WR Donovan Peoples-Jones has been diligently putting in the work and preparing for the Browns' Week 1 matchup against the Bengals. He is fully focused and determined to make an impact with his skills on the field and is confident in his abilities to contribute to a successful start to the season for his team.
"Donovan's a guy that has made big plays, period, whether it's versus the Bengals. He's made big plays in games down the field, catches," Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said. "He has catch and run ability, someone that the quarterbacks really trust, know where he's going to be. Very friendly target to throw the ball to."
During last year's Halloween game, Peoples-Jones had an outstanding performance in which he caught four passes for 81 yards, including a remarkable 37-yard catch and run. Additionally, he managed to hurdle a Bengals defender during their 32-13 victory.
In the next matchup against the Bengals, he caught eight passes for 114 yards in Deshaun Watson's second game as a Brown against the Bengals. Peoples-Jones was among the first to develop chemistry with Watson last season.
Check out photos from practices and the preseason of each of the players who made the 2023 Browns' initial 53-man roster announced Tuesday
Cornerback Greg Newsome II (0) during a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs on August 26, 2023 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. The Browns lost 32-33.
Safety Juan Thornhill (1) during a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs on August 26, 2023 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. The Browns lost 32-33.
Wide Receiver Amari Cooper (2) during a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs on August 26, 2023 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. The Browns lost 32-33.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during a preseason NFL football game between the Washington Commanders and Cleveland Browns on August 11, 2023 at Cleveland Browns Stadium. The Browns lost 15-17.
Linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. (5) before a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs on August 26, 2023 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. The Browns lost 32-33.
Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (6) before a preseason NFL football game between the Washington Commanders and Cleveland Browns on August 11, 2023 at Cleveland Browns Stadium. The Browns lost 15-17.
Wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) during a preseason NFL football game between the Washington Commanders and Cleveland Browns on August 11, 2023 at Cleveland Browns Stadium. The Browns lost 15-17.
Wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones (11) during a preseason NFL football game between the Washington Commanders and Cleveland Browns on August 11, 2023 at Cleveland Browns Stadium. The Browns lost 15-17.
Punter Corey Bojorquez (13) during a preseason NFL football game between the Washington Commanders and Cleveland Browns on August 11, 2023 at Cleveland Browns Stadium. The Browns lost 15-17.
Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (17) during a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles on August 17, 2023 at Lincoln Financial Field. The Browns and Eagles tied 18-18.
Wide receiver David Bell (18) during a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles on August 17, 2023 at Lincoln Financial Field. The Browns and Eagles tied 18-18.
Wide receiver Marquise Goodwin (19) during the third day of Mandatory Minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 8, 2023.
New England Patriots running back Pierre Strong Jr. prior to an NFL football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the New England Patriots, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals on December 11, 2022 at Paycor Stadium. The Browns lost 23-10.
Safety Grant Delpit (22) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers on January 8, 2023 at Acrisure Stadium. The Browns lost 14-28.
Cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. (23) before a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs on August 26, 2023 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. The Browns lost 32-33.
Running back Nick Chubb (24) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills on November 20, 2022 at Ford Field. The Browns lost 23-31.
Safety Rodney McLeod (26) during a preseason NFL football game between the Washington Commanders and Cleveland Browns on August 11, 2023 at Cleveland Browns Stadium. The Browns lost 15-17.
Cornerback Mike Ford Jr. (28) during a preseason NFL football game between the Washington Commanders and Cleveland Browns on August 11, 2023 at Cleveland Browns Stadium. The Browns lost 15-17.
Cornerback Cameron Mitchell (29) during a preseason NFL football game between the Washington Commanders and Cleveland Browns on August 11, 2023 at Cleveland Browns Stadium. The Browns lost 15-17.
Safety Ronnie Hickman Jr. (33) during a preseason NFL football game between the Washington Commanders and Cleveland Browns on August 11, 2023 at Cleveland Browns Stadium. The Browns lost 15-17.
Running back Jerome Ford (34) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Washington Commanders on January 1, 2023 at FedEx Field. The Browns won 24-10.
Safety D'Anthony Bell (37) before a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles on August 17, 2023 at Lincoln Financial Field. The Browns and Eagles tied 18-18.
Cornerback A.J. Green III (38) during a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs on August 26, 2023 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. The Browns lost 32-33.
Linebacker Matthew Adams (40) during a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs on August 26, 2023 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. The Browns lost 32-33.
Linebacker Tony Fields II (42) during a preseason NFL football game between the Washington Commanders and Cleveland Browns on August 11, 2023 at Cleveland Browns Stadium. The Browns lost 15-17.
Linebacker Mohamoud Diabate (43) before a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles on August 17, 2023 at Lincoln Financial Field. The Browns and Eagles tied 18-18.
