The Opening Drive 12/17: The Browns Approach at Wide Receiver Has Involved Far too Much Wishful Thinking
They've been far too reliant on projection and development that hasn't come to reality at receiver.
At some point, the Browns have to stop pretending this wide receiver room is merely “incomplete” and acknowledge that it is not nearly good enough to support a functional NFL passing offense in 2025.
This isn’t a hot take. It’s a roster reality.
Jerry Jeudy is supposed to be the clear headliner and, at the very least, a receiver opposing defenses have to worry about. The truth is that he has underwhelmed all season with drops and inconsistent play, while behaving more like the version of Jeudy we heard about in Denver. He shows flashes of a quality NFL receiver, but those moments are few and far between. I am becoming more convinced each week that he may not be part of this room moving forward.
Still, the Browns are likely stuck with him for another season based on the contract he was given upon his arrival in Cleveland. He is not an ideal leader for a young receiver group, and this room needs a serious overhaul. If he can be moved without getting fleeced, it may be a case of addition by subtraction.
Cedric Tillman flashes traits you want in terms of size, catch radius, and a willingness to work the middle of the field. Still, nothing in his profile suggests he’s ready to be a true No. 2 receiver who tilts coverage or consistently wins against top corners. He’s best suited as a complementary piece, not someone defenses need to account for in their weekly game plan. He could be more, but every time he begins to show his potential, he is forced to miss time due to injury. I don’t want to give up on Tillman, but he cannot be counted on right now, as evidenced by his performance this season.
Once you move past Jeudy and Tillman, the Browns are operating in a space filled with projection, hope, and developmental timelines that don’t align with the urgency required. Young receivers, depth pieces, and fringe contributors can have value—but not when they make up the bulk of the room. Right now, Cleveland doesn’t have a receiver group that can consistently win on the perimeter, threaten defenses vertically, or create easy answers on third down.
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Isaiah Bond has come on of late and shown a unique ability to stress teams vertically. There is certainly hope he can become a contributor, but it’s hard to imagine his role expanding beyond the deep-ball, field-stretcher role he has flashed so far. Still, he may be one of the few in this group who can play a role next season. Malachi Corley provides a level of toughness that is needed and can be part of the plan moving forward, but that is about it.
The Browns have tried to patch this room together with middling investments over the years. That approach has left them with a receiver group that lacks both top-end punch and dependable depth. In today’s NFL—where explosive passing games are the baseline rather than the exception—that isn’t sustainable.
If the Browns are serious about taking a step forward offensively in 2025, the wide receiver room cannot be treated as an afterthought. It needs a commitment of real resources and wholesale change at its core. That means adding at least one legitimate difference-maker and another dependable NFL starter, not asking developmental players to grow into roles they’ve shown no evidence of handling yet.
There has been a clear cultural issue in the room as well, including a lack of development among younger players. To be fair, the overall quality of the offense—including quarterback play—impacts this. Still, throughout the season, there have been moments when the receiving corps exceeded expectations, so it cuts both ways. Along with a major overhaul of the offensive line, the wide receiver room needs a significant influx of talent and a change in attitude from top to bottom.
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Truer words have never been spoken. How is it that these Ivy League can’t figure out what’s plainly obvious to true fan