Second thoughts: You want to see growth from DTR? Throw the ball to Jerry Jeudy

Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.

Second thoughts on Browns’ 24-6 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals …

1. The Browns scored 6 points against the Bengals and targeted receiver Jerry Jeudy three times. He caught two of the targets and drew a pass interference penalty on another one. Two weeks ago, they scored 7 points in the first half against the Steelers and targeted Jeudy two times. After each game, Kevin Stefanski said the same thing. He pretty much repeated it on Monday. “It’s no secret that Jerry is a huge, huge part of our offense. So, it goes without saying that we want him to touch the ball more,” Stefanski said. So how does a team ranked second-last in offensive yards and points not get the ball to their best offensive playmaker, a receiver certifying himself as a No. 1 on his team and right up there, statistically, with the likes of Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson and CeeDee Lamb?

2. I asked Stefanski on Monday if not getting Jeudy the ball is more a function of game-planning, play-calling or quarterback decision-making. He replied, “I think it’s a combination of all of those things. When you’re talking about any type of target, it’s our job as coaches to put together a game plan where your best players are obviously the primary, but then you have to go with what the defense does. That’s the other piece of it, I think. When you’re coaching the quarterbacks, make sure they understand that the ball goes where the ball goes, dictated by coverage. Obviously, there’s things that we do and will always continue to do to try to get our guys open.”

3. After the Steelers and Bengals games, Jeudy attributed his lack of targets to the Pittsburgh and Cincinnati defenses. That’s a very diplomatic response by him. All the best receivers are double-covered on occasion. It doesn’t stop Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson and CeeDee Lamb from getting the ball. The latest stats show Chase with 146 targets, Jefferson with 134 and Lamb with 152. Jeudy has 114. That ranks 16^th in the league. And yet, Jeudy’s 1,072 receiving yards place him sixth in the league. Against Kansas City, the Browns targeted Jeudy 14 times and he caught 11. My point is, don’t overly respect the defenses. Challenge them. If Jeudy were targeted 10 times and the defense disrupted the passes six or eight times, fine. But if you don’t target Jeudy, you are wasting one of the best receivers to play for the Browns in the expansion era.

4. I think this: The quarterback is the distributor and at some point he has to know his team. You think Joe Burrow relies solely on the game plan or the play-call to dictate where he distributes the ball? Of course not. Jeudy was handicapped earlier by Deshaun Watson and in the last game by young Dorian Thompson-Robinson. When Jameis Winston was winging the ball, Jeudy emerged. Just like Amari Cooper took off when Joe Flacco came on the scene last year. Back in the day, Bernie Kosar would distribute the ball evenly to Brian Brennan and Reggie Langhorne and Ozzie Newsome and his backs. But his biggest games came when he got the ball to Webster Slaughter. In these last two games, I would like to see the Browns tailor their passing game to Jeudy. And I think we would see some growth out of DTR if he targets Jeudy more often.

5. Speaking of DTR, his first start this season mirrored his previous spotty outings. He’s never played three games in a row. Last year, DTR improved in his second consecutive start. I expect that to happen again in DTR’s second start Sunday against the Dolphins. Most of the fan reaction I’ve gotten is that DTR is nothing more than a QB3. Maybe that’s his ceiling. Maybe not. I’m not delusional about DTR, but the fact is the Browns have to ascertain where he fits in the QB room next year. He will be back. Winston, more than likely, will not be back. I asked Stefanski what he thinks is DTR’s ceiling. “Young players need reps to get better. I see a young player in his second year that’s getting better with reps,” Stefanski said. At this point, at 3-12, there is no downside to playing DTR the final two games. Judge him after that. At worse, the Browns’ would inch closer to the top of the draft order.

6. With two games to play, the Browns sit in the No. 5 spot in the draft order behind the Giants (2-13), Patriots (3-12), Jaguars (3-12) and Titans (3-12). The Giants have games left against the Colts and Eagles and probably will secure the No. 1 pick. Which leaves them with the pick of the litter in a very limited draft for quarterbacks – Shedeur Sanders of Colorado or Cam Ward of Miami. The Patriots and Jaguars have their quarterbacks and would not take one, but could trade down if a QB-desperate team calls. The Titans need a quarterback, but more than likely will pursue Bengals QB2 Jake Browning in free agency because of his connection with coach Brian Callahan, the former Bengals offensive coordinator. All of which means the Browns – when all is said and done – could be in position to make a run for Sanders or Ward. There is a lot of evaluation to come before they make a decision on what to do in the draft. But if Ward is within their reach, things could get interesting in April.

7. Over the last eight games, the Browns have defended three of the top four quarterbacks in the NFL – Lamar Jackson of the Ravens, Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs and Joe Burrow of the Bengals. (I would include Josh Allen of the Bills, of course, in this group to make up the select Top Tier of QBs in the league. The Browns don’t play the Bills this season.) So I asked Jordan Hicks, the man in the middle of the Browns’ defense, to rank Jackson, Mahomes and Burrow 1, 2 and 3. “Why would I do that? What kind of question is that?” he replied. Because I asked, I responded. “I’ve played them many times,” Hicks continued. “They’re all great quarterbacks. They all have superpowers in their own ways. They’re all different. You can’t necessarily rate them 1, 2, 3. If you want a runner, you go Lamar. If you want somebody who can create, you go Pat. If you want somebody who can escape and plays with a little bit of savvy, little bit in the pocket with savvy, you go Joe. They’re all great in their own respects. I got a lot of respect for all three.”