The Cleveland Browns delivered a firm message on Jerry Jeudy following another shaky showing from the receiver they expected to be their go-to weapon.
Jeudy managed just one catch in Sunday’s 24-10 win over the Las Vegas Raiders — and it turned into a disaster. He broke loose for a 39-yard gain but slowed up near the end of the run with multiple Raiders closing in. That hesitation proved costly. A defender punched the ball out from behind, wiping potential points off the board and leaving Cleveland stunned by the unforced mistake.
“I have no idea what would possess him to try that hop step. You’re not at the goal line. There are a lot of dudes behind you. It’s inexcusable. He’s had a miserable year with a few exceptions,” Jason Lloyd of The Athletic said on the Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show. “Of all the drops he’s had this year, that was worse.”
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski addressed the embarrassing play by Jeudy during his Monday press conference.
“He will be better. That’s really a play that we expect him to make. That’s a huge play for our football team,” Stefanski said. “We were about to get seven points, if not three on that drive and that’s a big play for us. Jerry knows this. And, you know, we remind him and remind our players. It’s always the guy that you can’t see that they’re coming. So, I don’t think it was a loaf. It was a lack of ball security technique.”
Jeudy has not been able to replicate his Pro Bowl campaign from a year ago. He has just 32 catches for 395 yards and one touchdown this season. The Browns traded for Jeudy ahead of last season and inked him to a three-year, $52.5 million contract extension.
Browns WR Jerry Jeudy Appeared Annoyed During Week
The one-catch performance from Jeudy comes after he showed frustration during the week while speaking to the media. Asked how crucial the week of practices would be for syncing up with Sanders, he didn’t give much.
“It’s going to be very important,” Jeudy said.
So what has he seen from Sanders in terms of growth?
“He’s consistently growing,” Jeudy said.
Is there a way to fast-forward the process of building chemistry with a quarterback?
“You just need reps,” Jeudy said.
The Browns are not loaded with depth at wide receiver and need Jeudy to be a bigger part of the offense. Cedric Tillman and Isaiah Bond are the other notable receivers in the mix. Rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr. currently leads the team with 48 catches for 462 yards.
Browns Sticking With Shedeur Sanders
The Browns will be sticking with Sanders as their starting quarterback after his successful debut. It wasn’t perfect but the offense found a spark with the fifth-round pick under center.
“Shedeur will start this week. Obviously, you know, the number one job of a quarterback is to win,” Stefanski said. “So excited to get that first win under his belt and then next thing is improvement. And that’s what young players do. Certainly, young quarterbacks do. You get one game better and that’s just from working at it. So that’ll be our focus.”
Sanders stepped in for Dillon Gabriel, who suffered a concussion in Week 11 against the Baltimore Ravens. Gabriel wasn’t cleared for Sunday’s matchup, which opened the door for Sanders’ first NFL start. Gabriel has since passed concussion protocol, but he will remain on the bench next week when the Browns host the San Francisco 49ers.
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