This seems like a good place to address the WR room, as it isn't 'just' FA, and it isn't 'just' draft. It has far-reaching impact across the entire club due to the financial aspects and the number of players the Browns need to re-sign and/or extend in the next 2 years.

What I want to do is break down each player, their contract, and possible moves:

OBJ - OBJ has 3yrs left on his contract ($15.75M, $15M, $15M). Due to his injury the 2021 salary will be fully guaranteed, but afterwards there are zero guarantees.

He just turned 28, so he is still relatively young.

His skills are obviouis and he can excell as an outside WR as well as work the middle. He is also pretty good on the 50/50 ball. However he had a rough ending to his time in NY, and it seems the analysis that the 'freelances' too much is accurate. Freelancing can be OK if you are dedicated to the QB and spend every waking moment learning each-others tendencies, but in the 2 years he has been here, that kind of dedication has not been noted..and with COVID reality, it likely will not develop this off-season either.

His injury seems to be ahead of schedule on rehab, meaning he very well might be ready to participate in some activities this summer.

Landy - Landry has 2yrs left on his contract ($14.8M, $16.6M). He has $3M remaining on signing bonus (Browns eat this), but no guaranteed money outside of that.

He just turned 28, so he is still relatively young (23 days younger than OBJ)

He is a possession type WR. Not particularly fast, but a crisp route runner, and sure handed. He is limited as an outside receiver, but can dominate the short middle, short outside, and as a slot.

He has been dinged, but has missed very few games.

Higgins - Higgins is an UFA, coming off of a 1yr sub-$1M contract...a contract he and Baker pushed for and he willing left money on the table to be here as he said there was unfinished business. An extension is likely $5M-$7M range with 2-3 years, maybe 4 max.

He is 27.

He is a bigger, faster, younger clone of Landry. He has great hands, runs great routes, and has the trust of Baker...a very important point. He is primarily a possession WR working short to intermediate, with the ability to play the slot.

He has been healthy this year.

Donovan Peoples-Jones - DPJ is signed through 2023, ($826K, $941k, $1M) with just over $140K guaranteed.

He is a deep threat. He is still developing, but he will only be 22 for the 2021 season. 11 of his total 16 receptions (on 17 targets) happened in the last 6 weeks (including playoffs), with a 23.9 y/rec ave.

Khadarel Hodge - Hodge is an UFA, coming off a 1yr $700k contract.

He hasn't really cought on. Barely saw the field this year. Not really sure what he brings as he has so little impact.

He will be 27 in 2021.

All others are just peripheral pieces. Not really worth going in depth on.

Let's start with the easy:

Hodge is likely gone. I have seen nothing that indicates the Browns have seen enough to bring him back. In 3yrs he has 1 start, 17 catches on 30 targets. He just doesn't seem to be a guy they can count on.

DPJ is here. He is young, he is cheap, and he has an outlandish Y/R average. He may very well be the deep guy we are looking for.

Higgins is likely here. His connection with Baker is obvious for anyone watching. He is a solid WR that can be the 'go to' in short to mid-range areas. A classic possession WR. With that said, he needs to work on his fumbling issues.

That leaves OBJ and Landry. Between them they will take up $30.55M of the salary cap in 2021, and $31.6M in 2022. That is NOT sustainable when you need to keep several players (Higgins, Ogunjobi, Gustin, Parkey...maybe OV for the right price, likely a couple from the DB), extend several others (Mayfield, Chubb, Teller, Gillan, Njoku, Harrison, Hubbard, maybe Richardson), and then hit the FA market for a couple of players. It just isn't likely.

Landry's contract is ripe for a restructure, but I don't see it netting more than $4-5M a year...and as mentioned above he is pretty much Higgins. With 3 pass catching TE's and 2 pass catching RB's, having 2 slot/possession guys does not make a lot of sense. I am also not sure he is really liking his role here as much. He came here believing he would be the #1...and now he can see the writing on the wall that his skills are not going to garner 100+ catches a year like he had in Miami.

