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February 12, 2016The NFL Waiting Room
February 12, 2016The Cleveland Browns finished another disappointing and dysfunctional season in 2015, ending the season tied for the worst record in the NFL at 3-13. This past season brought on a lot of change, including a whole new front office led by Sashi Brown and Paul DePodesta and a new coaching staff led by head coach Hue Jackson. With the changes, the franchise has brought new hope to its fan base. (…Again.)
Over the course of the next couple weeks, I am taking a look at what the Browns have going into the really important offseason, examining through each position of the team. The next position in the series that we will take a look at is the wide receiver group.
Where the Browns stand series: Quarterbacks | Running Backs | Tight Ends/Fullbacks | Offensive Line | Wide Receivers
Wide Receivers on the Roster
- Travis Benjamin (Unrestricted Free Agent)
- Taylor Gabriel
- Brian Hartline
- Andrew Hawkins
- Dwayne Bowe
- Darius Jennings (Exclusive Restricted Free Agent)
- Marlon Moore
- Terrelle Pryor (Unrestricted Free Agent)
- Rannell Hall
Recap of 2015 Season
The Browns wide receiver position has been a weakness for several years. 2015 was no different. It was a one-man show, Travis Benjamin, with the rest of the group completely underwhelming. Two of the top three players in total receiving yards for the Browns last season were non-receivers. The Browns receivers combined for just 196 receptions for 2,299 yards and eight touchdowns.
The Browns best receiver this season by far was Travis Benjamin. Benjamin caught 68 passes for 966 yards and five touchdowns. He also returned 28 punts for an average of 11.6 yards, including returning one for a touchdown. Benjamin had a breakout season as a receiver after only being a real consistent threat as a returner in his first few seasons in the NFL. His speed is hard to cover for any corner, but with his improved route-running this season he gained even more separation from the coverage. His speed is a real weapon for the Browns offense. He can turn one short pass into a big gain. His impending free agency creates an important decision for the Browns.
Brian Hartline had an up and down season, coming on late in the year before a season-ending injury. Hartline caught 46 passes for 523 yards and two touchdowns in his first year with the Browns. Hartline missed the last three games of the season after he broke his collarbone against the San Francisco 49ers. In his final five games, he played well. Hartline caught 34 passes for 373 yards and two touchdowns. Hartline has good hands and is a sound route-runner, which makes him a favorite target for any quarterback. His early season performance was non-existent until he came on in his final stretch of games. The Browns need more of his late season performance if he continues with the team.
Andrew Hawkins had a big drop off after a solid first season with the Browns in 2014. This past season, Hawkins had 27 receptions for 276 yards and no touchdowns. He suffered a lot of injuries that caused him to miss eight games. The injuries really messed up his season, not allowing him to repeat his solid season from a year ago. He is a shifty and agile receiver who can make plays after the catch. Hopefully, the arrival of his former-Bengals coach Hue Jackson can rejuvenate Hawkins and get him back on his game.
Taylor Gabriel did not take the big jump I thought he would. In fact, he regressed. Gabriel had 28 receptions for 241 yards and no touchdowns. He also did not play a full season, missing three games with injuries. He had only one game with over 40 yards receiving. His big play ability that he showed in his rookie season did not return this past year. His play was just not good enough for the Browns to rely on. His status with the team is up in the air now because of his bad performance in his second season.
What can I say about Dwayne Bowe? He was awful and an embarrassment. In his first season with the Browns after signing a big free agent contract, Bowe had only five receptions for 53 yards and no touchdowns. He looked completely carefree and seemingly put out little effort to help the Browns win. It was a disaster of a season and should be the last season for Bowe on the Browns.
Marlon Moore is a special teams player who was forced to play receiver because of injuries. This past season, he caught seven passes for 81 yards and one touchdown. On special teams, he is a valuable player as the team’s gunner. But, he is not a receiver. He does not have the skills. He is purely a special teamer.
Terrelle Pryor is a player with potential but is still very raw as a receiver. He caught only one pass for 42 yards in three games played. Pryor has great athleticism and size that makes him intriguing to a team “in need” like the Browns. He is still learning the position and what it takes to be a NFL receiver. Time is needed for him to learn the position, but he has the potential to be a legit weapon in the league.
Darius Jennings is an average receiver, who could be a possible option as a returner. The rookie caught 14 passes for 117 yards in four games. He also returned seven kicks for an average 22.6 yards a return. His status on the team is not strong. Rannell Hall was a late season addition. He was a rookie last season after playing college football at Central Florida. His status with the team for next season is unlikely.
The big unknown for this position going forward is Josh Gordon. Gordon is expected to be reinstated to the NFL and allowed back on the Browns. What can the team expect from Gordon? Can he regain his form from his Pro Bowl season in 2013? Can he remain clean and out of trouble? There are so many questions regarding the receiver. We just don’t know what to expect from him and thus the team should not count on him as being a solution.
The Browns wide receiver position is a mess. Their best receiver last season, Travis Benjamin, is a potential free agent, so he could be gone. The team lacks a number one receiver who can make big plays in the passing game. The unit is filled with smaller receivers and is in need of pass catchers with size. There is a lot of work to do at this position this offseason.
2015 Season Grade: D
Offseason To Do List
- Find a number one receiver
Finding a big time number one receiver should be job number one at this position. The team has lacked this player ever since 2013 when Josh Gordon broke out as a big time player. The Browns need to give the quarterback (whoever it may be) a big time receiver who can make things easier for the quarterback. Whether its through free agency or the draft, the Browns cannot skip over this job like they have over the past several seasons. It is time to get help at the position and find someone who can change the game for the offense.
- Re-sign Travis Benjamin
Travis Benjamin was the lone bright spot at the receiver position. He really had a breakout season, putting his athletic ability together with his improved receiving skills. The Browns need playmakers and Benjamin was one last year. His speed is unmatched by most in the league, making him a big play waiting to happen. He is definitely a number two receiver who would be a great match alongside a big time number one receiver. Letting him walk would mean the Browns are less playmaker on an offense already short on them.
- Add receivers with size
The Browns receiver corp is filled with mostly players who are six-feet and under. The Browns need to add size to the position. Size at the receiver spot gives the quarterback a large target to rely on in the passing game. Bigger receivers also can beat tight coverage purely on their size advantage. The bigger receivers also give quarterbacks easier endzone targets to find. The Browns smaller receivers could not win unless they could get separation and it was a lot more difficult to find them open in the redzone with the tighter field.
6 Comments
I’m really hoping Hawkins comes back healthy and ready to go. He’s a great guy and should be able to contribute much better once we have some other recieving pieces around him. I like Hartline as well and expect him to be a nice short yardage option at 3, again, once we have the other personnel. Drafting in the 2nd to 4th round makes sense here, as even if Gordon somehow returns to top form and we resign rabbit you really can’t have too many guys at WR.
Where do the Browns WRs stand? About 5’8″.
We have WRs?
https://i.imgur.com/P0GPM.gif
https://i.imgur.com/P0GPM.gif booyachacka
I’d just like to note that while some rookie WR bust out, it usually happens late in the year and anybody expecting a rookie WR to help this year is not thinking straight. The vast sum of the time they need a few years of seasoning before being impact players.