Browns Coleman Looks To Follow In Path Of Past Rookie WRs
Is Cleveland Browns rookie WR Corey Coleman‘s rookie season going to show that he deserves to mentioned among the best at his position sooner rather than later?
It seems every year, a rookie wide receiver breaks his way into the National Football League with a bang. The youth movement amongst pass catchers is in full effect and Cleveland Browns rookie Corey Coleman headlines this year’s group.
In 2013, it was San Diego Chargers’ Keenan Allen with over 70 catches, more than 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns. In 2014, Odell Beckham, Jr. of the New York Giants was dominant, reeling in 91 passes for 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns in just 12 games.
2015 saw Oakland Raiders’ rookie Amari Cooper nearly duplicate Allen’s numbers from just two years prior, with totals north of both 70 catches and 1,000 yards with six touchdowns. Coleman’s name could be next.
More from Cleveland Browns
- Are the Cleveland Browns a Top 10 roster heading into the 2023 season?
- There will be no more excuses for Deshaun Watson and the Cleveland Browns in 2023
- There is hope that the Cleveland Browns land DeAndre Hopkins
- 4 reasons the Cleveland Browns may in fact land DeAndre Hopkins
- The Cleveland Browns need to rock some white helmets in 2023
Coleman is the player that the Browns anticipated he would be. After being called out by head coach Hue Jackson for being overweight, he quickly turned things around. Now, Coleman sits atop the depth chart at wide receiver.
In between minicamp and the present, Coleman and quarterback Robert Griffin III have established a clear rapport, as the two have seemed to connect routinely in practice on deep routes.
One day stick out in particular. On Aug. 6th, the day before the Orange and Brown Scrimmage, Coleman reeled in two beautiful deep balls from RGIII during an inter-squad scrimmage, prompting Yahoo’s Charles Robinson to tweet the following:
So, Coleman responded to his head coach and impressing members of the media. He should be well on his way to becoming this year’s rookie version of Allen, OBJ or Cooper, right? Well, not so fast.
More from Factory of Sadness
- Bet $1 on ANYTHING to Unlock $200 Guaranteed with Crazy Bet365 Ohio Promo!
- 3 reasons why the Cleveland Cavaliers have a good shot to win the East next year
- It might be too soon to say it but it looks like the Cleveland Guardians are back
- Are the Cleveland Browns a Top 10 roster heading into the 2023 season?
- Eastern Conference Solidarity: Back the Heat with $5 Bet, Win $200 Bonus INSTANTLY with DraftKings Promo
Coleman is already battling a hamstring injury. His injury forced him to miss both the Orange and Brown Scrimmage and the first preseason game. While it’s not an injury that will linger into the beginning of the season, it still is a little concerning.
Coleman missed time at Baylor with a hamstring injury and is coming off of sports hernia surgery. Also, he ran a very limited route tree in college. Missing time will put Coleman at a disadvantage.
Surprisingly, it seems as though Coleman will also have to battle for targets with the rest of the weapons the Browns have offensively. Terrelle Pryor has improved immensely in his transition to wide receiver and looks poised to open the season as a starter opposite Coleman.
Tight end Gary Barnidge, who is coming off a career-best season, is back and healthy after offseason surgery, and Duke Johnson is expected to be used often in the passing game. Finally, Josh Gordon, one of the best receivers in the NFL while on the field, will return to the lineup in Week 4.
All of these players vying for targets will make it difficult for Coleman to post video-game-like numbers. Unlike the previous receivers mentioned, Coleman also faces a disadvantage at the quarterback position.
Instead of Philip Rivers, Eli Manning or Derek Carr at the helm of the offense, the Browns will have Griffin. Remember, Griffin has not started a regular season game since 2014.
He has also struggled to stay healthy. Any trouble at the quarterback position will hurt Coleman’s chances at replicating previous rookie WRs’ numbers.
Now, none of this is to say that Coleman will not have a fantastic rookie season for the Browns. In fact, with what he has shown thus far, it is entirely possible that he will. However, Coleman’s chances of becoming the next OBJ, for instance, are not as strong as they may seem.
Next: Plenty Of Work Still Is Ahead For Terrelle Pryor
Expectations need to be tempered for the Browns’ rookie. Still, Coleman may prove many wrong, including myself, with his evolving skill set and strong work ethic.