Last season for the Cleveland Browns was an absolute disaster compared to their preseason expectations. Here they had built this Super Bowl roster, only they fell short of even reaching the playoffs. Now there were several reasons for their pitfalls but one glaring weakness was the lack of a true No. 1 wide receiver for Baker Mayfield to develop strong chemistry with.
It didn’t help to see Odell Beckham Jr. tear it up with the Los Angeles Rams on their way to actually winning Super Bowl LVI after a strange departure from the Browns.
Nevertheless, the Browns need to add to their pass-catching core, especially if they follow through with letting Jarvis Landry play elsewhere.
The existing pairing of Donovan Peoples-Jones and Anthony Schwartz isn’t likely to scare any opponents away from stacking the box in an effort to slow down the effective run game led by Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt. Especially if Mayfield continues to struggle finding open targets downfield.
One potential way to make Mayfield’s job easier is by bringing in proven playmakers at the position. While the Browns could look to do so via the use of their 13th selection in April’s player selection process, recent news suggests there could be more star wide receivers available in free agency than initially expected.
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Cleveland Browns to be aggressive in pursuit of Amari Cooper, Chris Godwin, Allen Robinson
While an argument could be made that the Browns have viable options for their No. 2 and No. 3 wide receiver roles, they sorely lack a top option. Based on a recent report from Jeff Howe and Zac Jackson of The Athletic, Browns general manager Andrew Berry plans to solve their lack of a No. 1 receiver this offseason.
Names linked in the report suggest the Browns will look into adding the likes of Chris Godwin, Amari Cooper, Allen Robinson or Mike Williams to their existing cast.
Each come with their own benefits and drawbacks, but all have shown the ability to play at an extremely high level in the NFL in recent years, but Cooper will generate the most attention having made four Pro Bowl teams already at the age of 27.
No matter what, the Browns need to improve on the boundary to provide Mayfield with a legit receiver who can win one-on-one battles, making any of the above options a worthwhile investment this offseason.
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