Cleveland Browns: 3 training camp questions that need answers
By Chad Porto
Who’s your third wide receiver?
Right now the Cleveland Browns really only have two proven wide-receivers. It’s actually one of the weakest positions on the team with regard to depth. Sure, you have two top-15 wideouts, but who’s your third option? What does your backup situation look like should you have to play a game or two or three without Jarvis Landry and/or Odell Beckham Jr.?
The three leading candidates to fill out the rest of the receiving corp are Rashard Higgins, Damion Ratley, and Donovan Peoples-Jones. Higgins is the choice of many for the spot because he had that one good year in 2018 but honestly, none of these options really seem like home runs. They all feel like they lack something.
For Higgins it’s consistency. He’s been in the league a total of four seasons and still can’t find consistent time on the field. Not too mention his attitude issues and you’re looking at a player that has one redeeming quality for him; he’s got good chemistry with Baker Mayfield. Allegedly.
Ratley has been a viable fourth-string kinda guy since he got drafted in 2018 but he’s yet to show coaches that he deserves more time. He only had 12 receptions last year but did have over 200 yards receiving. Not just that but only one of his receptions wasn’t for a first down. So he can clearly stretch the field in bursts but can he do it across a whole season?
Then there’s Peoples-Jones, who’s going to be a rookie with a focus on playing special teams more than anything. It seems unlikely that he’ll be the third-receiver.
The team might not be done improving, obviously. They could still go get another receiver.