The Cleveland Browns acquired another former first-round wide receiver at a low cost by trading for Jerry Jeudy, and his formerDenver Broncos teammates are already upset about the departure.
Courtland Sutton, Jeudy’s fellow starter over the past four seasons and teammate in the receiver room, took to social media on Saturday, March 9 and expressed his feelings of sadness by sharing a GIF on social media.
The GIF was short and had no sound. It featured well-known actor Will Smith’s character in Fresh Prince of Bel-Air looking around his family’s empty living room just after they finished moving out. The strong suggestion was a feeling of sadness and emptiness as Sutton realized that Jeudy was heading to Cleveland.
Jerry Jeudy Offers Browns High Potential, Affordable Contract in 2023
GettyFormer Denver Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy.
While the Broncos are releasing players and freeing up cap space as part of a large overhaul to rebuild, the Browns are moving in the opposite direction — working to build a win-now roster in the hopes of capitalizing on their playoff appearance in 2023.
Jeudy is the newest addition to that plan, acquired by Cleveland for the price of a fifth and sixth-round pick in this April’s draft. Jeudy finished his initial four-year, $15.2 million rookie deal last season but is under contract for the 2024 season for the cost of $13 million through a fifth-year team option.
The Browns have some flexibility regarding Jeudy’s long-term future and are not obligated to immediately extend his contract. If he does not prove to be a viable No. 2 receiver alongside Amari Cooper, Cleveland can allow him to leave at the end of the season. Two draft picks on Day 3 are better than nothing, but they are a loss the Browns can withstand if Jeudy underperforms in 2024.
If he performs well, Jeudy will be in a position to explore unrestricted free agency in March 2025. Cleveland will have the option to use the franchise tag to keep him under contract, although Jeudy will likely need to have an exceptional year for the team to justify using such a valuable tool to retain him.
The best course of action for the Browns is to assess Jeudy throughout the summer and into the regular season. If the team reaches a point where they want to keep Jeudy, the likely move will be to secure him with a multiyear deal before free agency becomes a concern.
Browns Confident Jerry Jeudy Will Mesh Well with Amari Cooper, Deshaun Watson
GettyCleveland Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper.
The Browns relinquished a fifth-round pick and a sixth-round swap to acquire Cooper in a trade from the Dallas Cowboys in 2022, which is one of the most successful decisions made by general manager Andrew Berry up to this point in his tenure in the role.
Cooper has amassed 150 receptions for over 2,400 yards and a total of 14 TDs over the past two seasons, leading the team in receiving both years and earning a Pro Bowl selection for his efforts in 2023. If Cleveland experiences anything close to that level of success with Jeudy, the trade will be a triumph.
Jeudy had his best year in 2022, catching 67 passes for 972 yards and 6 touchdowns, according to Pro Football Reference. Last season, his numbers dropped to 54 catches for 758 yards and 2 touchdowns.
However, Zac Jackson of The Athletic reported on Saturday that the Browns think Jeudy is a good fit with Cooper and the starting quarterback.
"Jeudy will turn 25 next month and is going into the final year of his rookie contract," wrote Jackson. "Cleveland wanted a deep threat on the outside and a player who can make big plays when [Deshaun] Watson leaves the pocket."
