Two years ago, the Cleveland Browns executed one of the most impressive NFL heists in recent memory, and it seems general manager Andrew Berry and crew have done it once more.
In March 2022, Berry traded wide receiver Amari Cooper to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for two fifth-round picks and a sixth-round pick. After leading the Browns in receiving the previous two seasons, Cooper was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2023.
In return for wide receiver Jerry Jeudy, a former first-round pick (No. 15 overall in 2020) who had one year left on his contract when the Browns made the trade, the Denver Broncos received a fifth-round pick and a sixth-round pick earlier this month from Cleveland.
The choice for Jeudy Cleveland was deemed the “smartest 2024 offseason decision” to date by Bleacher Report’s Maurice Moton.
Jeudy might be a better option right away than [Elijah] Moore. In three of his four professional seasons, Jeudy has amassed at least 758 receiving yards. Jeudy can line up on the outside or in the slot, just like Moore, but he has the size to have a greater impact on the boundary at 6’1″ and 195 pounds.
The smart part of the transaction was that the Browns acquired Jeudy for only 2024 fifth and sixth round selections. Even though the team may have overpaid for his $58 million, three-year agreement, the front management deserves praise for a well-executed move.
Jerry Jeudy’s Browns Contract Amount Is Not as Significant as the Cap Hit
The Jeudy contract is a substantial investment in a player who hasn’t yet made almost $20 million a year, but who has the talent and potential to make that amount appear respectable in a few years.
The timing of Jeudy’s rookie deal proved to be a tricky move for the Browns. The receiver was under contract until 2024, with a final year salary of almost $13 million, after Denver exercised a fifth-year team option on his contract during the previous offseason.
The contract year that Cleveland acquired through trade is still listed on Jeudy’s balance sheet and will be used to pay him next season. The Browns then achieved two goals by signing Jeudy to a three-year extension into 2024.
First, they promised he wouldn’t become a free agent in March 2025, which would have prevented Jeudy from bolting after just one season and made the two draft picks Cleveland received in exchange for him seem unnecessary. Second, Jeudy’s contract was restructured by the Browns, allowing him to have a salary cap of only $3.5 million in 2024.
The amount that Jeudy ultimately costs the team in terms of the salary limit concerns less than how much he costs over the course of the next two seasons, which are likely championship windows in Cleveland. For somewhat less than $3.5 million the next season, the Browns effectively acquired a 25-year-old former first-round pick to play Robin to Cooper’s Batman.
Regardless of how you interpret the result, Cleveland emerged victorious, aiming to win a Super Bowl trophy before their extravagant spending ultimately catches up with them.
Jerry Jeudy will be a steal if he plays well enough to be the Browns’ number two wide receiver.
Even though Jeudy has only caught 11 touchdowns in his NFL career and has never over 1,000 receiving yards, he is still an obvious choice above any other pass-catcher the Browns may use to move up to the No. 2 spot on the roster.
Moore joined Cleveland from the New York Jets and finished his first campaign with 59 receptions for 640 yards and two touchdowns. Above Moore are David Bell and Cedric Tillman, who were selected in the third round of the previous two rounds, respectively.
Though Jeudy appears to be able to fill that role in a better offense, none of those three guys have established themselves as reliable second options. Either way, Jeudy will be a steal if he can execute this deal price, no matter how he compares to his pay.
