Cleveland Browns 2024 training camp position group preview: Wide receivers
Chris Easterling
BEREA — Training camp is fast approaching for the Browns.
Rookies are scheduled to report on July 22, with the veterans coming in the next day. The Browns will then head to the Greenbrier in West Virginia on July 25 for the first of seven practices over nine days there before returning to Berea for the remainder of camp.
Leading up to the start of camp, each Browns position group is getting its moment in the spotlight. Today, the wide receivers take center stage.
For the previous position group previews, look here:
Here's a look at the Browns wide receivers heading into training camp.
On the Cleveland Browns roster: Wide receivers
Amari Cooper, Jerry Jeudy, Elijah Moore, Cedric Tillman, David Bell, James Proche II, Michael Woods, Jamari Thrash, Jaelon Darden, Matt Landers, Jalen Camp, Ahmarean Brown
Projected starters: Amari Cooper, Jerry Jeudy, Elijah Moore
The new offensive scheme coordinated by Ken Dorsey figures to run a lot more three- and four-wide receiver sets. These three figure to be the top three wide receivers — tight end David Njoku will certainly be a factor as well — when they deploy those sets. Cooper is the clear No. 1 option after becoming the first Browns wide receiver to have back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons. The only issue is that Cooper missed mandatory minicamp as he's sought to get a contract extension, which — as of this posting — has not happened. The Browns acquired Jeudy in a trade with the Denver Broncos in March, hoping that a change of scenery might jump-start the 2020 first-round draft pick. Their long-term vision for him was also shown by the quick three-year extension he picked up a week after landing in Cleveland. Moore, last year's offseason trade addition to the group, came on late last season when he was reunited with his former New York Jets teammate Joe Flacco.
One to watch: Cedric Tillman
The Browns used their first draft, albeit in the third round, in 2023 to take Tillman out of the University of Tennessee. After stashing him on the bench, or on the inactive list, for the first seven games, he finally found some consistent offensive snaps once Cleveland traded Donovan Peoples-Jones to the Detroit Lions at the trade deadline. Tillman showed promise, but also the need for significant growth during the latter half of the season before suffering a season-ending concussion in the regular-season finale at the Cincinnati Bengals. Tillman was a standout of the offseason program, taking advantage of reps freed up by Cooper's absence and Jeudy's injury. The Browns need him to blossom this season into a legitimate part of their top four wide receivers.
Potential training camp battle: David Bell, Michael Woods II, Jamari Thrash and James Proche II for last wide receiver spots
It's hard to know the exact number of wide receivers the Browns intend to keep on the active roster. It feels like the top four are set pretty much in stone, so that leaves anywhere from one to, at the extreme, three spots available. These four feel like the ones who will be in line to battle for the spot or spots. Bell, the 2022 third-round pick, had some moments when it seemed like he was turning the corner — fourth-down catches against the San Francisco 49ers and Jacksonville Jaguars, specifically — last season. Woods, another 2022 draft pick, missed all of last season with an Achilles injury, but has intrigued the Browns with his speed since the latter stages of his rookie season. Thrash was taken in the fifth round in April's draft out of the University of Louisville, so he probably has the furthest learning curve. Proche was signed midway through last season and, primarily, made his mark as a punt returner, which could be the edge for him making the roster.
Impact of injuries entering training camp
Cooper's contract situation doesn't fall into this category because it's not an injury. However, it wouldn't be responsible not to mention the potential of a camp holdout — or a "hold-in," as Kareem Hunt did in 2022 — if there hasn't been some kind of resolution or path to a resolution by the start of camp.
Jeudy wasn't involved in any on-field drills during the mandatory minicamp in mid-June due to an undisclosed injury, although it didn't seem to draw much concern from the Browns at the time. He missed nine combined games in 2021-22 while with the Broncos, but did play in at least 16 games in both 2020 and 2023.
Woods tore his Achilles more than a year ago, but was on the field for the offseason program. The question will be about getting his speed all the way back, as well as just continuing to get comfortable making cuts.
Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