As the Cleveland Browns travel to take on the Denver Broncos on Monday night, it will be a homecoming of sorts for wide receiver Jerry Jeudy, who is taking on his former team and head coach Sean Payton.
Jeudy has been the Browns’ best receiver since the trade of Amari Cooper and since Jameis Winston took over at the quarterback position. In the four games since Winston has been under center, Jeudy has racked up 24 catches for 379 yards and a touchdown.
This game against the team that drafted him in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft will certainly bring him more motivation. Payton is well aware of the connection that his two former players, Winston and Jeudy, have formed over the past month. Asked about what Jeudy brings to the table, Payton gave his take:
“He’s explosive, he separates—and I know Jameis. I’ve coached both of them. Jameis’s personality is infectious. He’ll tell somebody, ‘Hey, go get open and I’m going to find you.’ So that’s what a receiver wants. Those guys have had a—I would say—a good connection. You see it just in the limited games that Jameis has played. From a talent standpoint, he has great hips, great transition, and he has great football IQ.”
Can Jeudy make his former head coach and his former team pay with his fifth strong outing in a row as the Browns look to stack back-to-back wins for the first time this season? They are massive underdogs, so a strong game from Jeudy will be a necessity offensively.