Cleveland Browns' Jordan Cameron Is Underrated Star of NFL Free Agency
Every single season, the impending free-agency class looks better in February than it does in March.
Right now, players such as Dez Bryant, DeMarco Murray, Julius Thomas, C.J. Spiller, Ryan Mathews, Randall Cobb, Demaryius Thomas and Mike Iupati are set to become free agents. Most of those players won't ever hit the open market as they endure the franchise tag or agree to a long-term contract with their current team.
One of the less-discussed stars of this class is Cleveland Browns tight end Jordan Cameron.
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Cameron is arguably a better player than Julius Thomas, who is widely looked at as the best available option at the position. His production over his first four seasons in the league has been muted by his situation. While playing with quarterbacks such as Brandon Weeden and Brian Hoyer, Cameron caught 130 passes for 1,600 yards and 10 touchdowns.
His production tells us next to nothing about his receiving ability because it has been impacted so severely by his supporting cast. It also must be noted that Cameron hasn't always been available to feature on the field for the Browns.
Over his four seasons, he has played in 47 of a possible 64 regular-season games.
Past injuries aren't necessarily indicative of future durability, but the concern with Cameron is over the type of injuries he has suffered. Over the past two seasons, he has suffered at least three concussions. Five of the six games Cameron missed this past season were a result of one concussion.
Though he did return to the field and play in four games to finish the regular season, it's impossible to be completely confident that Cameron can be fully effective moving forward. That uncertainty, combined with the Browns' situation and Cameron's reluctance to return, will likely keep the franchise tag away from him.
Once he is on the open market, it's likely that the appeal of Cameron's upside will overshadow the concerns about his durability.
The 26-year-old is officially listed at 6'5" and 249 pounds. He is an impressive athlete who can use his size and fluidity to adjust at the catch point while also having versatile speed to be an effective route-runner and constant deep threat.
In Kyle Shanahan's offense, Cameron was dangerous as a deep threat after play action. Most of his big plays came on well-designed calls from Shanahan, but that said more about the quarterback's ability to get him the football rather than Cameron's ability to get open deep.
On this play, Cameron is lined up as the tight end closest to the right sideline at the top of the screen.
When the ball is snapped, Cameron hesitates for a split second before releasing into his route. The Browns are running play action, but the cornerback who initially lined up over Cameron was deep enough that he could watch the tight end breaking into his route while still keeping an eye on the backfield.
The play fake hasn't given Cameron any advantage against this cornerback.
What the play fake did do was draw Troy Polamalu forward. Polamalu is supposed to be dropping to the deep middle third of the field, but instead he is caught underneath the play. Even with that mistake, the cornerback is still in good position to run with Cameron as he attacks that space.
Cameron's route sends him past the inside shoulder of the cornerback, but the extra cushion the cornerback kept at the snap has allowed him to stay on top of it through the early stages of the play.
Hoyer doesn't push the ball downfield for Cameron to run underneath it. If he had, the tight end would have had a much easier touchdown reception. Instead, Cameron is forced to reach back for the football after he has accelerated past the cornerback on the second level.
Despite this adjustment, Cameron is able to comfortably corral the ball without breaking stride.
Once the catch is secured, he has a comfortable route to the end zone because of his sustained speed. The cornerback who was initially in coverage against him gave up his pursuit as soon as he tried to play the ball, while the other cornerback coming across the field couldn't match Cameron's speed.
This is the kind of play Cameron can make with great consistency if given enough opportunities. Unlike a Julius Thomas or Greg Olsen, Cameron hasn't had the chance to play with even an average quarterback who can supply him with deep accuracy.
Furthermore, like Thomas and Olsen again, this is Cameron's greatest strength.
He is a well-rounded receiving option from the tight end position. He can high point the ball and adjust at the catch to be an effective possession receiver. He doesn't show off the subtlety of movement and understanding of a great possession receiver over the middle of the field, but it's not a major concern.
Cameron's blocking limitations are a bigger issue. In comparison to Thomas, Cameron isn't a bad blocker, but he's still not good enough to be considered a two-way tight end.
On this goal-line run, Cameron is going to be asked to get inside positioning against Terrell Suggs to seal off the outside linebacker and keep him away from a run up the middle. Cameron is lined up to the left of the formation.
Importantly, Suggs has positioned himself so he is on the outside shoulder of the tight end.
Cameron's first step is good, not great. It puts him in a good position to shuffle further infield while engaging Suggs. As you would expect from one of the best linebackers in the NFL, Suggs is quick to react at the snap.
Suggs is moving infield from this very moment, and his quickness combined with his aggressiveness will allow him to beat Cameron inside.
The tight end's problem is that he doesn't keep moving infield after his initial inside step. This means that once Suggs touches him, he is easily blown backward. Suggs is able to continue to advance toward the football in such a way that it makes it tough to tell if he even felt Cameron's contact.
Cameron isn't strong at the point of contact in blocks, and it becomes a major hindrance for him. He has to move his feet well and play with better technique to even be effective.
For this specific play, Cameron's inability to seal off Suggs didn't cost his team a touchdown, but it did contribute to the failure. Suggs was able to hit the running back at the goal line to prevent any potential second movement after the initial tackle.
The best, most well-rounded players in the NFL typically don't hit free agency. Finding value in free agency is about finding players who can be put in a situation that will play to their strengths.
Cameron hasn't been in an offense that has played to his strengths at any point of his career so far. If he is put in a pass-first offense with a viable starting quarterback, he should be able to repay his new franchise well. That is presuming he can stay healthy, but that is a presumption we must make with every player.
Teams such as the Atlanta Falcons—who have an obvious link with Shanahan as their offensive coordinator—Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers and New York Giants all seem like viable candidates for Cameron.
Each of those teams has a quality quarterback, a need at tight end and the cap space to sign him to a good contract. Like he would with most offenses in the NFL, Cameron would make each of those teams better.
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