In the end, the Browns and John Dorsey got the Josh Gordon saga right
September 18, 2018Another melancholy Browns post, While We’re Waiting
September 18, 2018For the last six seasons, the Browns have depended on Josh Gordon to provide production from the wide receiving position. As of today, the Browns will no longer have to depend on Gordon, he is the Patriots problem now.
Gordon leaves behind a receiving corps that features Jarvis Landry, Antonio Callaway, Rashard Higgins, Damion Ratley, Derek Willies, and Rod Streater. Landry signed a five-year, $75 million contract with the Browns this spring, after being acquired for a fourth and seventh round pick. The three-time Pro Bowl receiver, Landry, will be the primary “go-to” receiver for the orange and brown for the near future. Landry is what he is. He is a great possession receiver that has big-time play breaking ability.
The Browns traded one of the deadliest deep threat receivers in the NFL, leaving behind a void that will need to be filled. The Browns will go from depending on one troubled receiver to another.
Rookie wide receiver Antonio Callaway flashed what the Browns were hoping to see when general manager John Dorsey took a flier on him in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Late in the 4th quarter when it was fourth and five on the New Orleans 47-yard line, Taylor loaded up and threw a bomb downfield. Callaway blazed by the Saints secondary and caught Taylor’s pass in stride for a touchdown. The pain of losing Gordon was somewhat eased following the big time catch from the rookie receiver.
Callaway has already tested the waters with the Browns brass after a run-in with police at 3 A.M. an early August Sunday morning. Callaway was flagged down by police for failing to yield to oncoming traffic. In addition, Callaway was cited for driving on a suspended license and driving with marijuana in his vehicle — Parts of a gun were also found in the vehicle.
That incident is behind Callaway and the Browns, and hopefully for all parties that incident was just a fluke. Except, what if it wasn’t? Callaway failed a drug test at the NFL Combine,1 a negative million in the self-awareness category. The rookie receiver missed his final season at Florida because of credit card scam, sexual assault allegations, and multiple problems with marijuana.
A step in the right direction: Callaway has not had any noteworthy incidents since the “hiccup” in early August. It has only been a little over a month, but with Gordon in that receiver room, that is progress. Having Callaway and Gordon together in the same receiver was like pouring gasoline on your hands and then playing with matches.
Enough of the off-field woes, let’s focus on the positives.
In Week 1 against the Steelers because of Gordon playing nearly every snap, Callaway only received one target. Week 2 was a different story against the Saints. Callaway received four targets and caught three passes for 81-yards and a touchdown. Yet again, progress.
In Week 1 in the preseason, head coach Hue Jackson admitted that Callaway was subject to playing essentially the entire game as a punishment for his run-in with the police. In his professional debut against the Giants, Callaway had a tough time hauling passes in the first half. Likely a case of the jitters after not playing football in over a year was the result of a poor first half. In the second half, Callaway settled in and flashed Pro Bowl receiver potential.
The Browns have clearly installed lots of trust in Callaway after trading former first-round wide receiver Corey Coleman and finally having the guts to move on from Gordon. With Landry receiving most of the attention from opposing defenses, Callaway will have the flexibility to make some big-time plays. The biggest bump in the road to achieving those big-time throws will be Tyrod Taylor—and Todd Haley’s—reluctance to throw the deep ball, despite Callaway having the chops to do it.
Callaway has also received opportunities in the run game for the Browns, receiving end-around hand-offs against the Saints. He had mixed results on the two end-arounds, one going for 15 yards, the other for negative eight, but that’s the game you play.
As a freshman at Florida, Callaway averaged 19.4 yards per catch after hauling in 35 receptions. In his sophomore season, he averaged 13.4 yards per catch on 54 receptions. He also had a rushing touchdown in 2016, showcasing his speed.
This could be a case of putting too much on a rookie’s plate too soon for Callaway, but he could become a big-time proponent for the Browns offense. Week three may not propose the quickest opportunity for Callaway but week four could be big time. The Browns will have ten days between games and then will face the Raiders in Oakland. A perfect opportunity to make a big time jump.
- Callaways submitted a diluted sample, which triggers as a fail. He took responsibility for his test, but admitted it was diluted unintentionally. [↩]