Cleveland's wide receiver room was shaken up this week at the trade deadline when they sent Donovan Peoples-Jones to the Detroit Lions. That move created a void in the receiver room that Cleveland will have to try and fill.
One guy who could work his way into a meaningful role for Cleveland is new acquisition James Proche II, who was activated to the active roster on Saturday.
The fourth-year man out of SMU was originally drafted by Baltimore in the 2020 draft. He appeared in 43 games for Baltimore and amassed 25 catches for 278 yards. Proche's career in Baltimore ended this season as he was waved by the club during the preseason.
Proche may not have a significant role for the Browns early on. It is definitely encouraging that he made the active roster after just being signed to the team this week. One place he could see some action almost immediately is as a kick returner or punt return, which is another void left by People-Jones departure.
Donovan Peoples-Jones racked up only 8 catches for 97 yards on 208 routes run this season – just a year removed from a career best 800-yard effort in 2022. He was a reliable player for Cleveland but was not able to produce without consistent quarterback play.
Cleveland will likely look to replace Jones role with a receiver by committee situation. Look for Cedric Tillman, Marquise Goodwin, and possibly even Proche to all play a role in picking up the slack.
Proche will be wearing number 11 for Cleveland on Sunday.
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