Browns Receiving Corps In Bottom Half Of NFL According To One Ranking

Cleveland looked to bolster their wide receiver room with the addition of Jerry Jeudy this offseason.

Dec 17, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper (2) celebrates his touchdown run with wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) during the fourth quarter against the Chicago Bears at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports / Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry prioritized the wide receiver room this offseason by swinging a trade for Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy. Now they enter 2024 with a deeper position group headlined by the steady presence of Amari Cooper.

While there's no denying that Cleveland's wide receiver room is clearly improved last year, it's still not necessarily considered one of the top units in football.

Dropped my 4 burning #Browns questions earlier today and on the docket this week is what Cleveland will do with their surplus of quarterbacks later this summer: https://t.co/d5vB8vxg7J

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Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus recently released a list of the top receiving corps around the NFL and the Browns group couldn't even crack the top 10. In fact, Sikkema had the Cleveland's pass catchers ranked 18th overall, granted even he admits his placement of the Browns may be too low.

His explanation for Cleveland's ranking:

This spot could be too low for the Browns, led by wide receiver Amari Cooper (80.1 PFF receiving grade in 2023) and tight end David Njoku (70.4).

Elijah Moore and Cedric Tillman have yet to make their mark in Cleveland, and now Nick Chubb’s availability and overall status are unknown after his season-ending injury in 2023. Jerry Jeudy, who Cleveland acquired via trade this offseason, hasn’t lived up to his Alabama hype.

The Browns' receiving corps has a higher ceiling than some of the teams ranked near them, and this will be a big “prove it” year.

Sikkema is definitely right about this upcoming season being a "prove it" situation for multiple players in the Browns wide receiving corps. Jeudy, for example, is still trying to live up to the high expectations of being a first-round draft pick in 2020. Moore, meanwhile, is in a contract year and hoping to earn that next pay day with a solid performance. Even young wideouts David Bell and Cedric Tillman have a lot to prove as they try to find their footing in the NFL.

For what it's worth, the only AFC North team to end up higher on Sikkema's list was the Cincinnati Bengals, who were ranked ninth overall, boasting big names like Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Both the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers came in behind the Browns at 23rd and 26th respectively.