Final 2018 Cleveland Browns Report Card: Wide Receiver

The Cleveland Browns finished off their 2018 season with a 7-8-1 record. The season had its ups and downs, but overall it was a productive year that has raised hopes for the franchise going forward. Freddie Kitchens is now the head coach of the Browns and this offseason should have a lot different feel to it because of the success the team felt this season. But, before we get to the offseason, let’s go over what transpired this past season in our final report cards. Today, we will take a look at the Browns wide receivers and how they performed in 2018.

Overall Grade: B

Rashard Higgins: B
Jarvis Landry: B
Antonio Callaway: B-
Breshad Perriman: B-
Damion Ratley: C-
Derrick Willies: INC
Rod Streater: INC
Ricardo Louis: INC
Blake Jackson: INC

Top Grade: Rashard Higgins and Jarvis Landry

I do not think any one of the Browns receivers solidified themselves as the best receiver on the team, but Rashard Higgins and Jarvis Landry both played well this season. They were the two most consistent and reliable receivers on the team for the entire season. In my eyes, I could not differentiate a grade for these two pass catchers. They all had their own strengths and weakness, ups and downs. In the end, these two had good seasons, earning the top grades in the unit.

Biggest Strength: Depth

The Browns have four productive receivers who can see the field and make plays for the offense. Higgins, Landry, Callaway, and Perriman made their fair share of plays last season, giving quarterback Baker Mayfield a good array of targets to throw to in the passing game. Beyond these four productive receivers, the Browns also have some young, athletic developmental receivers in Damion Ratley, Ricardo Louis, and Derrick Willies. They all have shown splashes of their athletic ability sometime during their young careers. The Browns wide receiver unit is a deep group with a good mix of players.

Biggest Need: No. 1 receiver

The Browns do not have a go-to No. 1 receiver on the roster. The roster has some nice No. 2 and No. 3 level receivers, but I do not think it holds a receiver who can be No. 1 game-breaking receiver. No. 1 receivers can come in all shapes and sizes, but they all have the ability to change games and cause defenses to have to game plan for them. Mayfield would be greatly helped by getting a receiver who he can rely on to make the tough catches and the big plays in the important moments of the game. If the Browns can find a No. 1 receiver this offseason, the rest of the unit really becomes even better because they will fit their roles even better. I think this is a need, but not a pressing need like many other positions are on the roster.

2019 NFL Draft Priority: Low/Medium

The Browns could look to add more depth at wide receiver and pick a young receiver somewhere in the middle rounds of the upcoming draft. But, I do not think this would be the way to fill their biggest need of getting a No. 1 receiver. The Browns have bigger needs on their roster to spend a first or second-round pick on a receiver, in my opinion. But, the NFL has shown that you can find a really good receiver throughout the draft.

2019 Free Agency/Trade Priority: Medium

I added traded to this because I think the trade market will be the best way for the Browns to net a No. 1 wide receiver. Some of the big names on the trade market could be Odell Beckham Jr, Antonio Brown and Mike Evans. In free agency, there are no No. 1 receivers available, so the only additions would be to add veteran depth, like Golden Tate. The trade market should be the avenue Browns fans should definitely keep an eye on for this position.

Overall Thought

The Browns wide receiver unit is one of the most improved positions on the team. This has to do with a couple of factors. The position has four productive receivers for the Browns to rely on. Jarvis Landry was the big addition last offseason and his impact was both on and off the field. He made some big catches this season. He was the most consistent receiver for the entirety of the season. He may have not been the big time addition some were hoping for last offseason, but he was consistent at a position that really needed an infusion of reliability. His leadership and energy cannot be overshadowed either, and he was awarded a Pro Bowl slot as an injury replacement for DeAndre Hopkins.

Rashard Higgins was the only returning receiver who made a mark this season. He improved throughout the season and showed late in the year that he might be the best receiver currently on the roster. Higgins is not flashy, but he is another reliable target for Mayfield. Antonio Callaway was productive for a rookie, but he had his highs and lows like many rookies have in their first season. He showed the big play ability that earned him the chance of being picked in the draft even with the questionable off-field issues. This offseason will be big for him. I think he could really turn into a big play machine next season if he can improve his consistency and catching.

Breshad Perriman was quite a find by John Dorsey. Perriman was on the last limb of his career when he was picked up by the Browns. He had underperformed for his entire career, but with the Browns, he really showed some of the talents that made him a first-round pick. His hands and catching ability had been a huge weakness for him, but he showed this season that he had shored up this area quite a bit. His performance this season has earned him a spot on the roster next season, in my opinion. The likes of Damion Ratley, Derrick Willies, and Ricardo Louis will be interesting guys to watch this offseason. They are all really good athletes with the chance to be something in the NFL because of their athleticism. Can they put it together to show production on the field?

The last part about why this position saw an uptick in production is because of quarterback Baker Mayfield and the play calling. Mayfield is a quarterback who can make the receivers around him better and we saw that in his rookie season. We also saw an improvement when Freddie Kitchens took over play calling. The receivers and the passing game as a whole played better under Kitchens. These two factors alleviate some of the pressure of improving the position for the Browns front office. The Browns have a quarterback and coach that will elevate this position, so the need for great players is not as big a need as other positions are on the roster.

Final 2018 Cleveland Browns Report Card Series: Quarterbacks, Running Backs and Tight Ends/Fullbacks