OBJ's contract can also be restructured. It won't change the fact that he is guaranteed his 2021 salary, but it can reduce the burden going forward. The qeustion is, will he do it? Yes, having guarantees is nice, but he still sees himself as 'elite', so it may be a matter of pride. With that said, he has ZERO guarantees going forward and another team may see him as a way to say give a young QB a target and then cut bait if it doesn't work out, or a veteran QB that needs a deep target.

I think the Browns are going to go into 2021 without BOTH Landry and OBJ. Higgins and DPJ have similar skillsets (I didn't say as good), are younger, and are cheaper. They also seem to have a better relationship/chemistry with Baker...and see him as the undisputed leader (where OBJ and Landry are more alpha types).

I see Landry as a sign and trade. The Browns will restructure his contract, which will make him far more valuable for trade partners. OBJ is going to be a late trade. He is not likely to restructure his contract, but if Landry is gone I see him asking for an out pretty quickly...regardless, once he is 'on the field', several teams will line up for him hoping to get the 'electric' OBJ, thinking the Browns misused him.

Corey Davis may be a target worth looking into. He is 6'3", 210, and is a Z receiver (outside, off the line). He excells at mid to deep crossers and in-routes. He may be too pricey, but he is a good complement to what we have. I don't like Fuller, he is coming off a PED suspension.

Kenny Golladay may be another target. He is coming off injury, but his depth of route and 50/50 skills are excellent.

Awesome. And agree with pretty much all of it.

For right now, today, subject to change, I think it'll play out like this: Browns will sign Higgins. They've been allegedly working on it and it's a mutual situation, both sides want it to get done. I could see 3 x 6m, something in that range.

At that point, we know he isn't the third WR because nobody pays 6m for the crumbs this offense gives to everybody who isn't one of two WRs, two TEs, and a RB.

And we know they won't be starting Landry and Higgins. I almost dead solid guarantee it. Stefanski saw what defenses did to us playing two similar possession WRs and he will not wanna see it again. Neither will Baker.

Add in this: It's Baker's team now. It just is. Landry served an off-field purpose and did an amazing job of it. Now he's being revealed (as he was in Miami) as being a chain mover who wants to be paid like a WR1... and he's upped the drops and unsportsmanlike penalties. Meanwhile, Higgins DOES get behind people. He's sneaky. And yeah, he's both bigger and faster than Landry at this point.

But I digress: It's Baker's team, as it should be. Nobody else has to rule the locker room or sideline. That's the Bake Show. You don't keep Landry because you like him. It's not how things work.

I think OBJ is more likely to be a Brown than Landry for those reasons, along with OBJ's low value at the moment. From everything I read, he's expected to come back 100% sooner than later (like August), but for trade value, he's a guy coming off diminished production, whispers about his route discipline and "fitting in," and major surgery.

So my gut says OBJ and Higgins start. DPJ is definitely in the mix. And we add someone fast... probably TWO someones. One in f/a, one in the draft.

Interesting stats down the stretch...as I have said, NFL types break season into 4 game segments. Here are the stats for Landry, Higgins, DPJ as well as Hooper and Njoku in the last 4 games (including playoffs):

Landry - 26/33 (78.8% catch), 226 yds (8.7 y/c), 2 TD

Higgins - 13/22 (59.1% catch), 247 yds (19.0 y/c), 0 TD

DPJ - 6/9 (66.7%), 97 yds (16.2 y/c), 1 TD

Hooper - 20/34 (58.8%), 170 yds (8.5 y/c), 2 TD

Njoku - 11/15 (73.3%), 105 yds (9.5 y/c), 0 TD

If you look at those numbers, Landry and Hooper occupy the same space. Njoku isn't far off. Higgins and DPJ are WAY deeper.

BTW, in his last 4 before injury

OBJ 16/26 (61.5%), 223 yds (13.9 y/c), 2 TD

and those are 3 of his best games...so even during that time DPJ had better overall stats.

Yeah, Landry's YPC is getting like his last year in Miami, when he had like 200 catches for 900 yards (!).

