The Cleveland Browns secured a dominant 31-6 victory over the Miami Dolphins this past weekend, but the win was not without consequence. Star wide receiver Jerry Jeudy suffered a knee injury during the game, and his status for the upcoming matchup against the New England Patriots remains uncertain.
How Will Jerry Jeudy’s Injury Impact the Browns’ Offense?
Jeudy began the week as a non-participant on the practice report. While he returned to the field on Thursday, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com noted that he was only working in a limited capacity. The amount of work he can handle on Friday and during the team’s Saturday walkthrough will be critical in determining if rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel will have his top target available.
This situation is a significant concern, especially given Jeudy’s history. A former first-round pick of the Denver Broncos, he delivered a stellar first season in Cleveland in 2024, catching 90 of his 145 targets for 1,229 yards and four touchdowns. That performance places him among the elite receivers in franchise history, with only Josh Gordon, Braylon Edwards, Amari Cooper, and Webster Slaughter recording a higher single-season yardage total.
However, the 2025 campaign has been a different story for the 26-year-old. After posting 66 yards in the Browns’ season-opening loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, Jeudy has surpassed 50 receiving yards in a game just once.
Surprisingly, rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr. has emerged as the team’s leading receiver through seven games, with more receptions and yards than anyone else on the offense.
Who Needs to Answer the Call Alongside Jeudy?
While the emergence of a third-round rookie as the leading receiver is an encouraging development, it was not the team’s original plan. The offensive production drops off significantly after Jeudy and Fannin Jr. The next-closest receiver to Jeudy’s 257 yards is Isaiah Bond with 123, followed by third-year wideout Cedric Tillman with 106 yards. They are the only other receivers on the roster with more than 100 yards this season.
If Jeudy cannot play on Sunday, more targets will inevitably go to Bond, Tillman, and Jamari Thrash. The question is whether that will be enough to sustain an inconsistent offense against a red-hot Patriots team. Someone has to rise to the occasion to support the Browns’ rookie quarterback.
Gabriel, a third-round pick, took over under center after Joe Flacco was benched and subsequently traded to the Bengals. In the last three games, Gabriel has guided the offense to a 1-2 record, throwing three touchdowns with no interceptions. While he has been mistake-free, Gabriel has not thrown a passing touchdown since the team’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings on October 5. Jeudy has a PFSN WR Impact score of 60.7.
