Browns pass catchers: How will they build around their two stars?

David Njoku and Amari Cooper are the Browns’ two best pass-catching options.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Browns have made some real investment in their pass catchers over the last few years. They traded for Amari Cooper — it only cost a Day 3 pick but it added an expensive contract — they traded a second for Elijah Moore and have spent back-to-back third-round picks on wideouts.

They paid David Njoku like a top-tier tight end, banking on his upside which has emerged since.

While it’s not on par with other positions — look at their cornerback room, for example — they have tried to build a strong group of pass catchers.

As they enter the 2024 season, the only sure things are Cooper and Njoku. Even Moore is a relative unknown as far as what he can still develop into long term.

The pass-catching group — wide receivers and tight ends — is a clear group to circle as GM Andrew Berry enters another year of free agency, navigating adding talent without a first-round pick. Even in a deep receiver class, it’s hard to find instant impact if you’re not picking until the middle of Day 2.

We continue our look at the Browns’ roster position by position, starting with contracts and big decisions on the horizon.

So far, we’ve looked at these positions: Quarterback | Running back | Offensive line | Defensive line | Linebacker | Secondary

Salary data is taken from Over the Cap and Spotrac.

Wide receivers

Under contract

David Bell (through 2025)

2024 cap hit: $1,375,883

Amari Cooper (through 2024)

2024 cap hit: $23,776,000

Elijah Moore (through 2024)

2024 cap hit: $1,879,149

Cedric Tillman (through 2026)

2024 cap hit: $1,275,105

Futures contracts: Jaelon Darden

Free agents: Marquise Goodwin, Jakeem Grant Sr., James Proche II

Tight ends

Jordan Akins (through 2024)

2024 cap hit: $2.315 million

David Njoku (through 2025)

2024 cap hit: $9,645 million

Futures contracts: Zaire Mitchell-Paden

Free agents: Harrison Bryant

Questions and decisions

Cooper’s contract

It’s scary to think where this position would be without Cooper. He is the first Browns receiver ever with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, he barely misses time and when he did miss the Jets game — and after Elijah Moore went out with a concussion — the lack of depth at the receiver position was glaring.

So, tldr: Cooper isn’t going anywhere.

His cap figure, however, likely has to be reworked.

Cooper has a cap hit north of $23 million and it’s a number the Browns can tap into to free up cap space to potentially add more depth at the receiver position.

Going big in free agency at receiver

The position is potentially set up to absorb a big addition this offseason, if the Browns decide to go that route. For as good as Cooper has been, he turns 30 in June and it’s time to start planning for life after the dynamic wideout.

Moore’s rookie deal expires after this season, so he’s in a prove-it year, and the Browns currently only have two other rookie deals — Bell and Tillman — on their books. Both of them have a long way to go to show they belong at the top of a depth chart, but the point here is bigger: the Browns can sign a receiver in free agency and set it up to where the cap hit is low in the early years.

An example of how this works is Dalvin Tomlinson. The big-money free agent addition had a cap hit last year of $4.347 million and $6.502 million this year. It starts to balloon after this season. That’s the ideal setup for a free agent receiver this offseason to pair with Cooper and eventually slide into the No. 1 role in a season or two.

Filling out the tight end room

Njoku and Akins are under contract but the Browns can cut Akins, who will be 32 in April, and save $2 million. Akins had 15 catches and 132 yards last season, both career lows.

Bryant has been fine as a second or third tight end and it likely wouldn’t cost much to bring him back, but the Browns could also explore some of their options to see if there’s a more dynamic pass catcher they can afford to pair with Njoku.

A big part of all this is what the offense will look like in 2024? Will it feature more 11 personnel with just one tight end on the field or will there still be enough two and three tight end sets to merit a bigger investment in the position’s depth.

Under Ken Dorsey, the Bills weren’t shy about throwing to two tight ends last season, with both Dawson Knox and Dalton Kincaid among the top six in targets on the team.

Njoku appears ready to establish himself as a high level tight end, so now it’s a matter of figuring out how the rest of the position fits around him and Deshaun Watson.

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