The Cleveland Browns entered the offseason with a big need for another pass-catcher.
They took TE Harold Fannin Jr. in the 2025 NFL Draft, but they didn’t add another wide receiver at any point of the three-day event.
Then, they signed veteran Diontae Johnson to a one-year deal, but given his volatile character and recent history, it’s hard to trust him.
That’s why Trevor Sikkema of PFF believes that Gage Larvadain, who they signed as an undrafted free agent, could sneak his way onto the 53-man roster and make some noise next season:
“WR Gage Larvadain, South Carolina,” Sikkema wrote. “Cleveland’s wide receiver corps is in shaky shape on paper. There is a clear path to snaps for any rookie or unproven player, with Jerry Jeudy, Cedric Tillman and Diontae Johnson headlining the unit. Larvadain flashed at three schools in his college career. His 2024 campaign with the Gamecocks yielded only a 58.6 PFF receiving grade and 223 receiving yards, but in his previous three seasons, he combined for 135 catches, 1,904 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns.”
Larvadain might not have the flashiest numbers, but he boasts a combination of acceleration and speed that makes him a perennial big-play threat in the open field.
He kicked off his collegiate career at Southeastern Louisiana, where he played for a couple of years.
He broke out in 2022 with 59 receptions for 731 yards and a pair of touchdowns before transferring to Miami (OH).
There, he hauled in 42 catches for 679 yards and six scores before moving to South Carolina.
Standing at 5-foot-9, he might struggle with the physicality of the pros, but he won’t face much competition for snaps in the slot if Jamari Thrash or Cedric Tillman don’t take a leap.
The Browns’ wide receivers corps is far from impressive right now, and while he might not be the flashiest player out there, the fact of the matter is that anybody currently on the roster has a legitimate opportunity to get some snaps in the regular season.
