The Cleveland Browns entered the 2025 season with playoff hopes and a roster that looked competitive on paper - but the cracks started to show early, and they’ve only widened as the year’s gone on. While quarterback instability has dominated the headlines (and rightly so), it’s the wide receiver room that quietly set this offense up for failure from the start.
Let’s be honest: Jerry Jeudy had a productive 2024 season by the numbers - 90 catches, 1,229 yards - both career highs. But peel back the layers, and the volume tells a different story.
Jeudy was targeted 145 times, ninth-most in the league, yet didn’t crack the 100-catch mark. That’s not elite efficiency, and it underscores what Browns fans have seen all year: Jeudy’s a solid piece, but he’s not a true WR1.
Not the kind of guy who changes how a defense schemes on Sunday.
The rest of the receiver group? Thin, to put it kindly.
Undrafted rookie Isaiah Bond has shown flashes, and Cedric Tillman has had moments in his third year, but neither has emerged as a consistent threat. That’s a tough ask for any quarterback, let alone one navigating a carousel of starts or trying to find his footing in the league.
And when your most reliable pass-catcher is a rookie tight end - shoutout to Harold Fannin Jr., who’s been a bright spot in an otherwise dim passing attack - you’re not just behind the sticks. You’re behind the curve in roster construction.
The Browns knew this, too. Despite sitting at 2-6 and clearly in a transitional phase, general manager Andrew Berry reportedly tried to make a move at the trade deadline.
The target? Colts rookie wideout Adonai Mitchell.
Cleveland made a push, but the New York Jets outbid them with a blockbuster package that included Sauce Gardner. Still, the Browns’ interest shows they’re aware of the need - and willing to be aggressive.
That said, maybe they were looking at the wrong Colts receiver.
Alec Pierce: A Potential Fix for Cleveland’s WR Woes
As the Browns head into the final stretch of the 2025 regular season, the to-do list in Berea is long and urgent. Sorting out the quarterback situation - with Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun Watson, and possibly a 2026 draft pick all in the mix - is priority No.
- But right behind that is a glaring need to upgrade the offensive line and, just as importantly, the wide receiver room.
And that’s where Alec Pierce enters the picture.
Pierce, a 2022 second-round pick by Indianapolis, is set to hit free agency this offseason. He’s not just another name on the market - he’s one of the top pass-catching options expected to be available.
And he’s doing it in style. Despite missing time this season due to injury, Pierce has racked up 38 catches for 769 yards.
That’s an eye-popping 20.2 yards per reception - best in the NFL.
That kind of downfield explosiveness is exactly what Cleveland has been missing. Pierce has evolved from a raw deep threat into a more complete receiver.
He wins on contested catches, stretches the field vertically, and has started rounding out his route tree. In short, he’s the kind of player who can tilt the field and open up space for everyone else - including a young quarterback still learning the ropes.
If the Browns believe Shedeur Sanders has shown enough to be part of their 2026 plans, pairing him with a vertical weapon like Pierce makes a lot of sense. Sanders has the arm to push the ball downfield.
What he hasn’t had is a reliable target who can consistently win deep and bail him out on tight throws. Pierce fits that mold.
The Price Tag - and the Path Forward
Of course, talent comes at a cost. Pierce is expected to command close to $20 million annually on the open market.
That’s a big number for a team that’s already navigating a tight salary cap. The Browns will need to get creative - think restructures, cuts, and maybe a few tough decisions - to clear the space.
But at some point, you have to stop patching holes and start building something sustainable.
The Browns can’t bank on landing a top-tier wideout in the 2026 draft - not unless they’re picking high enough to grab someone like Carnell Tate, which isn’t guaranteed. And even then, rookies take time. What Cleveland needs is a proven playmaker who can step in and elevate the offense on Day 1.
Alec Pierce might not be the flashiest name in free agency, but he’s the kind of player who could quietly transform this offense. If the Browns are serious about turning the page and giving their next quarterback a real shot, the wide receiver room needs a makeover - and Pierce should be at the top of the list.
Because if 2025 has proven anything, it’s that no matter who’s under center, you can’t win in today’s NFL without real weapons on the outside.