Cleveland Browns: Quick fixes aren’t the answer at wide receiver

No one disputes the Cleveland Browns need receiver help, but how they go about it is one worth discussing. Don’t chase risky trades or bad veterans.

The Cleveland Browns need wide receiver help, but the answer isn’t to trade away assets to try to chase after veterans during the season that are available for a reason. This week after an injury to Rashard Higgins and a season ending injury to reserve Derrick Willies, fans and media have been looking around for potential answers to the problem through trade. A sentiment that will only grow with Hue Jackson admitting the Browns need help there.

The Browns plan at wide receiver wasn’t sound coming into the season. They bet on Josh Gordon to be reliable. Don’t ever do that. They traded for Jarvis Landry to get a veteran presence and after a productive first three games, it’s trailed off significantly. John Dorsey also traded away Corey Coleman super late in the process, so the Browns went from being talked about as having one of the best receiver corps in the league to their current situation where they need help.

This issue was foreseeable. It’s not the end of the world that it has gotten to this point. Dorsey has done a lot to improve the overall roster. Everything hasn’t worked, but everything wasn’t going to work. They are most certainly in a better position than they were a year ago with a bright future ahead, so there’s no need to panic or rush.

That’s not including Higgins, who was a player that wasn’t a lock to make the roster coming into training camp. After a year on the practice squad, Higgins had a fantastic camp and developed chemistry with first overall pick Baker Mayfield that has paid dividends in the regular season.  Higgins has been the Browns most reliable target, but suffered an MCL sprain against the Baltimore Ravens. He may well be back this coming week, but could miss one more game.

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Let’s look at this from all angles — discussing the possible options being discussed, looking at the Browns roster and what they have there they can use and then some possibilities to address the issue.

First, there’s Odell Beckham Jr. This notion needs to die. Beyond the fact the New York Giants aren’t trying to trade him, they can’t.

The contract he signed would have the Giants take on $40.9 million in dead money if they move him this year, $35.5 million, then $15.75 million in the third year before there’s an opt out. Beckham isn’t going anywhere for at least three years. It’s not a matter of what the Browns would have to give up, the attitude and potential issues in the locker room he’d bring. It’s not feasible from a money standpoint.

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The other big one is Amari Cooper. Jay Glazer of FOX Sports reported that the Raiders are shopping the fourth overall pick of the 2015 NFL Draft. If true, it’s about trying to get a nice asset for him in order to avoid being put in a position to have to pay him $13.9 million next year and deciding on a contract extension, which wouldn’t be cheap either.

Cooper is a pretty productive receiver with speed who is still just 24 years old, but he drops a lot of passes. And for a Browns team currently plagued by players who can’t hang onto Mayfield’s passes, that is only adding to the issue. So the Browns would potentially be giving up a draft asset for a receiver who will make $13.9 million next year and negotiating a contract extension.

This is exactly what they just did with Jarvis Landry and he hasn’t transformed the offense. Right now, he’s not even the best receiver on the Browns. That honor goes to Higgins, whose current dealings with an MCL sprain are part of the reason people are pressing for the Browns to make a move at receiver.

Cooper doesn’t transform the offense either and he just suffered a concussion in their game against the Seattle Seahawks. Potentially paying out two hefty contracts for a pair of receivers that are pretty good, but not great when Mayfield is clearly able to elevate the talent around him. Just get him cheaper talent and let him make them better. The answer isn’t throwing away good assets for risky propositions that more than likely won’t work anyway.

Finally, the rumor that won’t die in Dez Bryant. Bryant’s knee is permanently damaged after he came back too early from a fractured leg a few years ago. So while Bryant is about to turn 30, he plays like he’s closer to 40. He’s never been a good route runner, drops too many balls and is a huge headache off the field. Without his elite athletic gifts, the juice simply isn’t worth the squeeze. Bryant doesn’t make the Browns better.

So what should the Browns do without throwing away assets in trades for veterans? First, use the talent they have. Through six weeks, Duke Johnson only has just 33 touches, 14 of which are receptions. He’s averaging 7.4 yards per target. Seth DeValve is an oversized wide receiver, but since coming back healthy, he’s been targeted once in the past three games. These are players on their roster they aren’t using.

If the Browns current coaching staff can’t effectively utilize the players they already have, it’s not a ringing endorsement to go get more. Throwing away good assets after bad to try to save Hue Jackson and Todd Haley from themselves is a poor investment. They were already given Tyrod Taylor, Landry and Carlos Hyde. Tyrod was benched, Landry is trending in the wrong direction and Hyde is averaging just 3.4 yards per touch this season. The answer isn’t to double down.

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Outside of their own roster, there are options elsewhere. This is a young team that can take a look at young players. Breshad Perriman was horrible in Baltimore. He can’t catch and the few times he did manage to haul in passes, did little with them. Rod Streater is hopefully going to be okay after the shot he took against the Chargers, but he’s not the answer to anything.

There are a number of interesting options sitting on practice squads around the league with long term talent that could get a ton of valuable reps while the Browns wait for Higgins to get healthy. Beyond Da’Mari Scott, who is currently sitting on their own practice squad, four guys stand out as potential options that could help the Browns now, potentially offer more down the road.

Allen Lazard, currently on Jacksonville’s practice squad. Lazard is enormous at a hair under 6-5, 227 pounds. He’s a tremendous athlete who has shown the ability to go up and get jump balls while at Iowa State. With Lazard, it’s all about consistency, but that’s a body to bet on.

DeAngelo Yancey, currently on Green Bay’s practice squad. Yancey is a thick receiver, built like a tailback. He’s a really impressive athlete who was really impressive at Purdue after the catch.

Chad Hansen, currently on Tennessee’s practice squad. Hansen’s the one player of this group that has played in the regular season. With the New York Jets as a rookie, Hansen played in 15 games, caught nine passes on 19 targets for 94 yards. He’s also a good athlete with speed and agility.

Jeff Badet, currently on Minnesota’s practice squad. The least attractive option in terms of resume, Badet played with Baker Mayfield at Oklahoma, but didn’t produce a ton. Nevertheless, Badet is a true burner with track speed.

There are going to be people throwing up their hands and saying oh, well practice squad guys won’t work. The Browns need help now. This is a waste of time. Just for the Browns, Rashard Higgins was on the practice squad last year. On a larger scale, Minnesota Vikings receiver Adam Thielen has been a massive success in that vein and he’s better than any receiver currently on the Browns. What is clear is that Perriman and Streater aren’t the answer.

Quick fixes and get rich quick schemes rarely ever work in the NFL and work even less often for the Cleveland Browns. They should know after any number of attempts at the quarterback position before finally doing it the right way with Mayfield. A fanbase that has been asked to be patient through 1-31 needs to continue to be when it comes to the roster.

They do need receiver help among other areas, but it’s not going to be fixed right this second. Take a chance on some young guys, hope one of them brings something to the table and then in the offseason, make another real investment through the draft where there will be another terrific receiver class with plenty of options that can grow with Mayfield.