Getty The Denver Broncos traded Jerry Jeudy to the Cleveland Browns
According to ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter, the Denver Broncos traded Jerry Jeudy to the Cleveland Browns. In return, the Broncos received Cleveland’s fifth and sixth-round picks in the 2024 NFL Draft.
“Cleveland made a run at Jeudy at last season’s trade deadline. Now the Browns finally will get him once the trade is processed this week,” Schefter added to his March 9 tweet.
Trade: Broncos and Browns agreed to a deal today that will send WR Jerry Jeudy to Cleveland in exchange for two draft picks, sources tell ESPN.
Cleveland made a run at Jeudy at last season’s trade deadline. Now the Browns finally will get him once trade is processed this week.
Jeudy’s trade comes two days after the Broncos announced Justin Simmons’ release and five days after Denver announced Russell Wilson’s release.
The deal will become official when the 2024 NFL league year starts on Wednesday, March 13. Meanwhile, Jeudy to the Browns clears his $12,987,000 fifth-year option off the Broncos’ books, helping Denver amass an $18.3 million surplus from the $255.4 million salary cap for 2024.
Broncos Increase Draft Capital After Jerry Jeudy Trade
GettyWide receiver Jerry Jeudy (right) with quarterback Russell Wilson
Schefter mentioned in a subsequent tweet regarding the trade, “With multiple transactions, contract restructures and trades within the past five days, the Broncos now have cleared nearly $50 million in salary cap space while adding two draft picks leading into to the start of the league year.”
While the Broncos bid farewell to the former Alabama standout, they have added two essential picks for their rebuild. Before the Jerry Jeudy trade became official, the Broncos had seven selections in the 2024 draft.
They will retain their first-round selection (12th overall), which draft experts speculate they will use for a quarterback. However, they lost their second round to the New Orleans Saints as part of the trade that brought head coach Sean Payton to Denver in 2023.
Once the league office approves the Jeudy trade, the Broncos will have three picks in the fifth round and two selections in the sixth. The New York Jets gave them one of their fifth-round picks in the November 2022 trade for defensive end Jacob Martin.
Denver also received a fourth-round pick from the Miami Dolphins as part of the Bradley Chubb trade. The AFC West franchise acquired a sixth-round selection from the San Francisco 49ers in the Randy Gregory trade and a seventh-rounder from the Los Angeles Rams in the Kenny Young trade.
Inconsistent Jerry Jeudy Gets a Fresh Start in Cleveland
GettyJerry Jeudy will play the 2024 NFL season with the Cleveland Browns
The Broncos had high hopes after making Jeudy the second wide receiver selected in the 2020 draft behind Henry Ruggs III. After all, he was coming out of college as a 2018 Consensus All-American and Biletnikoff Award recipient.
NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein wrote on Jeudy’s draft profile, “Jeudy can play inside or outside but offers a unique ability to widen or lengthen the field from the slot. His transition from deep threat to volume target in 2019 should help sell teams on his ability to become a pro-Bowl caliber WR1 who can help his offense on all three levels.”
During the 2020 Scouting Combine, he dazzled team scouts and front-office executives with his 4.45-second 40-yard dash, 35-inch vertical jump, and 10-foot broad jump.
However, the two-time First Team All-SEC member cannot sustain his performance over his first four NFL seasons. Case in point: he followed up his 856-yard, 3-touchdown rookie season with 467 yards and 0 touchdowns in 2021.
Likewise, his production declined from 2022 (972 yards, 6 touchdowns) to 2023 (758 yards, 2 touchdowns). Jeudy’s Pro Football Focus overall grade decreased from 78.4 in 2022 to 67.8 last year.
Despite Jeudy’s lower numbers last season, Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson celebrated the trade, giving him another passing target in addition to Amari Cooper, Elijah Moore, and David Njoku.
Conversely, Jerry Jeudy’s departure could increase Marvin Mims Jr.’s role on offense. The former Oklahoma standout earned Pro Bowl and Second Team All-Pro selections as a return specialist during his rookie season.
As 9News’ Mike Klis wrote on January 21, “He (Mims) seems to have what it takes to double his production from 22 catches for 377 yards.”