Browns’ Updated Depth Chart, Salary Cap After Jerry Jeudy Trade with Broncos

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The Cleveland Browns added another highly touted weapon to their offense on Saturday with the reported acquisition of wide receiver Jerry Jeudy.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Browns agreed to send a fifth-round pick and sixth-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft to the Denver Broncos in exchange for Jeudy.

Before the start of free agency next week, Jeudy’s arrival gives the Browns the following projected depth chart on offense for the 2024 season:

QB: Deshaun Watson/Dorian Thompson-Robinson

RB: Nick Chubb/Jerome Ford/Pierre Strong/John Kelly

WR1: Amari Cooper/Cedric Tillman/Michael Woods II

WR2: Jerry Jeudy/David Bell/Jaelon Darden

TE: David Njoku/Jordan Akins/Zaire Mitchell-Paden

LT: Jedrick Wills Jr./James Hudson III

LG: Joel Bitonio/Drew Forbes

C: Ethan Pocic/Luke Wypler

RG: Wyatt Teller/Dawson Deaton

RT: Jack Conklin/Dawand Jones/Leroy Watson/Justin Murray

Per Spotrac, Jeudy has a cap hit of $12.987 million in 2024, meaning the Browns are estimated to be $4.142 million over the salary cap in total, but $627,134 under the cap when only counting the top 51 contracts.

After a spectacular collegiate career at Alabama, Jeudy went 15th overall to the Broncos in the 2020 NFL draft.

While Jeudy has shown some flashes of brilliance during his four-year NFL career, he has fallen short of expectations and has yet to register a 1,000-yard receiving season.

In 57 games in Denver, including 44 starts, Jeudy recorded 211 receptions for 3,053 yards and 11 touchdowns. His best season came in 2022 when he had career highs across the board with 67 catches for 972 yards and six touchdowns in 15 games.

There was some thought that Jeudy would truly break out in 2023 following the arrival of offensive guru Sean Payton as the new head coach, but he regressed instead, putting up 54 grabs for 758 yards and two scores.

Jeudy is set to enter the final year of his rookie contract in 2024 after the Broncos previously exercised the fifth-year option, and a change of scenery may be just what the doctor ordered.

There was an expectation in Denver that Jeudy would become the WR1, but that won’t be the case in Cleveland.

Five-time Pro Bowler Amari Cooper is firmly entrenched as quarterback Deshaun Watson’s top receiving option, and tight end David Njoku is likely ahead of Jeudy in the pecking order as well after setting career highs with 81 catches for 882 yards and six touchdowns last season.

Despite Watson and superstar running back Nick Chubb missing most of the 2023 season, the Browns reached the playoffs on the strength of one of the league’s best defenses.

If the offense can largely stay healthy in 2024 and Jeudy can give them a solid WR2, the Browns have a chance to be one of the most complete teams in the NFL.