After Cleveland’s Week 4 Thursday Night Football win over Pittsburgh, one of the Steelers’ biggest names ended up giving a Browns rookie a little extra shine.
DK Metcalf, now with the Steelers after his Seattle days, singled out Denzel Boston after the game and told him he was "a fan of his game", a moment that clearly meant something to the young receiver. Boston, who grew up in South Hill, Washington - about an hour from Seattle - was a Seahawks fan as a kid and had spent years watching Metcalf do damage in that uniform.
That connection made the exchange feel even bigger for Boston. The Browns rookie smiled after hearing it from a player he grew up watching.
Coming out of the University of Washington, Boston drew some of the same attention Metcalf once did. The comparisons started with the frame: Boston is listed at 6'4", 215 lbs., while Metcalf is the same height and about 20 pounds heavier. The similarities stop there in some ways, but the size-and-speed conversation has followed Boston from the start.
He didn’t run the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine or at Washington’s Pro Day, but he flashed his playmaking ability and breakaway speed in Week 2 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Through four games, he’s already become more than just a name on the depth chart.
So far, Boston has been a steady option for Deshaun Watson, the kind of receiver who can be counted on to catch what comes his way and occasionally turn it into something bigger. In his first four games, he has 13 receptions for 284 yards and two touchdowns.
That production has people around the league talking. Right now, plenty of eyes see Boston as the favorite to win the 2026 offensive rookie of the year award.
And he isn’t the only young pass catcher Cleveland has invested in. The Browns also used one of their first-round picks on KC Concepcion, giving the offense another piece to build around.
Boston looks like the potential deep threat in that pairing, while Concepcion fits as the quick slant, shifty slot receiver. Put them together, and Cleveland suddenly has two young wideouts with very different ways to stress a defense.
For a team that has cycled through Jarvis Landry, Odell Beckham Jr, Amari Cooper, and Jerry Jeudy in recent years, the Browns may finally be settling into some real stability at receiver.
In Other News...
Browns Defense Suddenly Has A New Problem Ahead Of Jets Game
The Browns defense got a fresh dose of uncertainty this week when the teams Week 5 injury report landed ahead of Sundays matchup with the Jets. Defensive tackle Mason Graham is dealing with an MCL and ankle sprain, while defensive end Derek Barnett is also on the report with an ankle injury, giving Clevelands front another reason to monitor practice closely as the week unfolds.
Safety Grant Delpit was limited because of a shoulder issue, adding to the sense that this unit may not be at full strength when it needs to be. Dillon Gabriel has been cleared to return but is still waiting on a roster spot, while wide receiver Tylan Wallace sat out practice with a knee injury, leaving a few moving parts for Cleveland to sort through before game day. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Could Be Eyeing A Week 5 Opponent For Defensive Line Help
The Browns have been working through a familiar front-line question all season, and the possibility of adding help at defensive tackle has now turned toward a Week 5 opponent. One name that fits the profile is Jets veteran Harrison Phillips, a sturdy run-stopper whose value would be tied to improving a defense that wants more resistance up front without forcing a long-term commitment.
Phillips also comes with a contract situation that makes him easier to imagine in trade discussions as the calendar moves toward the 2026 deadline, especially if New York slips and decides to move veterans for future assets. For Cleveland, the appeal is straightforward: a short-term fix for the defensive line now, while still leaving room to spend a draft pick on a more permanent answer later. [Read more 🡒]
Former Bears QB Turned A Terrifying Health Scare Into A New Mission
Connor Shaws life changed in an instant during a youth flag football game in September 2025, when the former NFL quarterback and ex-Bears signal-caller suffered sudden cardiac arrest while coaching his son. He was saved by quick CPR from bystanders and medics using an automated external defibrillator, then later had a heart monitoring device implanted as he continued to recover from the scare.
Now Shaw is turning that frightening experience into a broader push for preparedness through HRTHUDL, the nonprofit he founded to raise awareness about sudden cardiac arrest, teach CPR and help get AEDs into communities in South Carolina. For anyone around football, especially youth sports, it is the kind of reminder that the most important play can happen long before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]