If there is one bright spot for the (4-7) Cleveland Browns and their season-long offensive woes is the recent play of second-year undrafted free agent wide receiver Jordan Norwood.
The former Penn State standout would lead the Browns in receiving with 69 yards on four catches—highlighted by a 36-yard reception from quarterback Colt McCoy—against the (7-4) Cincinnati Bengals.
Norwood would later score on a 24-yard touchdown pass—the first NFL touchdown of his career—from McCoy that would give the Browns a early 7-0 lead.
The nine-play 82-yard, 4:05 touchdown drive would be Cleveland’s first touchdown in the first quarter in 2011.
Cleveland would go on to lose to the Bengals, 23-20
In the case of the 25-year old 5’11, 180-pound Norwood—his knack for making big plays downfield—appears to be catching on in Cleveland.
Norwood was—perhaps—the most talked about all throughout Browns training camp and even drew comparisons to St Louis Rams wideout Danny Amendola from Browns rookie head coach—and former Rams offensive coordinator—Pat Shurmur.
Due to the Browns being set at wide receiver in pre-season with Joshua Cribbs, Mohamed Massaqoui, Brian Robiskie and rookie Greg Little, Norwood would have next—to no—real chance to prove himself.
The Browns would waive Robiskie—who would be claimed by Jacksonville—before the Week 11 game against the Jaguars, with Robiskie now gone, Norwood would make the most of his opportunity.
Norwood would have one catch—a 51-yard reception from McCoy—which would wake up Cleveland’s dormant offense against the Jaguars.
In the last two games against Jacksonville and Cincinnati, Norwood has averaged 34.1 yards per reception, and in his last five games has averaged 17.5 yards.
Norwood’s 13.1 yards per catch leads all Browns receivers, and with only four drops all season, Norwood is also the most sure-handed of Cleveland’s wideouts, in catching 15 passes out of 19 targets.
Going into the season, big plays were expected from Massaqoui, Cribbs and Little, but from a undrafted free agent such as Norwood is a real steal for the Browns.
Cleveland’s 24th ranked passing offense needs big plays from playmakers—especially at the wide receiver position—with the drops from Little and the concussion and injury issues of Massaqoui—it appears that along with Cribbs—the Browns may have unearthed a gem in Norwood.
Hopefully for Cleveland, Shurmur may indeed be right in stating that the Browns may have indeed found their own slot version of Amendola.
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