I really dig the dude. If he were seen as a really good WR2 who made between 5 and 7m, we wouldn't be having this conversation.

But Higgins is gonna play for that amount, he has the vibes with Baker, and at that point I can't really make any case for Juice on the roster.

Part of the 'next step' is the looming contract for Baker Mayfield.

MKC has done a great job of parroting the MSM morons who are pointing at Goff and Wentz as examples as to why the Browns SHOULD be hesitant in giving Mayfield an extension now.

They talk about the year 2 slump like it wasn't coach/system induced. They talk about the first 6 games of this season as if it was a full half a year...and as if it wasn't with a rookie HC, with a 4th system in 3 years, and like the Browns weren't 4-2 during that stretch.

They ignore that Wentz is a known head case...a Jay Cutler type...that teammates are not a big fan of. That he also ignored coaches and coaching..and famously said I play the way I play and you ain't changing that.

They ignore that Goff doesn't have nearly the arm of Mayfield. That Goff has been surrounded by teams with as much and more talent.

They ignore that Baker has faced better defenses...and flourished. They ignore that Baker re-invented himself over the past year. They ignore that Baker just posted a top 3 QB rating for over half a year...something neither of those QB's ever accomplished.

No...the question is not 'should the Browns wait to offer', it is 'if you are Baker, unless the deal is killer, WHY would you sign a lesser contract now?' Baker is set to take the Browns to the playoffs again next year. He is set to have a FULL YEAR with the type of game he had the last 11 weeks. He is set to have a legit shot at taking this team to the Championship game...if not the SB.

WHY would a guy with that much in front of him take a contract based on the turmoil filled 3yrs this team has handed him?

If I were the Browns, I would offer a legit, big time contract. Next year he is going to cost north of $40M a year...this year they can possibly get him for $35M a year. If they believe in him...and they should...they need to hit it hard now.

Based on all the factors we've beaten beyond comprehension... as long as Baker's healthy, I expect him to be pretty significantly better than this year, better even than he was in the 2nd half of the season (when he was PFF's #4 passer).

The improvement he showed in-season was extraordinary. With a camp and more outside speed? The whole team in the same offense for a 2nd year? I fully expect 4,300, 35/8, something around there.

I expect him to keep excelling against blitzes, in the red zone, and going deep. With the offense totally internalized, he'll be better under pressure. I think this offense will become a juggernaut. I think we'll have to pay him an absolute shit ton.

Yes, I agree that Mayfield should be the one with no interest in signing at a discount right now. 100%.

I agree with you BDU, I don't see OBJ here next year. I could see Landry, but I am not sold he won't be moved...but that will be determined more on his willingness to restructure his contract. If he does, he is far more likely to stay.

Reality is we have major contracts coming up and his contract is prohibitive.

The question isn't OBJ V. Landry and it isn't about whether Landry's been a great teammate and a part of changing the culture. It's just this: He's paid like a WR1 and he definitely is not that; and he and Higgins are redundant and should not be starting together; and this offense gives almost nothing to WRs outside the top 2, true not just for the Browns but most teams running variants of this offense.

It's early to get into how you pay your WR1 if you're paying a WR2 like an explosive, gamechanging WR1. But it is time to discuss which of the two very good possession WRs should stay, because neither will be (or deserves to be) WR3 in this offense. I don't believe either will accept that; Higgins will now have better options.

I like Landry. I honestly do. At 7 or hell, even 9m as our move-the-chains guy, I'd love to have him for the next five years. But he makes about 15m and he's separating less than ever. He 100% "is what he is," a crafty chain mover.

That's Higgins, too. Higgins is a little younger, a little bigger, and a little faster. They both have great hands. Higgins will be thrilled to play for 6m a year for the next few seasons. That is not the case for Landry. I don't think the actual on-field production will make sense of that dissonance.

As for the leadership? It mattered way more two years ago. Last year was just a shit show. He was part of the leadership core this season as the team clearly became Baker Mayfield's, as it 100% should. Baker's the emotional leader and face of this team and he's up to it, it's a giant part of who he is, always has been.

