Browns’ Jordan Cameron: “I need to find a way to get open”

Many have lamented over the past few weeks about the lack of involvement for up-and-coming Browns tight end Jordan Cameron. After a hot start to the season, he’s cooled off of late with Jason Campbell under center at quarterback.

Cameron addressed this recent slump in some comments to the Plain Dealer’s Mary Kay Cabot:

“I need to speed things up and I need to find a way to get open. I need to try to get in there and do more. I need to step up and make plays and do whatever I can to help this team. That’s my goal.”

“I’ve just been getting a lot more attention so it’s harder to get open. They pay attention to what you’re doing. They’re hitting you in all areas, and I just think it’s the way the defense has been playing.”

“I don’t think it’s Jason at all. They’re jamming you at the line and then there’s someone hitting you at the second level, so it’s just harder chemistry with the route. The timing is a little off.”

The 25-year-old from USC also mentioned “some chemistry issues here and there,” but focused his comments to Cabot on his ability to fight through the extra attention from defenders.

As shared in The Diff on Wednesday, Cameron has been targeted on just 12.4% of Campbell’s 129 pass attempts this season. That percentage was significantly higher at 21.8% for pass attempts from the other players to man the QB position for Cleveland in 2013.

Even still, he’s having one of the finer seasons for a Browns tight end in franchise history. He has 56 catches for 629 yards and six touchdowns through 10 games. He barely remains on pace (89.6) to break the franchise record of 89 receptions held by Ozzie Newsome and Kellen Winslow Jr.

The Pittsburgh Steelers rank 8th in the NFL with 215.6 passing yards allowed per game (the Browns are 4th at 207.5). All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski hauled in 143 yards and a touchdown in their matchup against Pittsburgh two weeks ago.

[Related: Can the Browns rivalry with the Steelers ever return?]