Chad O'Shea Impressed with Wide Receivers, "Pleased with Their Progress" Concluding Mandatory Minicamp
Impressed. That was the word that Chad O'Shea, the Cleveland Browns wide receivers coach used over and over again to describe every player in his group. Impressed with their speed, ball catching, mental strength, physicality, everything.
"The receivers have done a great job, they came in prepared and they've worked so hard in the meeting room and it's been great to see a lot of positive things from them on the field."
Now in his fourth year, O'Shea had good things to say about every receiver in the group, but many of the questions were about Elijah Moore, who was acquired in a trade with the New York Jets. O'Shea lauded Moore for his mental strength as well as his physicality through camp so far.
"Elijah is very unique in that he can play in a multiple-role position, he has a great skill set physically, but the thing that's been most impressive about Elijah is his ability to function mentally across all the spots we've put him."
Later on, O'Shea went deeper on Moore's physicality and how much that helps the team with flexibility and being able to switch the offense around, putting him in a number of positions.
"Elijah's unique in his skill set, he has great athleticism, both short area athleticism and his ability to run and have great speed and the thing that I've been most impressed with with him physically is his ability to catch the ball."
Moore caught the ball 37 times last year, racking up 446 yards for the New York Jets, the team he was drafted to in 2021, out of Ole Miss.
There were a handful of questions about Marquise Goodwin, whom the Browns signed this offseason. He played the 2022 season for the Seattle Seahawks, catching 27 balls for 387 yards.
"Marquise is somebody I've been so impressed with because as he is an older veteran wide receiver, he can still really run and that's been so impressive and that's really a testimony to what he's done with his body."
O'Shea likes Goodwin's speed and playmaking ability he has shown thus far in camp and is not worried about his age or any production issues. He knows that Goodwin is a guy that can perform in "whatever role that he's asked of him."
" ... I know that when he has had the opportunity to make plays this spring, he has made those and that's been great to see so I'm excited about him in whatever role we have for him."
One reporter questioned O'Shea on Goodwin's lack of touchdowns last year and if that has an effect on how they see him.
"I don't even look at the pass stats, I just kind of look at where he us for us right now and I see a player that can contribute to our offense and he has a unique skill set, can really run and catch the ball so we're excited about him."
O'Shea also made mention of Browns veterans Amari Cooper and Donovan Peoples-Jones and how he has been impressed by them so far
"Donovan Peoples-Jones has been outstanding this spring, I really think he's made improvement, you know he's been a very good player and a big part of what we do offensively but this spring he has been so impressive on just the improvement, he's so coachable, he works so hard and he's just a great player to have on our team."
O'Shea had this to say about Cooper, who had surgery in February for a core muscle injury he suffered in the 2022 season and is making his way back.
"I think last year looking at Amari was like a tale of two seasons when you saw him physically at the front end of the season, it was obviously different at the end because he was dealing with an injury."
O'Shea went on to say, "I think he feels great, it's good to see him back on the grass, good to see him in really good spirits and confident about where he is physically."
O'Shea is pleased with the progress rookie Cedric Tillman. The former Volunteer was drafted 74th overall in the third round. O'Shea really liked Tillman's skill set but highlighted another trait that has stood out to him.
"He's been great to work with, he's been very coachable, he's worked extremely hard but it's great to have a player of his size and we've just been so impressed with the way he's carried himself as a professional."
If one thing is clear, it's that O'Shea likes his squad and so far, is really impressed with them and how they can work together and each have there own strengths that can go together.
