The first two spots on the depth chart at wide receiver are not subject to debate. Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry are firmly entrenched as the Cleveland Browns starters. After that?
Two weeks of training camp practices have yet to sort out who will be No. 3, or beyond that for that matter. Wide receivers coach Chad O’Shea made that clear in his Zoom conference with reporters prior to Saturday’s practice.
“The competition is still open,’’ he said. “It’s a very competitive situation on our roster. Nothing is set in stone and we have a lot of guys vying for it.’’
Many expected veteran Rashard Higgins to seize the role, but “Hollywood” has not starred enough to beat out the other players auditioning. KhaDarel Hodge’s return to practice after missing several days to attend to a personal matter only makes the competition more crowded. O’Shea had nothing but positive things to say about Hodge upon his return.
“I’m extremely impressed with him and I have a great deal of respect for how he plays,’’ O’Shea said. “He studies hard, he knows what to do and he’s very good mentally. He can function in multiple roles, and it’s important to add value to the team in several different ways.”
Hodge primarily thrived on special teams in 2019, his first year in Cleveland. But he made plays as a receiver in the first week of camp, and the versatility O’Shea cited only adds value. Higgins is more one-dimensional, though he produced well and showed great chemistry with Baker Mayfield during the quarterback’s rookie season in 2018.
Rookie Donovan Peoples-Jones has also interjected himself into the mix. Peoples-Jones hasn’t been flawless but continues to make big plays when given chances.
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