When the Cleveland Browns traded away Amari Cooper, it looked like the team would be without a true WR1 down the stretch.
And yet, apparently, no one told that to Jameis Winston, as since becoming a starter, the pride of Florida State has seemingly transformed Jerry Jeudy, the former first-round pick Cleveland acquired from the Denver Broncos for two 2024 Day 3 picks, into his new number-one guy.
Discussing what he looks for in a WR1 after the Browns' big win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, Winston made it simple, noting that Jeudy checks all of the boxes.
“The attributes of a number one receiver is to get open, be able to make plays after the catch. Look at Jerry Jeudy,” Winston told reporters. “If you look at Jerry Jeudy and you see the things that he does. He gets open. He runs after the catch, and he fights for the football.”
Asked how important it is to trust his receivers, Winston again used the question to celebrate Jeudy, who he has clearly formed a strong bond with.
“I have a lot of guys that I can trust, but, man, when you have someone that is very talented and has a knack for getting open, has a knack when the moment matters most, he makes the play,” Jeudy told reporters. “I’m grateful to be throwing the ball to Jerry Jeudy.”
You know, as a backup quarterback with an uncertain future in Cleveland, Winston's politicking is a shrewd way to ingratiate support within the organization. And the best part? He's actually dead-on in his assertion, as Jeudy has accounted for 379 of Winston's 1,183 passing yards in games where he started. If that trend continues, Jeudy may rapidly make fans forget about Cooper before the end of the season.
Kevin Stefanski is excited about Jerry Jeudy's play for the Browns, too
While Winston was very eager to celebrate Jeudy's play in Week 12, he wasn't the only one, as during his Friday media availability, head coach Kevin Stefanski put over his trade acquisition for really coming into his own over the past few games.
“We really trust all those guys. I think you saw last night, Jerry coming open late in that game. It’s man coverage. He had to win on fourth down, on that big third down. But I really do believe Jameis has a ton of trust in all of our pass catchers, to include the tight ends and the running backs on the offense,” Stefanski told reporters.
“But Jerry continues to run a variety of routes for us. I think he’s winning down the field. He’s winning on shorter throws as well. So, it’s been… I’m proud of what he can continue to do for this football team because I do think that there’s always more that we can ask of these guys.”
Will fans be celebrating the Winston-to-Jeudy connection for years to come? That seriously remains to be seen, as the Browns would need to win out to really alter the narrative of their horrible season. But regardless of how the season ultimately shakes out, the Browns really need Jeudy to work out as a big part of their offense moving forward, as they just signed him to a new contract worth just under $20 million per year.
