The Cleveland Browns receivers are not very good according to PFF

The Cleveland Browns patch-work receiver room is not well-respected by PFF.

The Cleveland Browns are not a team with a good receiving corps, at least according to those at PFF. The folks at PFF looked at every team in the NFL, and ranked their receiving corp based on last year’s productivity, returning players, and new additions made to the unit for 2023. The listing includes receivers and tight ends, and even with the added addition of David Njoku, the Browns still didn’t luck out.

The team has had some down years of production, ever since 2020 really when Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham both had career-altering injuries. The team got rid of both heading into 2022 and brought in the likes of Amari Cooper, and elevated Donovan Peoples-Jones, but that didn’t help matters much.

Now, with even more retooling at the position, it looks like the Browns receiving corps is just not something to worry about; which isn’t unexpected. They made a lot of middling or unimpressive moves this offseason, so it’s no surprise the team came in at No. 22.

"22. CLEVELAND BROWNSAmari Cooper is the unquestioned WR1 in Cleveland, but it’s been tough sledding over the last few seasons with not much passing game talent around him. Things do look better this season, as they added Elijah Moore, who recorded a 73.8 receiving grade as the Jets slot receiver in 2021, and Cedric Tillman, who gives them a strong contested catch possession receiver.Throw in the deep threat ability of Donovan Peoples-Jones and David Njoku at tight end, and it’s a group that should be much better than they were last season."

The Cleveland Browns have a long way to go to catch up to the Top 10

The Browns have arguably the weakest WR1 in the league with Cooper, who is still a good player make no mistake about that, and a solid slot guy in Peoples-Jones who should be the team’s No. 3 guy. Beyond that, who do they have?

They drafted four receivers in three years, starting with Anthony Schwartz, then David Bell and Michael Woods, and most recently Cedric Tillman. Schwartz is likely to be cut, Bell was a disappointment as a rookie, Woods is already done for the season and Tillman doesn’t have a long history of production at the college level.

Then you have the offseason additions of Elijah Moore and Marquise Goodwin, and you can see why they’re where they are in terms of ranking.

The teams ahead of them are elite groups;

1. Cincinnati Bengals
2. Philadelphia Eagles
3. Miami Dolphins
4. San Francisco 49ers
5. Seattle Seahawks
6. Dallas Cowboys
7. Minnesota Vikings
8. Las Vegas Raiders
9. Buffalo Bills
10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Those are the Top 10 teams in the league according to PFF and it’s fair to say that the Browns don’t belong anywhere near that top group. In fact, of all the teams ahead of the Browns, the only one I think that Cleveland has a better corp than is the New Orleans Saints, who are just 21st.

With Cleveland now focusing more on throwing than they have at any other time under Kevin Stefanski, it’s fair to say the Browns need to develop the receivers in camp his year if the team is going to win many games this season.

• Published on 06/19/2023 at 00:32 AM
• Last updated at 06/19/2023 at 17:38 PM