I believe this to be an accurate take on the receivers:

" However bad the quarterback play was for the Cleveland Browns in 2021, the wide receivers position was worse. A group that was supposed to be a strength demonstrated all of the staying power of Corey Coleman, giving way to injuries, regression and even desertion, reducing it one of the least effective on the team alongside defensive tackle and punter while being the most expensive.

The Browns took a calculated risk with Odell Beckham Jr. coming off of the ACL surgery combined with the ineffective play Jarvis Landry showed in 2020 as he battled through multiple injuries, most notably broken ribs. It didn't pay off and the Browns should have moved on from at least Beckham, but likely both Bayou Bengals receivers ahead of this season, freeing up approximately $26.2 million to use either on different wide receivers or otherwise bolster the team.

Beckham's $14.5 million salary being fully guaranteed in 2021 as a result of the injury he suffered the previous season may have been a non-starter for potential trade partners, knowing they'd be on the hook for the full amount. And if the Browns were going to be stuck with trying to make it work with Beckham, they weren't going to move on from Landry, since both could be let go easily after the season, giving them a clean break in terms of contracts and the salary cap.

Recognizing the pitfalls at the position, the Browns saw the 2021 NFL Draft as an avenue to add more speed, mitigate costs and reinforce the position as well as planning ahead for a post LSU reality.

In the second round of the NFL Draft, the Browns, slated tor pick 59th, had three main targets. One of those was wide receiver Rondale Moore, a short, densely built speedster from Purdue. The Arizona Cardinals selected Moore with the 49th pick, prompting the Browns to work the phones to make a move to get one of the other two players they had targeted. Pass rusher Azeez Ojulari, the second prospect the Browns liked, went 50th to the New York Giants. The Browns secured a swap with the Carolina Panthers for the 52nd pick, where they selected the third, linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah.

Still in search for speed at the receiver position, the Browns would select 20-year old sprinter Anthony Schwartz out of Auburn in round 3, knowing full well he was at least a year away from being a full service wide receiver. He might be able to make the occasional contribution as a jet player and deep shot, but they had no delusions he would come in and be a major contributor.

Unfortunately for Schwartz, he really didn't get much of an offseason as hamstring injuries wiped out training camp and all but the last week of the preseason. That was followed in the regular season by a severe concussion that would take five weeks to fully recover. Even if the Browns were counting on contributions from Schwartz, fate prevented it from happening.

Rashard Higgins, coming off the best season of his career in 2020, turned into a pumpkin in 2021. A player that succeeded in spite of physical limitations last season, because he was precise and reliable proved to be anything but in 2021.

Mayfield's drop-off in play from 2020 and 2021 certainly had an impact, but it only goes so far. The level of volatility is indicative of the problem at the position. Quarterback play is going to help or hurt a position that depends on it for production, but it begs the question what value the player is bringing to the table when the difference is this stark.

Contrast that against Donovan Peoples-Jones, a second year wide receiver thrust into the spotlight this season after Odell Beckham Jr. quit on the team. Jones, a player the Browns seemed to have a good handle on how to employ relative to his development arc became the team's top receiver by default.

He still has plenty to learn as he continues to refine his technique and better understands how to use his size and strength. Nevertheless, Jones ended up not only leading the team in receiving yards, but was the most efficient receiver on the team in spite of any growing pains he may have endured.

Perhaps evidence of just how good Jones can be for this team, everything else about this chart underlines how putrid the Browns wide receiver position was this year.

If this isn't bad enough, running back Nick Chubb averaged 7 yards per target as he chipped in 174 receiving yards this year. That would put him above Beckham, Landry, Schwartz and Higgins. Austin Hooper's catastrophic season is a topic unto itself.

Odell Beckham hid behind his father's social media to blame everyone else for his struggles including Mayfield and head coach Kevin Stefanski on his way out of Cleveland. Unfortunately for Beckham, the change in scenery he forced hasn't been the panacea the malcontented receiver believed it would be. His efficiency with the Los Angeles Rams the rest of the regular season dropped even further to 6.35 yards per target.

Looking ahead to 2022, Beckham resolved his situation for the Browns, freeing them from any further burden either financial or otherwise, but the Browns will have a decision to make on Landry, who is scheduled to earn $16.6 million in 2022. Moving him would cost them $1.5 million in dead cap, freeing up as much as $15.1 million in cap space.

Another year impacted by injury, Landry missed games for the first time in his career as a result of a sprained knee two snaps into the second game of the season. After three games on injured reserve, Landry came back against the Denver Broncos only to suffer a new injury to the same knee. He played through the pain, save for a game missed while on the Reserve/COVID-19 list and the results were the worst season of his career.

Beyond the financial matter that would need to be resolved, likely resulting in an overwhelming pay cut Landry may not be keen on taking, the issue of his role within the team would also be up for discussion. For an offense that utilizes the tight end position as much as the Browns do, the ability to threaten the opponent vertically or otherwise create space becomes critical at wide receiver.

An area Landry has never excelled, he's always been a beneficiary of space created by other players dating back to college, using his intelligence and awareness to exploit holes in the defense. Landry also struggles against man coverage, which has been a glaring issue for the Browns the two seasons Kevin Stefanski has been the head coach.

The contributions Landry makes within the locker room and in helping other wide receivers are valuable, but he also wants to be a factor in the offense, not simply a glorified coach. Finding the sweet spot where he feels validated as a player in his role as well as salary balanced against the goals of the team is going to be a difficult mark to hit.

With Higgins, it's not about the financial implications but deciding if he's worth the roster spot. The Browns like Higgins as a person. He's a positive influence in the locker room. They may re-sign him for that reason, but the spot wouldn't be guaranteed. Higgins would have to earn it in camp.

He's become as confounding and unpredictable as a crafty left handed relief pitcher. Two of the last four seasons, he's been an asset on the field contrasted against two years where he's been a non-factor, even forgettable. Perhaps given the fact it will be an even numbered year, Higgins is due to be effective again.

As it currently stands, the only wide receivers that are safe for the Browns headed into the 2022 season are Donovan Peoples-Jones, the best on the team and Anthony Schwartz, the team's third round pick from the most recent NFL Draft. Even as Schwartz has potential, the Browns cannot go into next season penciling Schwartz in as a featured part of their offense. He's going to have to prove himself.

Factoring in what Demetric Felton can do both as a running back and wide receiver, the Browns will be in the market for at least three new options acquired through the draft or from other teams in the coming offseason.

Regardless of who plays quarterback for the Browns next season, wide receiver has limited what this offense can achieve and will be a priority, one that general manager Andrew Berry will attack with similar ferocity to the the offensive line ahead of the 2019 season and secondary for 2020."