The Cleveland Browns, just like the other 31 NFL teams, are in the middle of an intriguing offseason. All controversies aside, the Browns seem to have finally found the long-term answer to their quarterback quandaries, with Baker Mayfield now taking the backseat following the arrival of Deshaun Watson, who signed a gargantuan 5-year deal worth $230 million deal with Cleveland. Just having Watson is not going to be enough for the Browns to get over the hump. They will be more competitive offensively, but there are still question marks on that end of the field, especially after losing Jarvis Landry.
While the Browns managed to acquire Amari Cooper via a trade with the Dallas Cowboys, they still look pretty thin downfield. The Browns tried to address that concern by spending a couple of late picks on wide receivers, namely David Bell (99th overall) out of the Purdue Boilermakers and Michael Woods (202nd overall) out of the Oklahoma Sooners. Neither player, however, is a lock to make the final roster. It still is too early to tell whether they’d be part of the final roster of the Browns in the 2022 NFL season. It is also possible that they both will make it to Week 1 of the upcoming campaign, but that also does not mean that the undrafted player we are going to talk about below will not be able to impress Cleveland enough in the offseason to survive the final roster cut.
After the 2022 NFL Draft, the Browns did not simply walk away and ignored the players who weren’t able to hear their names called. In fact, Cleveland signed a total of 14 undrafted free agents, including three wide receivers, who are Isaiah Weston (Northern Iowa), Mike Harley Jr. (Miami), and Travel Harris (Washington State). Of those three, it’s Weston who appears to have the best potential to make the Browns’ 2022 NFL roster. Exactly why does Weston stand out among the rest of the undrafted Browns free agents? Let’s take a look at the reasons now.
*Watch NFL games LIVE with fuboTV (click for free trial)*
Browns Undrafted Free Agent To Make 2022 Roster
Isaiah Weston
At least one thing that's noticeable right away about Weston is his size. Standing 6-4 with a 210-pound frame, Weston is quite the physical specimen. Of course, it's not just because he looks like a guy whose day you don't ever want to ruin why he's gotten Cleveland's attention. He also comes with some great speed, especially for a guy his size. Weston ran a 4.42 on the 40-yard dash. His route-running is a bit suspect, but that can still be improved. What he can give the Browns from the get-go should he make the final cut is superior jump-ball ability. His combination of size, speed, and athleticism will be a good fit for a Deshaun Watson-led passing attack in Cleveland. The phrase “explosive athleticism' gets thrown a lot around when speaking about draft prospects, but it certainly is a justifiable term to describe Weston.
Isaiah Weston is a WR prospect in the 2022 draft class. He scored a 9.99 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 3 out of 2613 WR from 1987 to 2022. https://t.co/Z6pgmfAKxA #RAS via @Mathbomb pic.twitter.com/1DVuWoWrKU
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 23, 2022
In an interview with Justin Melo of The Draft Network, Weston spoke about his ability to complete big plays.
JM: That attention you’re receiving is well deserved. You averaged an incredible 23.9 yards per reception in 2021. You threaten to win vertically. You had several receptions that went for 60 yards or greater this past season. What is it about your game that allowed you to create so many big plays?
IW: I would definitely credit my speed and attention to detail while trying to get behind defenders vertically. My ability to stretch the field and make big plays in the passing game certainly sticks out in this draft class. I’ve always wanted to be a playmaker for my team. I proved it in high school as well.
I believe I averaged 22 yards per catch throughout my high school career. I was in the same range at Northern Iowa. Last season, I averaged 23.9 yards per reception as you mentioned. Using my speed to stretch the field is my bread and butter. I’m always trying to do everything I can to get past the secondary.
The Browns' passing offense is expected to be more lethal with Watson under center, in part because Watson has longer range than Mayfield. Last season, the Browns averaged just 6.4 yards per pass, and that's way off of Watson's career average of 8.3 yards per attempt.
Weston's college background appears to be a drawback because he played at an FCS school, but that's where offseason training camps/minicamps will be helpful for him, as that would be an important avenue for him to show off what he can bring to the table.
Follow Us
Subscribe