The NFL has become a place where a team can never have enough weapons but the Cleveland Browns may not add another receiver to their current group. With the addition of Amari Cooper, the Browns have the following slotted behind their new #1 receiver:
- Donovan Peoples-Jones
- Anthony Schwartz
- David Bell
- Jakeem Grant
- Javon Wims
- Ja’Marcus Bradley
- Michael Woods
- Isaiah Weston
It is an interesting and eclectic group of receivers with Cooper being the senior statesman while Grant and Wims also provide some veteran experience.
Schwartz was limited due to a concussion during his rookie year and is joined by rookies Bell, Woods and Weston as the youngsters at the position.
Somewhere in between are Peoples-Jones and Bradley who enter their third professional season.
From those nine names, five or six will make the team in 2022. Not a lot of space available for another veteran.
With Jarvis Landry leaving in free agency, many wondered if the team would address the position with a different veteran free agent. Deshaun Watson’s former teammate Will Fuller got a lot of attention while T.Y. Hilton and Julio Jones are big names available as well.
As discussed on 92.3 The Fan, and a mailbag piece by Mary Kay Cabot, Cleveland may not be in the market for a veteran receiver. The team believes Watson can, and needs to, raise the play of his receivers and have to start planning for future salary cap needs. The rollover cap for this year essentially adds to the team’s salary cap total next year.
The Browns also have a lot of other weapons to deploy in a variety of ways. At tight end, recently extended David Njoku and Harrison Bryant are quality receiving threats. At running back, Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt, D’Ernest Johnson and Demetric Felton have all been weapons in the passing game.
While another receiver could be added, expecting it may be foolhardy.