Browns Make Splash Trade for Wide Receiver Jerry Jeudy

The Cleveland Browns have made a trade with the Denver Broncos to acquire former first-round draft pick, wide receiver Jerry Jeudy, according to a report by Adam Schefter of ESPN. Cleveland is trading two draft picks, a 2024 fifth and a 2024 sixth-round pick to Denver to complete the trade.

Jeudy, 24, was Denver’s first-round pick out of Alabama in the 2020 NFL Draft, but he never became the elite playmaker that the Broncos envisioned him becoming, at least in part because of the overall failures of the offense around him.

Jeudy has also dealt with significant injury issues, limiting him to 57 of a possible 67 games over his four seasons in the Mile High City. He has dealt with knee, hamstring, ankle and groin injuries over just the last two seasons.

His beast season came in 2022, when he played in 15 games and was targeted 100 times, catching 67 for 972 yards and six touchdowns. Despite better play from quarterback Russell Wilson

The Browns will likely pair Jeudy with Amari Cooper and Elijah Moore in attempting to finally develop a consistent passing attack with quarterback Deshaun Watson, who is set to return from injury in 2024.

Jeudy is entering the final, option season of his rookie contract. All of his $12.987 million guaranteed contract will go with him to Cleveland and come off Denver’s salary cap rolls. The Broncos are figuring to be entering a rebuilding year on offense after announcing they are releasing Wilson.

The Browns will use most of their available $17 million in salary cap space by acquiring Jeudy, so it could be a quiet free agent period in Cleveland.