Cleveland Browns: Gary Barnidge’s Demise Greatly Exaggerated

Gary Barnidge isn’t matching the breakout season he had in 2015, but his 2016 season for the Cleveland Browns is hardly reason to be concerned.

One of the biggest misconceptions from this 2016 Cleveland Browns season has been about Gary Barnidge. After having an outstanding 2015 campaign, his production has dropped substantially and many are connecting the dots. A common conclusion is that Barnidge was a one-year wonder and 2015 was an aberration.

Well, not exactly.

Outside of touchdowns, which have dropped from nine last year to one so far this year, the biggest thing that has dropped for Barnidge is his usage. The team as a whole has 13 receiving touchdowns. Terrelle Pryor leads the team with four while Corey Coleman and Andrew Hawkins each have three.

In 16 games in 2015, Barnidge was targeted 123 times, caught 79 passes for 1,043 yards with 343 yards after the catch. He converted 52 first downs. In 12 games in 2016 so far, Barnidge has been targeted 62 times, caught 40 passes for 468 yards with 157 yards after the catch. He’s converted 25 first downs.

Through three quarters of this season, Barnidge has been utilized half as many times as he was in the full season of 2015. It should not be a huge surprise that everything else went down by about half as well. The natural question is why?

More from NFL Spin Zone

There are a few reasons. The first of which is Terrelle Pryor. Travis Benjamin was the only weapon on the Browns with as many targets as Barnidge, getting 124 looks his way. Barnidge was also the only player on the Browns with any real size, so when they got to the red zone, he was their main target.

Pryor’s emergence has resulted in being targeted 113 times so far this season, which puts him on pace to crush what Barnidge got last year. He has also taken over as the main target in the red zone for the Browns. Duke Johnson also has basically just as many targets as Barnidge does.

Quarterback play has been abysmal. It was more effective last year. Cody Kessler has strangled this offense in several games where no one has been utilized effectively, be it Barnidge or anyone else. Kessler’s growing pains have been harmful to the rest of the offense in terms of production as well as overall growth.

Obviously, it was not planned for Kessler to be put in this situation, being a third string rookie quarterback forced to play this year due to injury. Then it evolved into a situation where he’s playing anyway, so Hue Jackson wanted to see what Kessler can do. To this point, the answer is not much.

Some of the issue is Hue Jackson simply does not use him as much and probably not enough. How much of the design of the offense Jackson as opposed to trying to figure out what some of these younger players or pending free agents can do is up for debate. The end result is that Barnidge’s role has declined under Jackson.

Nov 20, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns tight end Gary Barnidge (82) catches a touchdown pass defended by Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Artie Burns (25) during the fourth quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Steelers won 24-9. Mandatory Credit: Scott R. Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

The last piece to the Barnidge puzzle is not just the lack of touchdowns. but the lack of incredible highlights. Last year, Barnidge not only would catch touchdowns that kept the Browns in games or help them win. He would do it in remarkable fashion. Catching the ball in traffic over multiple defenders or managing to catch the ball between his legs. Without the spectacular plays, he’s just a reliable receiving option at tight end, which is a step down for some in terms of their expectations.

The downtick in Barnidge’s production has led some to discuss the idea of moving him in the offseason. He’s 31 years old and has an extremely reasonable contract. This idea isn’t outlandish on its face, but it is far too early to make such a move.

More from Cleveland Browns

The Browns drafted Seth DeValve in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft out of Princeton. A tremendous athlete, DeValve is an ideal space player as a tight end. The idea is that he’s too big big and strong for corners and safeties at 6-3, 245 pounds, but too fast and quick for linebackers, making him a mismatch. As promising as DeValve is, he has caught six passes for 77 yards and a touchdown so far this year. It’s a little early to proclaim him the next anything.

Barnidge is a good space tight end. When he is pressed into duty inline as a blocker, he struggles. Since 2015, the times the Browns have needed Barnidge to be a focal point in their running game as part of the line of scrimmage, he is often simply unable to do the job.

The only player the Browns currently have suited to do that job is Randall Telfer, who has done an admirable job as a blocker, which is how he made the final roster. He’s been nicked up at times and just had thumb surgery during the bye week, so his status is up in the air.

Telfer missed his entire rookie year due to a foot injury that the team knew about when they selected him in the sixth round of the 2015 NFL Draft. The issue with Telfer is he’s a complete non-factor in the passing game, only having one catch for three yards in the wrong direction.

Rather than trade Barnidge, the best thing the Browns can do is add another true inline tight end that can be a good blocker and contribute as a receiving threat. Barnidge is still the primary space tight end, giving them size in the slot and a reliable receiving threat there while they also have a legitimate two-way threat inline, giving them size and strength at both positions.

This allows DeValve to develop and provide valuable depth. And if he can take the job from Barnidge, so be it. The Browns can then move on from Barnidge or simply keep him because he’s excellent depth at that point. The can also use both of them on the field at the same time, trying to create multiple mismatches on the field.

Meanwhile, Telfer thrives as a pure blocking tight end that can come in when the Browns want to use two tight ends and just muscle the ball down the field on the ground. If Telfer can develop as a pass catcher along the lines of a Steve Heiden, great, but his primary function is to continue being a good run blocker.

Gary Barnidge’s drop-off from the 2016 season is almost entirely attached to his decrease in usage. The Browns have additional pass catchers they should be excited about like Terrelle Pryor and Corey Coleman. Everyone’s production will be improved when the offense and especially the quarterback position gets better, but there is a point when there are so many players and only one ball. The answer is not to trade Barnidge, but to continue adding to the position group, making a viable strength for the the Cleveland Browns for 2017 and beyond.