For the third consecutive year, they’ve made a bold move to add a weapon here. And they managed that without giving up more than a Day-3 pick without getting one back in return.
In 2022, the Browns sent fifth-and sixth-round picks to the Dallas Cowboys for WR Amari Cooper and his fat contract. Last year, they sent the New York Jets their second-round pick for WR Elijah Moore and a third-round selection. For Jeudy, they surrendered the same deal as for Cooper—fifth- and sixth-round picks.
In his two seasons in Cleveland, Cooper has 150 receptions for 2,410 yards and 14 touchdowns. Moore caught 59 passes for 640 yards and two touchdowns during his first season with the Browns last year. Mind you, as a team, the Browns only recorded 24 passing touchdowns, ranking dead middle of the pack. Granted, the Pittsburgh Steelers pine for the middle, in comparison. Now they have Jeudy to add to the mix.
A former first-round pick, Jeudy has 211 career catches in four seasons for 3,053 yards over 57 games. He has 11 touchdowns, catching two in 2023 with 758 yards on 54 catches. He’s never quite fully lived up to his draft pedigree, but he hasn’t always played in the best offense. Nor with the best quarterback play.
But the Browns also started four different quarterbacks during competitive games in 2023. Watson only started six games between injuries before succumbing to a season-ender. Rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson started three games and P.J. Walker two, but they settled into a rhythm with Joe Flacco. They managed to go 4-1 in his five starts, and he helped them reach the postseason where they were unceremoniously dumped by Houston.
The Browns hope to finally get a full season of play out of Watson, but if they don’t, they are making contingency moves while strengthening the receiving corps with Jeudy. While they failed to re-sign Flacco, they are bringing in Jameis Winston as QB2. Winston has 80 career starts with 22,104 passing yards and 141 touchdowns to 99 interceptions.
