The Cleveland Browns have nothing to complain about right now. This team is No. 1 in the AFC North, which is the exact opposite of where they were at the end of last season.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson is leading this team to riveting wins, and it's an exciting time to be a Browns fan. However, one NFL analyst still thinks a particular wide receiver's days in Cleveland may be numbered if he doesn't step it up.
In a feature released on Thursday, Bill Barnwell of ESPN released a list of coaches and players he considers to be in the "hot seat" heading into Week 6 of the NFL season.
Jerry Jeudy needs to prove himself to the Cleveland Browns, NFL expert says
For the Browns, Barnwell puts wide receiver Jerry Jeudy in that seat. He says the team is "excited about their young wide receiver duo of Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion, although Concepcion was forced out of last week's loss to the Jets with a concussion. Harold Fannin Jr. is a building block at tight end, too."
He adds that there's less buzz around Jeudy, "whose role in the offense has been inconsistent."
"Jeudy saw steady snaps last week after Concepcion's injury, but he had been playing about half of the offensive snaps on a weekly basis beforehand, dropping down to 38% in the Week 4 win over the Steelers," he adds.
From there, Barnwell points out that if Jeudy doesn't improve on his eight catches for 81 yards this season, "it's tough to see a long-term future for him in Cleveland." That makes the upcoming games important for the wide receiver.
If Jeudy can prove that he has chemistry with Watson and step up his game on the field, there's no reason for Cleveland not to keep him around. If not, a trade could be in the cards.
