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The Cleveland Browns recently concluded a disappointing campaign as they fell short in securing a playoff berth in the 2021 season. There is certainly a ton of work left to do for the team's front office in the upcoming offseason as they aim to be more competitive and get back to the postseason as soon as possible.
In recent years, the Browns have heavily invested in their running backs, offensive line, and defensive unit. Now, the biggest need that they should address is the receiving unit in order to have a more dynamic offensive attack in 2022.
Without a doubt, the lack of offensive weapons on the field has hindered Baker Mayfield from reaching his full potential and becoming more productive under center. This also led him to receive a ton of criticism from fans who doubted his abilities to be a successful QB1 in the league.
Looking back, the receivers' room took a huge hit when the Browns decided to cut Odell Beckham Jr. who spent two and a half seasons with the team. Though he wasn't the player that he once was during his time in Cleveland, he still served as a major threat who attracted the attention of defenders whenever he was playing on the field.
His former running mate in Jarvis Landry also failed to have a productive campaign due to a knee sprain that he sustained in the first few weeks of the season. He was only limited to 570 receiving yards on 52 receptions and two touchdowns in 12 appearances as a starter.
Meanwhile, Donovan Peoples-Jones is one of the bright spots in the receiving unit as he continues to progress in the early stages of his career. He improved his numbers from his rookie season as he recorded 597 receiving yards on 34 catches and three touchdowns in 14 games played for the Browns.
Another stable contributor in Cleveland is tight end David Njoku who seems to have established a role for himself on the field. His numbers also went up as he notched 475 yards on 36 catches and four TDs in 16 contests this season.
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Aside from them, young talents in Anthony Schwartz, Rashard Higgins, and Ja'Marcus Bradley are also expected to serve as key role players moving forward. However, none of them has shown that they can emerge as the No.1 receiving option of the team thus far.
A route that the Browns can take to address this need is to nab a promising prospect in the 2022 NFL Draft. They currently have the 13th overall pick in a rookie class that is being headlined by a handful of talented receivers. The Browns can take a look at Ohio State's Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson as well as Alabama's Jameson Williams (if they can afford to take the risk due to his torn ACL injury).
In recent years, several rookie pass-catchers have already proven that they can be instant contributors right from the get-go. The likes of Ja'Marr Chase of the Cincinnati Bengals, Jaylen Waddle of the Miami Dolphins, and DeVonta Smith of the Philadelphia Eagles have all made a splash in their first season in the pros.
Moreover, the young wide receiver that they will opt to take will also have a good opportunity to learn under Landry before taking over a much larger role within the Browns' offense later on. If the team wants to invest in a proven player then they can also be active in the upcoming free agency where several WRs are expected to entertain offers from other teams.
These include Chris Godwin, Davante Adams, Allen Robinson, and JuJu Smith-Schuster, among others. The bottom line is that the Browns must be assertive in looking for talent to fill around Mayfield, especially if they are confident that he is their franchise quarterback moving forward.
If GM Andrew Berry gets to acquire another offensive weapon either through the draft or free agency then the team can surely be in a better position to win more games next season.
