Dawgs By Nature
Cleveland could get a boost at WR if Diontae Johnson has the right mindset.
Our Cleveland Browns training camp preview on the wide receiver position continues below with Part 2. You can catch up on Part 1 here.
Height: 6-0 | Weight: 190 lbs | Age: 24
Experience: 2 years | College: Louisville
In Part 1, I’m here talking about David Bell and Michael Woods as candidates for the No. 3 receiver role, and also talking about veteran receiver Diontae Johnson. In the preliminary poll results for the job, though, I did not expect Jamari Thrash to be leading the way.
Thrash, a fifth-round pick from last year’s draft, played in 9 games, but finished the season with just 3 catches for 22 yards. Dropped passes plagued him a bit in college, and he had at least one notable drop for the Browns as a rookie. But in the grand scheme of things, we barely got the chance to see what he’s capable of. It’s crazy to me how Cleveland has three draft picks in Bell, Woods, and Thrash, and how little combined action they’ve seen.
Thrash can have a degree of explosiveness, but he’ll have to have a better training camp with good concentration on the ball to be a contributor this season. I don’t think anyway is “safe” per se when it comes to roster spots after the Top 2 spots. Thrash may have a hair more of favoritism because he was drafted more recently, but I don’t think it would be outrageous if he doesn’t make the roster, for example.
Final Roster Odds: 70%
Height: 5-10 | Weight: 183 lbs | Age: 29
Experience: 7 years | College: Toledo
The guy with the biggest boom/bust potential on perhaps the entire team this training camp for the Browns is Diontae Johnson. He signed a 1-year, minimum salary contract with Cleveland after having been an 85+ catch, 900+ yard receiver with Pittsburgh for three years.
In 2024, he was traded to the Carolina Panthers. He started 7 games, catching 30 passes for 357 yards and 3 touchdowns. Then, he was traded to the Ravens, but was suspended for one game after he refused to enter the team’s Week 13 game. The reason? He was unhappy with his lack of playing time up until that point. They waived him in late-December, and then he was claimed by the Texans. He briefly rejoined the Ravens in January, but was set to become a free agent — and that’s when the Browns signed him in April.
DBN’s Barry Shuck did a great profile and summary on Johnson recently. This offseason, Johnson has tried to move on from his disastrous 2024 season. It could all depend on his mindset. He won’t be given the No. 3 receiving job, and he has to know that. He also has to know that if he puts in a solid camp,...
