Cleveland Browns: 2018 Wide receiver preview

There isn’t a position group with as much potential or as little certainty as wide receiver for the 2018 Cleveland Browns.

The wide receivers for the Cleveland Browns could be outstanding in 2018, but it’s all dependent on a concerning amount of ‘what if’s’?

What if Josh Gordon can stay on the field for 16 games? What if Corey Coleman can stay healthy for an entire season? What if Jarvis Landry is able to somehow validate his enormous contract figure? What if Antonio Callaway is able to put his past behind him? What if Ricardo Louis can catch? And the most important one — What if there is consistent quarterback play?

The Browns don’t need all of those things to work out, but if a handful of them can, it puts them in a significantly better position than the past few years. Unfortunately, if none of those things come to fruition, the reverse is true and they’ll again struggle.

The quarterback piece is critical. Adding Tyrod Taylor and Baker Mayfield is a total overhaul on its face, but it should provide a stabilizing force that can enable this succeed if they do their part. For example, with DeShone Kizer at the helm last year, Gordon and Coleman combined with David Njoku and Duke Johnson couldn’t produce a win. In one game in particular against the Los Angeles Chargers, Kizer left over 200 yards on the field because he couldn’t make the throws.

Since coming clean about the depths of his issues, Gordon has been a model citizen thus far, at least in what can be seen. As important as the reps he takes on the field are, it’s the reps off the field that will be the most critical to success. Gordon has to learn to live with himself and develop the habits that will allow him to be healthy, so he can be the star he has shown capable.

There’s little Gordon can’t do on the field. The key is keeping him there and that’s going to be a challenge for the rest of Gordon’s career and really his life. Potentially losing Gordon, more than any player on this offense, completely changes its complexion. He represents their top offensive threat, a full service receiver that can make plays at every level of the field and is the guy defensive coordinators must design their gameplan around to try to stop.

Corey Coleman’s last moment of 2017 is one that he’s not likely to forget. And even if he could, critics will be quick to remind him. Coleman has to get some luck and avoid injury. Breaking the same hand twice in back to back seasons is unfortunate to say the least.

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When Coleman is on the field, he can make plays. He’s been a good chain mover for the Browns and has improved immensely as a route runner. Perhaps because of the hand injuries, Coleman has been hesitant to trust his hands as much as he should, opting to let too many passes into his body. Hopefully with an offseason to get past the mental hurdle of the injury, he’ll be able to be a more consistent pass catcher with a bigger catch radius and just be more confident all around.

It’s a legitimate question as to whether Coleman or Gordon have the most physical talent on this offense. Both are genuine athletic freaks and can do so much to stretch the field as well as make plays underneath and win with their speed and agility. If he can prove himself, Coleman could be particularly attractive to new offensive coordinator Todd Haley, who likes to attack down the field and use receiver screens. Coleman has shown the ability to do both.

With Jarvis Landry, the question will be where he fits. On the surface, he’s a slot receiver and a great blocker. He’s poorly cast against good boundary corners and his route tree is limited given his lack of athleticism. So, he could conceivably find his usage similar to that of Heath Miller, who Haley had with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Being a huge asset in the running game that can make some plays in the middle of the field.

However, fitting what Landry does with guys like David Njoku and Duke Johnson, who can do some of the same things will be worth watching. And given the weapons the Browns have, it’s difficult to imagine how Landry gets anywhere near the 100 catches per season he enjoyed in Miami. How Landry adapts to what should be a less featured role will be important to the dynamic of the receiver room and the offense as a whole.

Ricardo Louis is immensely gifted physically. He was drafted as a project out of Auburn three years ago and while he occasionally makes a nice play, he has struggled with inconsistency and drops. Louis brings a lot to the table that Haley would like, but the competition will be fierce and this front office didn’t draft him, so their patience for mistakes will be much shorter.

Rashard ‘Hollywood’ Higgins has some similarities to Landry. Both are pretty mediocre athletes that just find a way to get open and make plays. Obviously Higgins hasn’t made anywhere near the number Landry has, but he did finish the season with a two touchdown performance.

Landry makes the odds of Higgins making the team much longer. They play the same role and Landry is going to make the team. Higgins could potentially make the team as a backup slot receiver, but realistically he has to make himself more valuable to the Browns than other backup players and that will be easier said than done.

Antonio Callaway has talent; not the level of talent that John Dorsey boasted when drafting him in attempting to defend the selection, given the litany of issues he’s had at Florida, but he has talent. Callaway is a high school running back turned receiver that plays with that level of physicality, both with the ball in his hands and creating separation.

In addition to staying out of trouble, the Browns would love for Callaway to win the punt returning job. Jabrill Peppers did it last year and has talent for it, but if Callaway can beat him out, it means taking what should be a starting player out of harm’s way. Jarvis Landry also has punt returning experience, but again, Callaway would be the preferable choice.

Additionally, Callaway is dangerous running screens and can attack down the field. In many ways, he seems to have similarities to Martavis Bryant; off field issues, drugs in particular, with talent to help an offense. Callaway’s in ability to stay on the field at Florida is part of the reason Jim McElwain lost his job. He was a huge part of their offense. Fortunately, the Browns don’t need him to carry their offense, but hope he can simply add to it.

Damian Ratley, another rookie, seems in many ways to be competing for the same role as Callaway. He’s an athletic player with a ton of speed that can run screens and attack deep. He didn’t produce much for Texas A&M, but showed a lot of promise at Blinn Junior College where did everything. There is a real possibility that if Ratley can’t make the final roster, the Browns can get him to the practice squad.

The last player that figures into this mix is Jeff Janis, who was picked up after he was let go by the Green Bay Packers. Janis is certainly an athletic player with size, but he hasn’t done much in the NFL as a receiver. Where he does excel is on special teams and that could be what keeps him on the 53-man roster. Janis could be this regime’s Marlon Moore, but with more significantly more ability in the event he gets on the field as a receiver.

It appears the Browns will plan to keep six wide receivers on the final roster. With that in mind, assuming everyone stays on the field, Gordon, Landry, Coleman, Callaway, and Janis to make the team. The final spot will be a battle between Louis, Higgins and Ratley. From a sheer talent standpoint, the hope is that guy can be Louis.

Next: NFL 2018: 20 RBs with best chance at 2,000 yards

This wide receiver group is extremely volatile in terms of potential outcomes. The talent is there for the Cleveland Browns to have a dominant group that can transform their offense, but just having consistency and reliability would be a massive step forward. So much will depend on the play of the quarterback position, but just staying on the field will make a significant difference between the play of the group in 2017 and that of 2018.