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Rookie wide receiver Isaiah Weston was carted off the field at training camp on Saturday, marking another wide receiver injury for the Cleveland Browns.
The Browns have yet to announce the severity of the injury to Weston but it’s never a good sign when the cart comes out. The Browns inked Weston to a deal as an undrafted free agent in April and there was excitement about his potential to snag a roster spot.
At 6-foot-4 and 214 pounds, Weston is a big-bodied wide receiver with a high level of athleticism, running his 40-yard dash at the combine in 4.42 seconds. Here was NFL.com’s draft breakdown of Northern Iowa standout for the draft:
One-speed route runner with the height, weight and speed to beat up on FCS opponents down the field. His primary function was to stretch and challenge defenses vertically, but he appears to have the physical tools to become a more nuanced route runner with more coaching. Weston will find that getting a clean release and outracing an NFL cornerback will be a much greater challenge. The downfield ball skills can be spectacular at times and his productivity would have skyrocketed with a more accurate quarterback.
Rookie third-round pick David Bell and second-year speedster Anthony Schwartz are also sidelined with injuries. Bell entered training camp on the PUP list due to a foot injury, while Schwartz went down with a knee strain while running routes on air on July 29.
Browns May Look to Add Wide Receiver After Injuries
With three wide receivers on the shelf and Weston’s injury possibly a serious one, the Browns could investigate adding another option in the passing game.
After Schwartz went down, head coach Kevin Stefanski was asked about adding another receiver but said it was “too early” for that. He did offer a positive update on Bell, who is battling through the foot issue.
“He is doing well. He is progressing well. Should see him soon,” Stefanski said on July 30.
Options are limited at this point on the free agent market but one name the Browns have been repeatedly linked to is Will Fuller, who remains available. Fuller comes with his own injury concerns, playing in just two games last season with the Dolphins. He posted 53 catches for 879 yards and eight touchdowns in 2020 but still missed five games with hamstring and groin injuries.
Donovan Peoples-Jones Big Fan of Amari Cooper
Luckily for the Browns, their top two options in the passing game have remained healthy in Amari Cooper and Donovan Peoples-Jones. The two have built quite the bond early in the year, with Cooper mentoring the potential-laden 23-year-old.
“I am definitely learning from him. He has a lot of experience. A very smart guy,” Peoples-Jones said at camp on July 29. “You can see his success. He is Amari Cooper so there are always things to learn from him.”
Peoples-Jones was trusted into a larger role last season, starting nine games. The 2020 sixth-round pick caught 34 balls for 597 yards and three touchdowns. Cooper came over in a trade from the Cowboys this offseason and should be able to give the Browns some strong WR1 numbers. He collected 865 yards and eight touchdowns last season in Dallas, which was a down year by his standards. He had gone over 1,000 yards the previous two seasons.
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