Over the last couple of seasons, we have watched the wide receiver position become a premium position in the NFL. With the Minnesota Vikings inking Justin Jefferson to a four-year deal that will pay him on average $35 million a year, the price has absolutely skyrocketed.
One team that is in a good position and that isn’t paying extreme money to anyone wide receiver is the Cleveland Browns. The Browns have found creative ways to. Hold their wide receiver room at an efficient cost.
Trading for Amari Cooper was a huge win for the Browns
When the Browns traded a fifth-round selection the the Dallas Cowboys for Cooper, they committed a robbery. We had a career-high 1,250 receiving yards last season and have shown no signs of slowing down at soon-to-be 30 years old.
The thing with Cooper is he has cemented himself as the team’s clear No. 1 wideout with inconsistent and poor quarterback play at times. In 32 starts over two seasons in Cleveland, Cooper has 2,410 recovering yards and 14 touchdowns. He should be in for another big year with the Browns, who hope that Deshaun Watson can finally show why the Browns traded for him.
Cooper is set to have a cap number of $23.7 million this year in the final year of his five-year contract that was worth $100 million. The Browns will need to resign Cooper if they want to keep him around, but they still aren’t going to have to break the bank and give him north of $30 million. A two-year deal worth $50 million perhaps may be more likely. Cleveland has been able to get away with paying Cooper less than his worth the last couple of years when you look at other wide receivers and how much they are making.
The Jerry Jeudy trade has a great chance to be another steal
After the Browns traded for Jeudy From the Denver Broncos, they followed it up with a three-year deal that is worth $53 million. Cleveland paid Jeudy partially off of who they projected him to be and that is a better player in Cleveland than he was in Denver.
For different reasons, Jeudy never hit 1,000 yards receiving in Denver during his four seasons there, but the Browns believe he still has untapped potential. The Alabama product is a very good route runner and can make a team pay after the catch.
Jeudy has gone above 850 yards in two of his four seasons but hasn’t broken through yet. The browns paid David Njoku before his breakout because they knew he was on the cusp of it. It is the same idea here and could be a big steal if Jeudy develops into a WR1 or even an elite second option such as Tee Higgins.
Closing argument
The Browns only have Jeudy under contract next season with Cooper and Elijah Moore both set to be free agents. Cleveland letting Cooper go would be a big surprise and Moore could end up back too depending on how the 2024 season goes.
Cleveland knows they can trust Cooper and they are really sold on what Jeudy can be for them. Other options like Cedric. Cedric Tillman, David Bell, and Jamari Thrash developing into anything substantial would be the cherry on top for this wideout room.
No one is saying the Browns have the top wide receiver room in the NFL because they don’t. But they do have a well-put-together room with no worries of having to pay a single guy crazy money anytime soon.
