Browns Digest

Why New Browns WR Jerry Jeudy Is Poised For Breakout Season In 2024

After receiving a three-year extension upon his arrival in Cleveland, Jeudy has a lot to prove

Spencer German

Jerry Jeudy goes through on-field drills during Browns OTAs
Jerry Jeudy goes through on-field drills during Browns OTAs / Spencer German
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It's been an eventful offseason for new Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy.

Back in March, the 25-year-old wideout was traded to Cleveland from Denver in exchange for two day three picks in the 2024 NFL Draft. Less than two weeks later he was signing a three-year extension with the franchise before he ever even played a down for it.

The move was not without debate and controversy as some analysts questioned why the Browns would pay the 2020 first-round pick who has yet to live up to his first-round expectations. However, sometimes a change of scenery is just what the doctor ordered.

Cleveland presents a perfect storm of circumstances for Jeudy to produce a breakout season in 2024. That starts with the presence of new offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey and his downfield passing attack.

To this point Jeudy's specific role in the offense is still unclear after spending mandatory minicamp inside due to an injury. During OTAs though, Jeudy was being moved all over the offensive formation, lining up outside, in the slot and even in the backfield on a few occasions. It was at the very least a small glimpse into how much Dorsey and head coach Kevin Stefanski may be prioritizing getting the ball in Jeudy's hands any way they can.

The presence of Amari Cooper is another key component in Jeudy's success in 2024. Now, there's a case to be made that Jeudy getting an extension from the team is one of the main reasons Cooper is in the midst of a holdout that saw him skip veteran minicamp earlier this month.

Operating under the assumption that Cooper and the Browns find a resolution before training camp next month, this pairing of Alabama products has a chance to be a fruitful relationship. For starters, Jeudy has talked at length about Cooper being someone he looks up to. At a point in his career where he has yet to live up to the hype of being a first-round draft pick out of Bama there may not be a better mentor than Cooper, who is a consummate professional.

There's also the technical side to this partnership as well. Both Cooper and Jeudy pride themselves on being crisp and nuanced route runners. Once Cooper is back in the fold – again optimism here – he'll have an opportunity to really absorb all kinds of knowledge from Cooper to make himself a better player.

There's always the possibility that Jeudy has top step up into the role of No. 1 wide receiver if Cooper's holdout were to linger into the regular season. That would obviously still put him in line for a breakout season as well, but I'm not anticipating it comes to that. Jeudy and Cooper have an opportunity to really compliment each other in this offense.

II the end, Jeudy's success will be tied to the success of Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson. The star signal caller is working his way back from shoulder surgery and faces a pressure cooker of a season in 2024. Watson's desperation is another reason why Jeudy is poised for a breakout season.

The Browns have moved mountains to create an advantageous environment for Watson. They went out and got Jeudy to complete a talented wide receiver room. They brought in Dorsey to try and construct and offense that best suits Watson's skillset. He should have everything he needs to succeed.

I'm expecting Jeudy to be part of the solution, not the problem in helping Watson return to prominence as a quarterback in this league. Considering the Browns were already willing to extend him, they are too.

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Spencer German

SPENCER GERMAN

Spencer German is a contributor to the Northeast Ohio cluster of sites, including Cavs Insider, Cleveland Baseball Insider and most notably Browns Digest. He also works as a fill-in host on Cleveland Sports Radio, 92.3 The Fan, one of the Browns radio affiliate stations in Cleveland. Despite being a Cleveland transplant, Spencer has enjoyed making Northeast Ohio home ever since he attended college locally at John Carroll University, where he graduated in 2013.

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