Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy knows the most effective response to his critics will not come through words. It will come through production.
Jeudy is coming off a disappointing season in which he caught 50 passes for 602 yards and two touchdowns. The sharp decline was especially difficult to overlook after he had earned his first Pro Bowl selection the previous year.
Jeudy has spent the offseason trying to recapture that form. Ahead of the Browns returning for training camp, he shared footage of himself making one-handed catches, sharpening his routes and working through drills.
“Success is the best revenge!” Jeudy wrote in the caption.
Browns WR Jerry Jeudy Confident He Can Bounce Back
GettyBrowns receiver Jerry Jeudy runs a drill during the Cleveland Browns OTA Offseason Workouts at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Jeudy’s difficult season extended beyond his final numbers. His frustration occasionally became visible, including a heated sideline exchange with quarterback Shedeur Sanders during a loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Both players later downplayed the incident, but it became another example of how a turbulent season had worn on the Browns’ offense.
Jeudy also drew criticism for his body language and terse media sessions as the losses and dropped passes piled up. However, the Browns still need him to provide veteran leadership for a receiver room that now includes many young players.
Jeudy expressed confidence during OTAs that his offseason work would carry over.
“I’m very confident,” Jeudy said. “I’m just waiting for it to transition to on the field.”
Jeudy also said he emphasized concentration drills after struggling with drops last season.
“Just focus more on the concentration part, doing different concentration drills,” Jeudy said.
Quarterback stability is still a looming question for Jeudy and the Browns. Cleveland must still choose between Deshaun Watson and Sanders, but either option would give Jeudy an opportunity to continue developing an existing connection rather than starting over with another new quarterback.
Browns Still View Jerry Jeudy as Top Receiver
The Browns still view Jerry Jeudy as their No. 1 receiver.
The Browns made significant additions at receiver during the draft, selecting KC Concepcion in the first round and Denzel Boston early in the second.
However, general manager Andrew Berry made it clear those moves were not intended to replace Jeudy. Berry called Jeudy the Browns’ “bell cow” and said the rookies would complement the veteran by bringing different skills to the offense.
Jeudy did not spend much time worrying about the label.
“If I’m the bell cow, whatever that means, I’ll be the bell cow. I’m just here to be the best version of myself,” Jeudy said.
The additions of Concepcion and Boston should take some pressure off Jeudy. Cleveland now has more speed, size and versatility around him rather than asking Jeudy to carry an undermanned receiving corps.
Todd Monken’s arrival could also help Jeudy rediscover his Pro Bowl form. Jeudy described the system as completely different from the one Cleveland used last season, from the concepts to the playcalling. After a year defined by inconsistency, that fresh approach may be exactly what he needs.
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