Browns Breakout Candidate WR Injured in Preseason Opener

The Cleveland Browns lost a wideout to injury in the first half of the NFL’s preseason opener against the New York Jets, while that receiver may have lost his shot to make the team.

Wide receiver Daylen Baldwin left the Hall of Fame Game on Thursday night, August 3, after suffering an apparent hamstring strain.

“#Browns announce WR Daylen Baldwin is out with hamstring injury,” Scott Petrak of Browns Zone reported on Twitter.

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Browns WRs Daylen Baldwin, Anthony Schwartz Both Have Catastrophic Opening Nights

Baldwin entered the evening somewhere between seventh and ninth on the Browns’ unofficial depth chart, slotting in as a third-string wideout alongside Anthony Schwartz and Jakeem Grant Sr.

Thursday night was one of Baldwin’s best chances to shine this preseason, as Cleveland kept 37 players sidelined for the opener including seven receivers. Grant was among those who didn’t suit up, as were four of the six pass catchers who started the night ahead of Baldwin on the depth chart.

Rookie Cedric Tillman, currently a second-string wideout behind Elijah Moore, comported himself well against the Jets, recording two catches for 35 yards. Second-stringer and second-year pass catcher David Bell also made two grabs for six yards, per ESPN. Both are recent third-round picks and both remain good bets to make the final 53-man roster after Thursday night’s game.

Instead of shining along with Tillman, Baldwin saw just one target come his way and made zero catches before exiting the game due to the injury. His night wasn’t as bad as Schwartz’s, who caught one ball for seven yards before coughing it up and losing the fumble to New York, but that was the only silver lining to come out of the game for Baldwin.

To make things worse for Baldwin’s chances, fourth-string receiver Austin Watkins Jr. had the best showing of the night with two catches for 35 yards and a second-half touchdown. Speedster Marquise Goodwin, who the Browns signed to a $1.7 million contract this offseason, remained sidelined with blood clots Thursday night. However, if and when he returns healthy, Goodwin figures to leapfrog Baldwin on the depth chart as Watkins now might.

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Daylen Baldwin Played 1 Game for Browns in 2022, Made Training Camp Roster Last 2 Offseasons

Baldwin was a potential breakout candidate coming into this preseason after linking up with the team in the summer of 2022. He got his shot with the Browns following a rash of injuries suffered by the receiver room that summer. Baldwin signed in Cleveland as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Michigan.

The Browns clearly saw something in the 6’2″, 212-pound wideout after inking him to the practice squad following the 2022 preseason. Cleveland elevated Baldwin for one game against the Baltimore Ravens on December 17. He played 12 snaps in that contest, making two catches and gaining 25 yards, per Pro Football Reference.

However, the Browns focused on adding talent to the receiver room this offseason, which kept Baldwin firmly in the outer orbit of candidates to earn a spot on the 53-man roster. Now with the injury on top of essentially a no-show performance in the preseason opener, Baldwin’s chances of making it through an August full of cuts appear more than a little precarious. That is particularly true if the injury lingers, which hamstring strains have been known to do.

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