It seems really evident to me that either Higgins or Landry will move on. MK thinks it's a legit possibility that the Browns try to move Landry as they get their financial house in order for a decent pack of extensions (Baker, Denzel, Wyatt, Chubb, soon Ronnie, etc.). There's no Rashard Higgins to step in and replace any of those guys with no dropoff.

But please know: If they go the other way, make a deal to keep Jarvis in Cleveland at a more palatable price for 4 years? Let Higgins walk? I'm there for it.

I don't think it's Landry V. OBJ. It's a choice between Landry at 15m or slightly less in some kind of contract tweak... or Higgins for 3 x 6m, which we'd read was being worked on (but maybe has stalled).

OBJ is his own conundrum.

Shep...you keep saying Higgins and Landry are redundant. I have to disagree.

Landry is and always has been best fit at the slot. This past year, he had 57 of his 72 receptions in the SLOT.

Higgins had the majority of his catches from the outside.

Landry average depth of reception was 8.3, Higgins was 13.8...and DPJ was 16.8. BTW, OBJ was 13.3...so maybe HE is the redundant guy in this offense.

Physically, it is interesting:

OBJ 5'11", 198

DPJ 6'2", 212

Landry 5'11", 196

Higgins 6'1" 198

40 times

OBJ 4.43 at combine

DPJ 4.48 at combine

Landry 4.77 at combine

Higgins 4.64 at combine

So to me, DPJ is a bigger, stronger, just as fast version of OBJ...who has shown some diminished skills over the past couple of years. Higgins is significantly faster and a longer strider than Landry...making Landry the obvious slot and Higgins an obvious 'Z' receiver (off line, motion, can slide into the slot at times). That would then leave DPJ as the 'X' (split, tethered to the line)

To me, OBJ is the odd man out IF they can find a buyer/trade partner.

The only reason the Browns will move on from Landry is financial...and the only reason they would move on from Higgins is if he decides to try the market and gets a big offer.

Unfortunately, I am not sold that Landry is going to take a cut. That is why I think we end up without him going into next season.

Great stuff, gents.

Only popping in to add:

• Landry WAS the heart and soul and was a great add on the cheap by Dorsey -- three years ago. You get paid for TOMORROW not yesterday, so today, he's not as necessary as he was three years ago.

• Higgins and DPJ are absolutely just fine for this offense, especially if it's a combined 8 mil vs. a combined 30 mil. I'm sorry, no heart and soul and swag is worth $30 mil+ on a team that features Baker, Chubb, Teller and Denzel now. Something has to go and those two are it.

• But it doesn't have to be NOW. We have a year where we could keep them both and do most of the other FA stuff we want. Give it a run back? Sure. You absolutely could do worse at WR.

• But it won't work long term. No winning team can carry $30 mil+ at WR and definitely not a Stef-team. It's just not a possibility. Browns have to do the Steeler thing and draft a WR every year and let him walk every fourth. It's the right way to do it, as has been shown time and time again.

In the end, I'm with Shep: this is Baker's team now and much like Cam Newton couldn't handle Steve Smith on his team, Baker doesn't need the headache of whiny WRs.

If I was confident those two would cede the spotlight to Baker, and take pay cuts, it would be awesome. But over here in the Real World: CLE, that ain't happening.

I agree with both of those amazing posts... even if it may not seem like it (!). I think Landry has done all of his best work out of the slot, over his entire career. Here he tends to do it inside of the other starting WR and a TE.

If that other starting WR is Higgins... it just isn't gonna keep adding up to what it added up to for a hot minute. We've been made and we know it (according to public and private stuff from the paysite, among scads of others).

I see Landry and Higgins as similar for what they do, not necessarily how they do it, or from where on the field. They're possession guys with limited speed, chain-movers. They don't take the the top off much. Etc., etc., yada-yada.

