Browns foresee Peoples-jones as a good No. 2 receiver
ROCKY RIVER — Donovan Peoples-jones won't soon forget the lessons taught by former Browns wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry.
Beckham forced his way out of Cleveland in November, and Landry was released earlier this offseason in a cost-saving move, but Peoples-jones said he will “forever” keep in touch with them, picking their brains about the intricacies of the position they play.
“I always used to look up to those guys and to actually be around them, get to know them as people ... it did a lot for me, especially as a young player,” said Peoples-jones, a sixth-round draft pick out of Michigan in 2020.
With Beckham and Landry gone, the Browns are counting on Peoplesjones to rise to the No. 2 wideout role opposite four-time Pro Bowl selection Amari Cooper, a March trade acquisition.
“I'm excited for this year,” Peoplesjones said. “I'm excited for what's to come.”
Future success will hinge partly on Peoples-jones learning from Cooper as he did from Beckham and Landry.
“He's very smart. He's a technician,” Peoples-jones said of Cooper. “He's been killing the league for a long time, and I can see why.”
Could the Browns add a veteran receiver and bump Peoples-jones down the depth chart? The possibility shouldn't be dismissed because there is plenty of time before training camp begins in late July and the regular season kicks off Sept. 11 at the Carolina Panthers.
On the other hand, coach Kevin Stefanski has maintained the Browns are comfortable with the receiving corps as it's constructed, and he has noted that Peoples-jones has improved his body and understanding of the playbook.
“We've talked about how dependable he is,” Stefanski said. “He does what he's supposed to do. He's where he's supposed to be. I do see his game growing. I think his body control, catching the ball and contested catches, has never been tough for him. That's just one of the traits he has.
“But in and out of breaks, some of the things we're asking him to do are maybe a little bit different than he's done in the past, and he's done a great job. I think the quarterbacks like throwing to him, and that's important.”
Peoples-jones, 23, has had bright spots in his first two seasons, but the potential for more is easy to see.
In 2021, Peoples-jones started nine of his 14 games and caught 34 passes on 58 targets for a team-high 597 yards and three touchdowns. It's the type of production most teams don't get out of their late-round choices.
“He's kind of like an inspiration to me because we were both sixth-rounders, and he came in and made a name for himself,” rookie receiver Mike Woods said. “I'm excited to learn from him [and] what he did to help himself through this change.”