Cleveland Browns: Donovan Peoples-Jones, Wide Receiver
Heading into 2021, there’s this strange feeling around the Cleveland Browns — that feeling is the sense that they’re contenders. And it’s not just hopeful fans either, because this team is for real.
After going 11-5 in 2020, general manager Andrew Berry added even more talent and there could be eight new starters on defense this season. That’s huge since their defense was atrocious in 2020 — and the new starters include potential Pro Bowlers such as John Johnson III and Jadeveon Clowney.
On offense, they’re hoping that the team can carry over their success from a year ago with nearly the same team. They will get Odell Beckham, Jr. back from a torn ACL and added rookie Anthony Schwartz in the third round but for the most part, this is the same roster they entered 2020 with on offense.
That doesn’t mean there won’t be improvements though, especially if players such as Donovan Peoples-Jones take a step forward, and there’s reason to believe he could based on what he did as a rookie.
As pointed out by Sam Penix of Dawg Pound Daily, DPJ was the top rookie when it came to yards per receptions, hauling in 14 passes for 304 yards and two touchdowns.
#Browns WR Donovan Peoples-Jones (23 targets) led all 2020 rookie wide receivers in yards per reception with 20.9, which ranked fourth in the NFL, and first among WRs with at least eight targets pic.twitter.com/mgoTcAhA9o
— Sam Penix (@Sam_Penix) June 15, 2021
The Cleveland wide receiver room is crowded with OBJ, Jarvis Landry, Rashard Higgins, and Schwartz but that doesn’t mean Peoples-Jones can’t find a role. He brings something to the table this offense desperately needs, which is the ability to get deep on man coverage.
That limitation cost them their game against Kansas City in the Divisional Round which is why they should give as many opportunities as possible to the players who can stretch the field.