Browns looking for Britt to fill Pryor’s shoes at wide receiver

Kenny Britt POSITION » Wide receiver HEIGHT, WEIGHT » 6-foot-3, 215 pounds BIRTH DATE » Sept. 19, 1988 YEARS PRO » Ninth season COLLEGE » Rutgers RANKING » 11th of 25 BRITT’S BACKGROUND » Taken 30th overall by Tennessee in the 2009 draft, Britt became the first player from Rutgers ever drafted in the first round. He was successful enough in high school that he could have gone to a bigger college program, but he chose Rutgers to be near his home of Bayonne, New Jersey.

Britt had some run-ins with the law early in his career. He was arrested on three counts after an alleged car chase with police. One count was a felony. The charges were reduced when he pleaded to careless driving. A year later he was arrested in Hoboken, N.J., and charged with resisting arrest. The incidents led to Britt being suspended for the 2012 season opener with the Titans. WHY BRITT IS RANKED 11TH » A gaping hole was left in the Browns receiving corps when Terrelle Pryor left through free agency to sign with the Washington Redskins. The Browns offense won’t run through Britt, but it will struggle if he doesn’t succeed. He started 28 games over the last two seasons after some inconsistency before that, so his

recent track record is encouraging.

2016 RECAP » Britt played his first five seasons with the Tennessee Titans and then signed a one-year deal with the St. Louis Rams. He re-signed with the Rams for two years in 2015.

The Rams moved from St. Louis back to Los Angeles in 2016, and Britt celebrated the move with the best season of his career – 15 starts and 68 catches for 1,002 yards. All are career highs. He also caught five touchdown passes – his best since catching nine in 2010. WHY BRITT IS IMPORTANT FOR 2017 » The Browns’ receiving corps is dominated by second-year players. The wide receivers meeting room needs leadership and Britt can provide it. He’s a sure-handed receiver and a player the Browns can count on third down. Of his 68 catches last year, 26 were made on third down.

PREDICTION FOR 2017 » Britt had success with Los Angeles last year despite the fact the Rams had quarterback issues breaking in rookie Jared Goff. The Browns head to training camp not knowing who their quarterback will be. Britt has proven he can work with young quarterbacks and will do it again with the Browns.

He will have to do the same here whether the starter is Cody Kessler, DeShone Kizer or even Brock Osweiler, who, though a veteran, has been a starter only two seasons.

Britt will take some pressure off Corey Coleman. Coleman, taken with the 15th pick last year, was the first wide receiver drafted in 2016. Coleman was the No. 2 receiver last year with Pryor getting most of the attention from opposing defensive coordinators. Britt has the experience and skill to take the same workload.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Kenny Britt runs against the Atlanta Falcons in December in Los Angeles.