GM Andrew Berry is trying to correct a spotty record at the wide receiver position. (TheLandOnDemand)
Browns’ offensive reinvention centers on speed of new WRs Elijah Moore and Marquise Goodwin
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
PHOENIX, AZ
Smaller and faster.
No, we’re not talking Browns linebackers here. This is about Deshaun Watson’s newest pair of wide receivers acquired by GM Andrew Berry in bang-bang fashion last week.
The trade with the Jets for Elijah Moore (5-10 and 179 pounds) and the free-agent signing of Marquise Goodwin (5-9 and 183) represent a departure in receiver body-type for the Berry regime. They’re the first receivers under six feet tall acquired in Berry’s four transaction seasons.
Berry swears it has nothing to do with the classically tall Watson being able to locate them downfield better than his diminutive predecessor, Baker Mayfield.
“Honestly, it's not,” Berry said with a laugh in a sit-down interview with Northeast Ohio media at NFL owners meetings. “It just happened to work out that way based on the players who became available to us.
“There are smaller receivers that we liked when Baker was our quarterback, but for whatever reason, it didn't match up with timing or opportunity or resources. Even as we went into the free agent market or go into the draft, there are bigger receivers that we like with Deshaun. So they come in different shapes and sizes. We're really more looking for skill set and fit within the role.”
The primary skill set Moore and Goodwin bring to the Browns is speed. But while similar in build, Berry sees differences in them.
“They really do have maybe different strengths, although maybe people look at it on face value saying, ‘Hey, here are these undersized guys that ran really well coming out,” Berry said. “Their games are a little bit different. Elijah's a little bit more of your inside-outside separator. Really good hands, really good route runner. Marquis, despite his age [32], he's still one of the fastest players on the perimeter in football. So, not to typecast either of them, but we really do see them as having maybe a little bit of different function in the offense when we get to the fall.”
Moore, 23, ran a 4.35 40 at the 2021 NFL Combine prior to being selected in the second round by the Jets. Goodwin was an Olympic long jumper while playing four years at Texas. He clocked a 4.27 40 at the 2012 Combine and was selected in the third round by the Bills. Because of injuries, Goodwin has appeared in 16 games only once in nine NFL seasons with the Bills, 49ers, Bears and Seahawks.
Berry’s attempts to build a respectable receivers room has been spotty, at best. He’s trying to correct that record.
He said he signed Goodwin the day after trading for Moore simply to add more speed and depth at a position that will help Watson return to form from his 2018-20 glory days with the Texans. They also will give coach Kevin Stefanski the necessary pieces to reinvent the Browns’ offense to tailer to Watson’s arm talent.
“Despite maybe how it's looked at times, I love speed,” Berry said. “We love speed and I should say this, there's probably no general manager or head coach that says they want to be slow on the perimeter. But when you have an opportunity to add a good player who can really stress the defense with his ability to run, that's an opportunity that we're always going to look to take advantage of.”
The addition of Moore and Goodwin puts the futures of Berry draft picks Anthony Schwartz, David Bell and Michael Woods in jeopardy. It’s certainly possible all three could remain in some combination of the regular roster and practice squad. But they will have a tough time breaking into the top four group of experienced receivers Amari Cooper, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Moore and Goodwin.
The current 90-player roster totals a whopping 14 wide receivers.
“I think that we look at the receiver room as having good healthy competition,” Berry said. “The way we'll go about looking at the receiver room as we get the roster to 53 is making sure that we have the appropriate skillsets that allows Kevin and the offensive staff to call the game with enough flexibility in the passing game.”
The bottom line is the Browns’ offense is changing to a more receiver-oriented attack.
“It’s probably a better question for Kevin,” Berry said. “[But] I think it would be disingenuous to suggest that there aren’t things that we learned from the last six games of the season. Even just like teammates adjusting.
“I think from a football standpoint last year, to play 11 games with Jacoby [Brissett], who’s a much different style of quarterback, and then really kind of transition on the fly, that’s even tough for the other 10 players on offense. So all of those learnings, all of those moments, the offensive staff has really taken into the offseason.
“I think there will be a lot of carryover, but certainly there will be modifications to the offense that we think are more suited for Deshaun and the overall group.”
Berry bits
Berry declined to say whether the Browns would pick up the fifth-year option of left tackle Jedrick Wills prior to the May 1 deadline. But the GM heartily endorsed Wills. “Pleased with Jed's progress. Thought he had his best year this past year. I think, as you guys know is my custom, I don't really talk about those things in this setting, but we are happy with Jed,” Berry said …
Moore had a blow-up last year with Jets offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur over lack of targets, which resulted in his request to be traded. Berry said he has no concerns about Moore being a problem on his new team. “We feel very good about Elijah. Loves ball, hard worker. He is a good teammate. This is a guy that despite some of the ups and downs in New York … and obviously we have a really good relationship with that organization … but we feel good about who Elijah is bringing him into our building and think he's going to do well here.” …
Berry has added nine veteran players through free agency and trade, matching his most since taking over as GM in 2020. He isn’t finished, however. “Even as we sit here today, we're two weeks into the start of the league year, there's no position group or part of the roster that's completed at this point,” he said. Berry didn’t specify, but more possible additions could come at offensive line, defensive line and safety.
