Cleveland Browns WR Debate: A Stance of Not Needing a Veteran Receiver

One of the most common, and in my opinion annoying conversations going on in Cleveland Browns Nation is the wide receiver position and the debate of whether or not a veteran is needed to help mentor and teach a very young group that the Browns have.

I personally say that Jake Delhomme is that mentor the young inexperienced receivers of the Browns need in the same way Eli Manning mentored the questionable group of receivers the Giants had going into the 2009 season.

Fellow Browns writer, Samuel Ingro, also touches on this topic of Delhomme mentoring the receivers in an article he wrote here .

So in the continuing debate, most recently ESPN.com blogger James Walker had a fan ask him if Delhomme would make the Pro Bowl this year via a huge comeback season over 2009.

"[I]t would be very hard putting up Pro Bowl numbers with a group of unproven and inexperienced receivers," wrote Walker in response.

That's a very judgemental answer when Delhomme has yet to throw a pass in the regular season to any of the receivers in question.

I'll give Walker some credit since receivers the of the Browns really do not invoke fear on paper.

Here is what the depth chart for the Browns receivers will most likely include: Mohamed Massaquoi, Josh Cribbs, Brian Robiskie, Chansi Stuckey, and Carlton Mitchell.

Remember though, one year ago the Giants had a receiver group of Steve Smith, Domenik Hixon, Hakeem Nicks, Mario Manningham, Ramses Barden, and Sinorice Moss—all who were lead by one younger Manning.

The Giants wound up ranking 11th overall in passing offense in the NFL for 2009.

Not too shabby for a bunch of unknown receivers who were heavily questioned as the Browns receivers are right now.

The Browns were ranked last in the NFL in passing offense in 2009 and you cannot get any worse than it was one year ago.

So what's the point?

The point is that Delhomme may not be the younger Manning, in skill and leadership, but he did managed to get to a Super Bowl and that says a lot about his ability to lead.

Also, he has played with Pro Bowl receivers in the past including both Steve Smith and Muhsin Muhammad and has seen how star receivers play the game and prepare for it first hand.

This helps Delhomme's credibility since he has worked with top talent during his career and can teach what he has seen of them to the younger guys.

If the Browns indeed wanted a veteran wide receiver, then I think they would have made a move early in free agency, but since there were no intriguing names available, they decided on the next best thing which was to bring in a quarterback who could teach the young guys the ropes.

Just remember that the quarterback is the guy who throws the ball to the receivers and that alone is relevant enough to make my theory of not needing a veteran receiver possible come true.

(Article also posted on Dawg Scooper: THE Cleveland Browns Blog.)