The Cleveland Browns appear to be on the right track at wide receiver.
After far too many years of bad draft picks (Jamari Thrash, Michael Woods II, Anthony Schwartz, Antonio Callaway, and Brian Robiskie, to name a few) and ill-conceived trades (Odell Beckham Jr.), general manager Andrew Berry appears to have hit on rookies KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston.
Following Thursday night’s win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, Concepcion is tied for the team lead with 17 receptions, while Boston leads with 284
receiving yards. Together, the rookie duo has combined for 37 percent of the team’s receptions and 50 percent of the team’s receiving yards.
Mix in tight end Harold Fannin Jr. (17 receptions and a team-high three receiving touchdowns), and the contributions from running backs Qunshon Judkins and Raheim Sanders (a combined 25 receptions for 169 yards), and that provides quarterback Deshaun Watson with a nice set of tools in the toolbox to work with.
What’s that? There is one prominent name missing from the list? Oh right, Jerry Jeudy.
The veteran of the group, the 2026 season has been an odd one for Jeudy, who was not targeted at all in the win over Carolina and only once in the victory over Tampa Bay.
It was turning into another quiet night for Jeudy against the Steelers before he pulled in two passes on Cleveland’s game-winning drive in the fourth quarter. Those receptions brought Jeudy’s season total to five catches for 62 yards.
There are a few ways to look at the situation:
- After posting career highs in receptions (90) and receiving yards (1,229) in 2024, Jeudy dipped to 50 receptions and 602 receiving yards in 2025. His slow start could be a sign that he is in decline.
- Watson is more focused on distributing the ball to whoever is open, rather than trying to force a pass to one particular player, which means Jeudy’s time will come, as it did in the fourth quarter on Thursday.
- Boston and Concepcion are simply better options, and the Browns consider Jeudy a role player.
Head coach Todd Monken acknowledged that last point in his comments while crediting Jeudy for being there when the team needed him after the game on Thursday:
“I’m so happy for Jerry. And it probably wasn’t enough for a game ball, but for a guy that really isn’t starting now, he’s a rotational player, that’s so cool for him. And it’s not easy for a veteran player to have young players kind of beat him out, but we needed it in a big time, and that was a big time catch.”
That leads to the question of how much the Browns need Jeudy and whether or not they could look to trade him before the NFL trade deadline on November 10.
ESPN’s Dan Graziano highlighted Jeudy as a trade candidate in his latest column on players who could be on the move in the next few weeks:
Jeudy is still only 27 years old, and he’s signed through 2027. But the Browns’ wide receiver corps has been taken over by rookies, and Jeudy might no longer fit squarely into the plans. He’s owed about $23 million in salary and bonus for 2027, but it’s not guaranteed, so an acquiring team wouldn’t likely be deterred by that.
It is always tricky when people start talking about trades. If Jeudy’s numbers are truly an indication that he is slipping, then why would another team want him? And how much value would the Browns receive for him?
But if the numbers are simply based on Watson having better options and Jeudy is still putting in the work and not complaining, then the Browns are likely better off with him on the roster. Especially since they are only four games into the season and injuries are always a concern.
Plus, as he showed against the Steelers, Jeudy can still make a play when the team needs him. So Berry may be hesitant to shake things up when the team is winning.
What do you think, Browns fans? Would you look for a trade partner for Jeudy, or is he a nice insurance policy to have? Let everyone know in the comments!
