ESPN taps second-year receiver Jamari Thrash as a player to watch in training camp.
The Cleveland Browns will enter training camp later this month with a clear pecking order at the wide receiver position.
Starting from the top and in descending order:
- Jerry Jeudy is the clear No. 1 receiver after posting the first 1,000-yard receiving season of his career in 2024.
- Cedric Tillman, who is still promising, but needs to stay healthy and show that last season’s three-game stretch, where he had 21 receptions for 255 and three touchdowns, was not a fluke.
- Diontae Johnson, a former Pro Bowl receiver attempting to resurrect his career on one of those “low-risk, high-reward” contracts that Cleveland fans seem to love. (The weather may need to cooperate for that to happen.)
- An interchangeable group that includes David Bell, DeAndre Carter, and Michael Woods II.
- A potentially promising group of undrafted free agents that includes Gage Larvadain, Luke Floriea, Cade McDonald, and Kisean Johnson.
Related: Where does Cleveland’s wide receiver group rank on PFF’s Top 32 list?
One player not mentioned but who might be worth keeping an eye on is Jamari Thrash, who was tapped by ESPN as the “biggest surprise player” on the Browns heading into training camp:
A 2024 fifth-round pick who caught three passes as a rookie, Thrash took advantage of opportunities in an unproven receiver room and established himself as a reliable option for all the Browns’ quarterbacks.
“He’s had a really strong spring,” coach Kevin Stefanski said. “He is here all the time working on his body. Very intelligent player, can line up in multiple positions, which I think is valuable. And then he showed up, he’s caught the ball well, and you know the quarterbacks like how he gets open. He finds a way to get open versus zone, versus man.”
Thrash appeared in nine games for the Browns as a rookie last season, logging 143 snaps on offense and one on special teams. He was not involved much in the offense when he was on the field, as he had just seven targets, so he will need to make the most of his opportunities this summer.
Related: Projecting Cleveland’s Week 1 wide receiver room
The good news is that with the Browns having four quarterbacks on the roster, there should be plenty of chances for Thrash and the other wide receivers to show what they can do. Practice reps may be limited, but the quarterbacks, especially rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, will be looking to get in extra work where they can, and they will need willing receivers to work with them.
The Browns have openings at wide receiver that need to be filled, and if Thrash can become a reliable option, he may be able to take advantage of the opportunity.