Cleveland Browns: Rashard Higgins Needs More Looks Down the Stretch

The Cleveland Browns know that wideout Terrelle Pryor has long-term value, but now the team needs to evaluate other young receivers like Rashard Higgins.

With former quarterback Terrelle Pryor excelling at his new position of receiver, it’s been a bit easy to forget that the Cleveland Browns actually added four other young pass-catchers in the 2016 draft. Baylor product Corey Coleman is the pick you might remember, seeing as he was taken in the first round. Injuries have limited him to 20 receptions for 303 yards and three touchdowns, but the Browns have been able to get an idea of what kind of player he can be.

With four games remaining on the schedule, Cleveland needs to get a long look at fellow rookie Rashard Higgins.

Higgins, a fifth-round pick out of Colorado State, showed plenty of big-play potential in college. He actually led the nation with 1,750 yards receiving and 17 touchdowns back in 2014. The guy known as “Hollywood” believed that he could be a playmaker with the Browns too.

“I believe I can be a big playmaker,” Higgins said during the offseason, Patrick Maks of the team’s official website. “When the ball’s in the air, it’s mine.”

The Browns, though, haven’t utilized Higgins often. He has played a mere 135 offensive snaps in 12 games, according to Pro Football Focus. Moreover, the rookie has only been targeted 10 times and has just six receptions for 77 yards on the season.

Cleveland got Higgins onto the field a bit more against the New York Giants on Sunday in Week 12. Per Pro Football Focus, the rookie played 20 snaps and caught both balls thrown his way for 34 yards. In those limited snaps, though, Higgins was Cleveland’s top-rated receiver by Pro Football Focus for the game.

The Browns need to continue trying to find out what they have in Higgins—and fellow rookie receivers Jordan Payton and Ricardo Louis, for that matter—because young players like him are going to be the future of this offense.

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As good as veteran wideout Andrew Hawkins can be at times—particularly in the slot—he is a guy who might not be around for the long haul. Hawkins is 30 years old and has just one year remaining on his contract.

If the Browns had a quarterback they were trying to develop, it would make sense for the team to stick by its veterans this late in a winless season. The Browns don’t, though, so the goal from here on out should be developing other young players like Higgins.

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