The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Injuries leave receiver corps incomplete
The Browns need as many new, healthy wide receivers as they needed points to rally and beat the Los Angeles Chargers.
Well, not quite that many. The Chargers beat the Browns, 38-14, on Oct. 14, but it certainly seems general manager John Dorsey needs to restock the entire unit after counting up all the injured and departed.
As it is, the only healthy receivers are veteran Jarvis Landry, rookies Antonio Callaway and Damion Ratley plus Breshard Perriman, who was signed on Oct. 13 after Derrick Willies suffered a broken collarbone in practice Oct. 12. There is no guarantee Perriman will be any help.
“We’d like to have more (receiving help) if we could get it and if it’s the right fit for our football team,” Coach Hue Jackson said on Oct. 15. “I’m sure John is looking around everywhere to see if we can improve there.
“At the same time, as the head coach, I can’t worry about those things. He has to do his part. I have to do my part. We have to take the guys here and put them in position to have success.”
Wide receiver Rod Streater, signed last month when the Browns traded Josh Gordon to the Patriots for a fifth-round draft choice, suffered a fractured neck covering a punt on Oct. 14. Surgery is not required, but his season is finished. He did not catch a pass in the three games he played for the Browns.
Willies had his collarbone
surgically repaired on Oct. 15. Willies could play in the final three games of the regular season and playoffs if the Browns extend their season, and if they decide to make him one of two players designated to return. Teams do not have to use that designation until they know the injured player can play again.
Rashard Higgins is weekto-week with a sprained knee. He was injured playing the Ravens on Oct. 7.
Dez Bryant, the former Cowboys wide receiver still looking for a job, visited the Browns in August. The Oakland Raiders reportedly want to trade wide receiver Amari Cooper, whose star is fading quickly. The Browns could sign Bryant without giving up the mid-round pick it might take to pry Cooper
from Oakland.
Former Titans receiver Rishard Matthews worked out for the Browns and Arizona Cardinals last week, but neither team signed him.
Meanwhile, Perriman will begin resurrecting his career in practice Oct. 17. Perriman, selected 26th by Baltimore in the 2015 draft, was cut by the Ravens on Sept. 1. He caught a total of 43 passes in 27 games (four starts) over two seasons.
“It could be a great chapter of my story,” Perriman, 6-foot-2, 215 pounds, said. “I’m really excited to be here. I’m excited to get things rolling. I know this can be a huge blessing for me, and I know it will be.
“I’m just going to go out and do my part, just try to get this playbook down, and hopefully, it comes to
me this Sunday and I’ll be ready. I’ve got a lot of confidence in my speed still. Even after all the injuries. I’ve never been worried about that part.”
Perriman suffered a partially torn ligament in his right knee as a rookie in 2015 and missed the entire season. He partially tore a ligament in his left knee in 2016 and missed the preseason that year. He suffered a concussion last season.
Perriman ran a 4.25 40yard dash at his 2015 Central Florida pro day, but dropping passes doomed his career with Baltimore. He had tryouts with the Eagles, Jets, Bills, Jaguars and Vikings after being cut by the Ravens. He spent four days with the Redskins but did not play in a game with them.