Jeudy, amid trade buzz, has clutch catch in Browns' win, gets game ball

CLEVELAND -- Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy has seen a diminished role on offense, garnering trade buzz leaguewide, but he delivered a clutch reception in Cleveland's 13-10 win over the Baltimore Ravens that led coach Todd Monken to highlight his value to the team. With 42 seconds remaining in Sunday's game, Jeudy recorded a 33-yard catch-and-run on third-and-5 on Cleveland's game-winning drive. Three plays later, kicker Andre Szmyt made a 37-yard field goal as time expired, giving the Browns a 4-2 start and first-place seat in the AFC North. After the game, Monken said he gave Jeudy a game ball. "He deserves it," Monken said. "We're better on offense when Jerry's a part of it. And I can certainly do a better job of incorporating him in it. ... As a man, he said, I'm going to battle, and I'm going to fight, and I want to be a part of this team, and I want to help make plays, and it builds confidence for us to continue to play him. And he made a bunch of plays. He's working every day at catching the ball. You can see a difference in that. And like I said, we're better on offense when we're able to utilize Jerry and what he can bring in terms of his explosiveness." A first-round pick of the Denver Broncos in the 2020 draft, the Browns traded for Jeudy in March 2024. In his first season in Cleveland, Jeudy set career-best marks in receptions (90) and receiving yards (1,229) as he was selected to his first Pro Bowl. Jeudy struggled in 2025, setting career lows for receiving yards per game (35.4) and yards per catch (12). The Browns selected two wide receivers -- KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston -- in the first two rounds of the 2026 draft. Although general manager Andrew Berry later called Jeudy the offense's "bell cow," he has seen reduced snaps behind the two rookies in the first six games of the season. Jeudy has played 58.5% of the offensive snaps, a career low. He ranks fifth on the team in targets (19) and is on pace for a season low in catches and receiving yards. Jeudy, though, led the Browns with 69 receiving yards on four catches in the team's win over the Ravens. "It's pretty difficult, as a receiver, wanting to be out there and compete, wanting to be involved in the game plan, wanting to go out there and make plays," Jeudy said, "but you can't let that discourage you, got to stay focused and wait your turn, week by week, and eventually once your number's called, make a play and that's what I did." With the Browns' 4-2 start, this is the latest in a season that Cleveland has led the AFC North since Week 10 of the 2014 season. The win also marked Monken's first over the Ravens after he spent the previous three seasons in Baltimore as the team's offensive coordinator. Despite Ravens players' belief that there was increased importance to this game for Monken, the Browns coach downplayed it after the game. "I saw a lot of them afterwards, and it was a lot better with a win, I'll tell you that, seeing them afterwards. But I wish them nothing but the best, as individuals," Monken said. "I sure as hell don't want them to win every game. That's not it. But I had a good talk with Eric before the game, and we both know from afar we wish each other well. There's no ill will there. It's a divisional game, and this is all about the players."