Getty Images Wide receiver Rashard Higgins of the Cleveland Browns.
Rashard Higgins is not shying away from the Super Bowl expectations that have been growing around the Cleveland Browns. The veteran pass-catcher is instead embracing the high bar set for his squad.
“I’m telling you, man, if we’re not going to the Super Bowl, then we should not be talking,” Higgins told reporters on Tuesday. “That’s the goal. That’s the expectation.”
Higgins: “if we’re not going to the Super Bowl, we should not be talking… that’s the goal, the expectation…”
Higgins decided to re-sign with the Browns this offseason on a one-year, $2.37 million deal this offseason despite drawing interest from other teams. Higgins has struggled through some terrible years in Cleveland — including the 0-16 season in 2017. He’s ready to see the full turnaround and bring a Super Bowl trophy to the team that drafted him in the fifth round of the 2016 draft.
“Man, to see where we came, we are definitely deep. We have a lot of superstars on the team,” Higgins said. “We have a lot of big-name guys, and sometimes that does not matter. That does not help. A lot of that does not go to holding up that trophy, and that is ultimately what we want. We have to be a team at the end of the day. We have to put the right pieces in place to get the job done. When we get that, we are going to have something special, and I feel like we do.”
“We got it. We just have to put it together. Put it together and synchronize everything, and you all are going to see on Sundays.”
Rashard Higgins Embracing Position Battle
Getty ImagesRashard Higgins of the Cleveland Browns.
Higgins is slated to be the No. 3 wide receiver behind Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry, although he’ll have competition for that spot on the depth chart. Second-year pass-catcher Donovan Peoples-Jones came on strong last season and speedster Anthony Schwartz could also make some noise. KhaDarel Hodge and JoJo Natson will compete for reps as well. Higgins is feeding off the competition.
“We all feed off each other, but at the end of the day, we are all out here to get better,” Higgins said. “There is no competition. I am going to root on for the next man, just like how he is going to root on for me.
“Like I said, we all can ball. We are all out here for one goal in mind, and that is to get the job done and get it done at a high level.”
Rashard Higgins Looking to Play Every WR Spot
The easiest way to get on the field for Higgins is to be versatile. He caught 37 balls for 599 yards and four touchdowns last season filling in for Beckham.
“Honestly, my big goal for myself is to know every position. I mainly played X when Odell went down, and I want to give myself more room to play every position, not just making myself know this position,” Higgins said. “I want to know everything. I want to know why we are doing this, knowing more of the playbook is something I definitely want to learn at this camp.”
One thing Higgins has going in his favor regardless of where he lines up is his chemistry with QB Baker Mayfield.
“Sometimes I know when I line up and Baker gives me that look, I’m like, ‘OK. The ball’s coming to me, so I’ve got to get open on this play,’” Higgins said with a smile. “Me and Baker, we’ve got a good connection with each other. He’s my boy. We’re just out here playing backyard football at times.”
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Browns Veteran Sounds Off on Team’s Super Bowl Expectations