Donovan Peoples-Jones will be playing with one of his favorite receivers he watched from his high school and college days as he enters Year 3 in Cleveland.
That receiver is Amari Cooper, who has united with Peoples-Jones in Cleveland to ignite the pass game and become the Browns' top wideout. Peoples-Jones wore No. 9 when he played at Cass Tech High School and Michigan after Cooper, who wore the number when he played at Alabama.
"He was just one of the best," Peoples-Jones said Friday. "He was at the top of the line."
Peoples-Jones will compete for a role on the receiver depth chart behind Cooper, who was the fourth overall pick of 2015 and is expected to carry the same level of consistency and productivity that's led him to four Pro Bowls over to Cleveland.
Peoples-Jones, meanwhile, is expected to follow behind him as a possible No. 2 receiver. He could be poised for a breakout season after he led the Browns with 597 receiving yards and caught 34 passes, which equated to a marvelous 17.6 yards per reception — third-best in the league. He was a 2020 sixth-round pick who has certainly outplayed his draft position and will likely be a more featured player in the offense this season.
Those expectations, however, aren't creeping into his mind as he begins training camp.
"We really just come out here every day, listen to meetings, practice hard and let the rest take care of itself," he said.
Check out photos of players and coaches working throughout camp
Quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during the second day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on July 28, 2022.
Wide Receiver Amari Cooper (2) during the second day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on July 28, 2022.
Defensive end Chase Winovich (69) during the second day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on July 28, 2022.
Offensive guard Wyatt Teller (77) during the second day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on July 28, 2022.
Wide Receiver Michael Woods II (12) during the second day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on July 28, 2022.
Safety Ronnie Harrison (33) during the second day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on July 28, 2022.
Tight end David Njoku (85) during the second day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on July 28, 2022.
Cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. (23) during the second day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on July 28, 2022.
General Manager Andrew Berry and Head Coach Kevin Stefanski during the second day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on July 28, 2022.
Safety Luther Kirk IV (36) during the second day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on July 28, 2022.
Quarterback Josh Rosen (19) during the second day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on July 28, 2022.
Defensive Backs Coach Jeff Howard during the second day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on July 28, 2022.
Fullback Johnny Stanton IV (40) during the second day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on July 28, 2022.
Defensive tackle Tommy Togiai (93) during the second day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on July 28, 2022.
Quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) during the second day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on July 28, 2022.
Tight end David Njoku (85) during the second day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on July 28, 2022.
Safety John Johnson III (43) during the second day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on July 28, 2022.
Running back Nick Chubb (24) during the second day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on July 28, 2022.
Quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) during the second day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on July 28, 2022.
Carson Walch during the second day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on July 28, 2022.
Safety Grant Delpit (22) during the second day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on July 28, 2022.
Running back John Kelly (41) during the second day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on July 28, 2022.
Quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) during the second day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on July 28, 2022.
Punter Corey Bojorquez (13) during the second day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on July 28, 2022.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during the second day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on July 28, 2022.
Wide Receiver Amari Cooper (2) during the second day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on July 28, 2022.
Safety Ronnie Harrison (33) during the second day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on July 28, 2022.
Safety Grant Delpit (22) during the second day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on July 28, 2022.
Linebacker Silas Kelly (51) during the second day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on July 28, 2022.
Center Ethan Pocic (55) during the second day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on July 28, 2022.
Wide Receiver Michael Woods II (12) during the second day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on July 28, 2022.
Center Nick Harris (53) during the second day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on July 28, 2022.
Offensive tackle Drew Forbes (79) during the second day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on July 28, 2022.
Safety John Johnson III (43) during the second day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on July 28, 2022.
A helmet during the second day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on July 28, 2022.
Safety Grant Delpit (22) during the second day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on July 28, 2022.
Quarterback Joshua Dobbs (15) during the second day of training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on July 28, 2022.
Learning from Cooper, who was traded to the Browns in March, will be part of that process, but that's already something Peoples-Jones has been doing for years.
Now, he'll be able to witness Cooper's elite skills on the same football field.
"I'm definitely learning from him," he said." He has a lot of experience. He's a very smart guy. You can see his success.
"He's Amari Cooper, so there's always things you can learn from him."