Linebacker Sione Takitaki (44) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Miami Dolphins on November 13, 2022 at Hard Rock Stadium. The Browns lost 17-39.
Long snapper Charley Hughlett (47) before a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs on August 26, 2023 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. The Browns lost 32-33.
Linebacker Jordan Kunaszyk (51) during a NFL football game between the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns on December 17, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 13-3.
Center Nick Harris (53) before a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs on August 26, 2023 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. The Browns lost 32-33.
Defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo (54) during a preseason NFL football game between the Washington Commanders and Cleveland Browns on August 11, 2023 at Cleveland Browns Stadium. The Browns lost 15-17.
Center Ethan Pocic (55) during a preseason NFL football game between the Washington Commanders and Cleveland Browns on August 11, 2023 at Cleveland Browns Stadium. The Browns lost 15-17.
Center Luke Wypler (56) during a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs on August 26, 2023 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. The Browns lost 32-33.
Defensive end Isaiah McGuire (57) during a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles on August 17, 2023 at Lincoln Financial Field. The Browns and Eagles tied 18-18.
Defensive tackle Siaki Ika (62) during a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles on August 17, 2023 at Lincoln Financial Field. The Browns and Eagles tied 18-18.
Offensive tackle James Hudson III (66) before the Hall of Fame Game between the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns on August 3, 2023 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. The Browns won 21-16.
Offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. (71) before a preseason NFL football game between the Washington Commanders and Cleveland Browns on August 11, 2023 at Cleveland Browns Stadium. The Browns lost 15-17.
Offensive tackle Dawand Jones (74) during a preseason NFL football game between the Washington Commanders and Cleveland Browns on August 11, 2023 at Cleveland Browns Stadium. The Browns lost 15-17.
Offensive guard Joel Bitonio (75) before a preseason NFL football game between the Washington Commanders and Cleveland Browns on August 11, 2023 at Cleveland Browns Stadium. The Browns lost 15-17.
Offensive guard Wyatt Teller (77) before a preseason NFL football game between the Washington Commanders and Cleveland Browns on August 11, 2023 at Cleveland Browns Stadium. The Browns lost 15-17.
Offensive tackle Jack Conklin (78) after a NFL football game between the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns on December 17, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 13-3.
Tight end Jordan Akins (84) during Phase II Fieldwork at The Greenbrier on July 23, 2023.
Tight end David Njoku (85) during a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs on August 26, 2023 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. The Browns lost 32-33.
Tight end Harrison Bryant (88) before a NFL football game between the New England Patriots and Cleveland Browns on October 16, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 38-15.
Wide receiver Cedric Tillman (89) during the Hall of Fame Game between the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns on August 3, 2023 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. The Browns won 21-16.
Defensive end Alex Wright (91) during the Hall of Fame Game between the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns on August 3, 2023 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. The Browns won 21-16.
Defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson (94) before a preseason NFL football game between the Washington Commanders and Cleveland Browns on August 11, 2023 at Cleveland Browns Stadium. The Browns lost 15-17.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a preseason NFL football game between the Washington Commanders and Cleveland Browns on August 11, 2023 at Cleveland Browns Stadium. The Browns lost 15-17.
Defensive tackle Jordan Elliott (96) before a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles on August 17, 2023 at Lincoln Financial Field. The Browns and Eagles tied 18-18.
Defensive tackle Shelby Harris (97) before a preseason NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles on August 17, 2023 at Lincoln Financial Field. The Browns and Eagles tied 18-18.
Defensive end Za'Darius Smith (99) during a preseason NFL football game between the Washington Commanders and Cleveland Browns on August 11, 2023 at Cleveland Browns Stadium. The Browns lost 15-17.
Los Angeles Chargers place kicker Dustin Hopkins (6) kicks a field goal against the Denver Broncos during the second half of an NFL football game, Monday, Oct. 17, 2022, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
That development carried over to this off-season as Peoples-Jones made marvelous catches in training camp.
"His trust in me, my trust in him trusting me, knowing where I have to be each given play, and my trust in him knowing where he's going to put the ball each given play, knowing he's coming to me gives me a lot of confidence, and it's good for the team, Peoples-Jones said."
The fourth-year pro had big moments last season for Browns receiving and as a punt returner.
He caught five receptions last season against the Dolphins and gained 99 yards. Another notable game was against the Bills, where he caught five receptions for 61 yards and his first touchdown of the season. Although he only had 16 receiving yards in the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he made up for it by returning five punts for 75 yards, which was crucial in winning the game.
"Really just trying to get better in every single way," Peoples Jones said. "Whether that's at the catch point, whether that's my knowledge of the game, knowledge of defenses, situation awareness, really just trying to add a lot of things into my toolkit."
