As Jerry Jeudy walked through the halls of CrossCountry Mortgage Campus, he took in all the sights of his new NFL team.
He made his way around the building to meet with Executive Vice President of Football Operations and General Manager Andrew Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski. He saw his name above a locker in the Browns' locker room. He even picked out his jersey number and was surprised with his jersey. Jeudy was officially a member of the Cleveland Browns.
On March 13, the Browns announced they acquired Jeudy from the Broncos in exchange for a 2024 fifth-round pick (from Panthers via QB Baker Mayfield trade) and a 2024 sixth-round pick (from Houston via QB Deshaun Watson trade). They added a key depth piece to their receiving corps, anchored by Amari Cooper and Elijah Moore.
"I heard that the Browns were interested in me even two years ago," Jeudy said. "To actually be here, it's a surreal moment. So, I feel like I'm at the right spot because they have been trying to get me for a long time, so I feel like I'm wanted here. As a player, you always want to be in a place that you feel welcomed and want to make it feel like home and want to be wanted. And so having that feeling is great."
Jeudy spent four seasons with the Broncos after he was drafted at No. 15 overall pick of the 2020 draft. He appeared in 57 games with 44 starts and recorded 211 receptions for 3,053 yards and 11 touchdowns. During the 2022 season, Jeudy set career highs with 67 receptions, 972 receiving yards and six touchdowns. Last season, he appeared in 16 games and recorded 54 receptions and 758 receiving yards with two scores.
He now joins a wide receiver room in Cleveland that features Cooper and Moore, as well as young players in Cedric Tillman and David Bell. Cooper finished the 2023 regular season with 72 receptions for a team-high 1,250 yards – the third-most by a Brown in a season – and five touchdowns. Cooper also became the first Browns player to record back-to-back 1,000 receiving yard seasons. Moore played in all 17 games during the 2023 regular season and had career-highs in total number of receptions, as well as reception yards. He finished the regular season with 59 receptions for 640 yards and two touchdowns.
Jeudy said both Cooper and Moore can get open against a variety of coverages, and he sees his skillset as one that can complement their receiving corps.
"I feel like I could bring the same thing to the table – get open, create separation and make plays after the catch," Jeudy said. "I feel like we got a great set of receiving corps that could bring all that to the table actually."
He also provides QB Deshaun Watson with another deep threat in the pass game. Jeudy said that he has followed Watson's career since he was the quarterback at Clemson from 2014-16. Now, he has the chance to catch passes from someone he grew up watching.
"I think we can complement each other really well," Jeudy said. "Deshaun is a smart, accurate quarterback that knows where to put the ball for a receiver to make plays."
Following the news of the trade, Jeudy said he heard from different teammates who reached out. Players like Watson, Cooper, Moore and RB Nick Chubb connected with Jeudy to welcome him to the Browns.
For Jeudy, that introduction was impactful – especially hearing from Cooper.
"It means a lot," Jeudy said. "In my time at Bama, I got a chance to catch up with Amari and become close friends with him. That's a guy that I've been modeling my game after for a long time and been watching him since I was young. So, being able to play alongside him it's going to be exciting."
Cooper was a wide receiver for Alabama from 2012-14 before he was drafted as the No. 4 overall pick in the 2015 draft by the Oakland Raiders. Two years later, Jeudy would also play for Alabama from 2017-19. Jeudy appeared in 42 career games at Alabama and recorded 159 receptions for 2,742 yards with 26 touchdowns and won the 2018 Biletnikoff Award, an award given to the nation's top wide receiver.
Even so, the reality of being in the same wide receiver room as Cooper – someone who he looked up to while at Alabama and studied as he was growing up – still hadn't quite sunk in.
"I'll be having my moments like, I'm about to play with Coop," Jeudy said. "I've been watching him for so long – I don't think you understand how much time, how many highlights I've been putting in, how many hours I put in watching him. So, being able to just be in the same locker room and learn from him, it's going to be exciting."
As Jeudy begins the next step of his NFL career in Cleveland, he wants his love for the game of football and the competitive nature of the sport to shine through. As he learns the Browns' fan base and vice versa, he wants to show just how much he wants to win.
"I just want this chapter to be better than before. I'm just looking for a home and a great opportunity here to be part of a winning program," Jeudy said. "Really just being the best version of myself. It's been a tough few years at Denver, but it's just good to have a fresh start here."