But yeah, Higgins actually seems faster than he was (at 4.64) and the same isn't true of Landry. Pete Smith made the point that Higgins DOES show a sneaky ability to get behind people. Longer athlete, longer stride, adding a ton to his craft... he just plays faster than he times.

I project forward and even at the same price tag, I don't think it's at all certain that Landry will be the better WR over the next few seasons. But I do now he'll be the more expensive one.

I like DPJ. He showed more than enough to get a shot at WR3 next season. In fact, for this offense? He meets all the requirements. He'll be happy enough with 45 targets, he's cheap, and he could continue his growth arc all the way into the starting lineup, maybe even in 2022.

He's not super explosive off the line or in/out of cuts. I've heard he's gonna work on those things. He's not a take-the-top-off guy on a consistent basis, or hasn't proven it yet. Maybe he can become that guy.

Whatever we do, we need to have that aspect in our top 4 guys. The guy opposite Higgins or Landry should have some of that and then we need another one. So I think the composition is...

EITHER Landry or Higgins

OBJ or another playmaking starter

DPJ

A speed guy (probably from the draft but could be Perriman, Brown, etc.)

I say probably from the draft because free agents will know non-starting WRs in this offense don't get many looks. I think Perriman would be a 3rd WR and he'd be asking for some commitment to more looks than are usually found from that spot in the Shanny offense.

I could possibly see that working, if Stef's up for some evolution: More 3WR sets with Landry inside Higgins and Perriman (like 2018). DPJ would be pissed though, which (again) is why I think the new speed guy is from the draft.

And circle back to thinking Landry and Higgins don't even spend this season together.

Browns should be paying very close attention to Houston. D.Watson just officially requested a trade. If they do find a trade partner, it will still cost them almost $7M against the salary cap. They are already $17M over the cap.

The ONLY way they can make it up is to release JJ Watt.

The Browns would do well to go after JJ Watt. He is ELITE, and paired with MG our DL would be nearly impossible to stop.

I like Hendrickson (thanks Shep), but he is going to cost MORE than Watt. Watt would also be a 2yr contract, so we can continue to grow our young players instead of making a 4-5yr commitment.

I also am not sold NO won't franchise tag Hendrickson.

New Orleans is also strapped, so I think that's the other dot getting connected. Agree on Houston, it's a dumpster fire and I'm sure some big dudes are gonna want out. I know Watt got misty about the end of his time there.

All of their WRs are gonna be trying to get out, hence some of the Will Fuller talk. And same for Yannick or whatever his name is, Vikings to Ravens? Word is he really wanted to come to Cleveland, likes Stefanski a lot... so Insiders said to keep his name on your list. Could be a love match.

When does f/a start? Feeling more and more like DE is where we're gonna swing big... but who knows?

FA this year is going to be bigger than usual...with the salary cap decreasing, there are going to be a TON of salary cap saving cuts.

Myles AND J.J.???

WOW.....

Getting a legit bookend would instantly make us 57.83% better on defense.

Putting this out there: The more I read insider hints and innuendos, the more I think we're gonna take our big f/a swing at DE. It's pretty strong, we have a need, and we're one of the few contenders with money.

Causes a lot of dot connection not at all based in intel, I'm sure... but some of the cryptic comments are like, "Keep an eye on this one."

It would make perfect sense from a personnel POV and AB understands that both DEs are no among the "core positions" (with CB1, LT, QB, and now kinda of WR1).

In that case, I'd really lean into the best CB we can get in R1, like maybe even trade up. Two great DEs and two great CBs to go with a potentially terrific group of safeties (Delpit, Harrison, and a deep cover guy)... that's the sauce in 2021.

Then just fill in.

Gonna depend a lot on how they feel about Delpit and Greedy. If they believe both will make it back full and play up to expectations, a freakish LB/S tweener may be the the pick...or another DE/DT guy that can move around the DL. Sounds like Ogunjobi is gone, and Richardson is getting up there and only 1 yr left on his contract...so that may be the way they go too.

Good way to look at it: Landry? Or Higgins and J.J. Watt?