The Cleveland Browns used two of their first three picks in the 2026 NFL draft on wide receivers, in part because they didn’t believe they had a true No. 1 on their roster. Jerry Jeudy has held that distinction for each of the past two seasons, but even if he kept it this year, he likely wouldn’t have it much longer after that.
Now, it seems that Jeudy’s status could be gone before the end of the preseason. With first-round pick KC Concepcion and second-round choice Denzel Boston making a positive impression daily, the two rookies could surpass Jeudy as soon as Week 1.
Former offensive lineman Jason Pinkston recently called out the veteran wide receiver, saying that his drops are leaving the door open for either Concepcion or Boston to ascend to that role.
“I am a fan of Jerry Jeudy. I like him. He’s just dropping too many balls. I think we got some young guys in that receiving room that are hungry, that are ready to take over that spot and make plays,” Pinkston said.
"Jerry Jeudy. I am a fan of Jerry Jeudy. I like him. He's just dropping too many balls. I think we got some young guys in that receiving room that are hungry, that are willing to take over that spot and make plays."
📞 @JasonPinkstonOL w/ @NickWilsonSays and @JPeterlin on his… pic.twitter.com/WrbWa5RDgl
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) August 21, 2026
A recent viral video showed Jeudy dropping a potential TD pass from Shedeur Sanders at practice. It caused former NFL offensive lineman Mark Schlereth to comment that “His hands are made of feet.”
It does not help that Jeudy ranked second in the NFL last season with 10 dropped passes, behind only Jameson Williams of the Detroit Lions, who had 17. The problem is compounded by the fact that Jeudy made only 50 receptions for 602 yards while drawing 106 targets.
Jeudy looked to be Cleveland’s No. 1 wide receiver for the foreseeable future after he arrived in a trade from the Denver Broncos during the 2024 offseason. In his first year with the Browns, armed with a three-year, $52.5 million contract extension, he had 90 receptions for 1,229 yards.
Last season, with that production cut in half, Cleveland’s wide receivers ranked last in the NFL as a group in receptions, yards and TD catches. Rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr. led the team in each of those categories.
Ironically, Concepcion had a reputation for dropping passes in college, which continued in his early days with the Browns, but now he is clearly in line to replace Jeudy as the team’s top wideout.
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