In a week’s time, the Cleveland Browns will be playing football again when they take on the New York Jets in the Pro Football Hall of Fame game on August third. So far this offseason it was clear that Andrew Berry knew he needed to add talent and diverse skill sets to the wide receiver room (already headlined by Amari Cooper) for Deshaun Watson.
With Elijah Moore, Cedric Tillman, and another offseason for David Bell this room has some potential to make a splash this season. So what could the statistics look like when the dust settles on the 2023 season? For this exercise, I took Watson’s statistics from 2020 when he completed 382 passes to determine reception numbers while saving targets for the tight ends and running backs.
Marquise Goodwin is not on this list because of the uncertainty around the blood clots.
1
Amari Cooper
Projected stats: 75 receptions for 1,118 yards and 8 touchdowns
Amari Cooper is a pro’s pro he shows up and doesn’t say much but he works his tail off and is incredibly consistent. He is still one of the best route runners in the league and when Watson and him get the timing down he will make some very impactful plays. Though the team will throw the ball more Cooper could still see a similar stat output as last year because of the added talent in the room commanding targets.
2
Elijah Moore
Projected Stats: 82 receptions for 1,060 yards and 11 touchdowns. 30 carries 150 yards and two touchdowns
Elijah Moore will likely lead the team in targets and receptions as we have seen early in offseason workouts and training camp they will use him in a variety of ways. He will be used in the slot, out wide, and as a running back, and if you factor in rushing yards he will be a big part of the success. He’s a good route runner, has elite speed, and creates yards after the catch in bunches.
3
Donovan Peoples-Jones
Projected stats: 45 receptions for 720 yards and 4 touchdowns
Donovan Peoples-Jones is a player that will see less statistical production despite playing at the same level or better. He will likely be one that will lose targets with the addition of Elijah Moore but he will still be an impactful player. He has sneaky long speed if you underestimate him and his ability to come down with the contested catch balls is one of his best traits.
4
David Bell
Projected stats: 35 receptions for 385 yards and 3 touchdowns
David Bell had a nice rookie season, he showed that he understands how to find the hole-in zone coverage and to get open despite not being a crazy athletic player. Watson has already shown early that he likes Bell in the red zone and the former Big Ten Wide Reciever of the Year has a great chance to be a safety blanket in the red zone and on third down to extend drives.
5
Cedric Tillman
Projected Stats: 25 receptions for 300 yards and 3 touchdowns
Cedric Tillman will take some time as any rookie does but his size advantage over most cornerbacks is evident the second you see him on the field. He has the upside to being a reliable player in this league with reliable hands and the strength to fight through contact. Tillman won’t get a lot of run unless there is an injury and if he needs to step up he certainly has the skill set to do so.
