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Overview:

In switching to the West Coast offense under the direction of coach Pat Shurmur, the Cleveland Browns utilized their tight ends in various ways and multiple formations during the 2011 regular season.

Veteran Benjamin Watson was third on the team in receiving with 410 yards and two touchdowns on 37 receptions. Before missing the final three games of the season with a concussion suffered in his 100th career contest -- at the Pittsburgh Steelers on Dec. 8 -- Watson averaged 11.1 yards-per-reception, the fifth-highest total of any player on the team.

Although Watson caught the most passes and gained the most yards among the tight ends, Evan Moore tied for the team lead with four touchdown receptions.

Moore played a full complement of games during the 2011 regular season and made four starts. Statistically, Moore had his best game in the one Watson was injured. Moore caught four passes for 55 yards in the loss at Pittsburgh and managed touchdowns against Cincinnati (Sept. 11), at Indianapolis (Sept. 18), against Baltimore (Dec. 4), and at the Ravens (Dec. 24).

Moore finished the season with 324 yards and four touchdowns on 34 receptions. He was one of the many Browns pass-catchers working on their pass routes during the organized team activities and minicamps in the 2012 offseason.

“I think all of our receivers that play outside have the ability to be good fade runners, so you’re talking about Greg Little, you’re talking about Mo (Mohamed) Massaquoi,” Shurmur said. “We tried to do it with Evan Moore last year a couple times and for whatever reason, we didn’t connect on the ones we tried early in the year. You’re trying to get some form of a matchup that’s in your favor, so typically, it’s taller guys that have a little quickness and can go up and get the ball. That doesn’t mean that guys that aren’t tall can’t separate and make plays as well.”

Key Number:

Ninety-one.

The Browns’ four main tight ends -- Watson, Moore, Alex Smith, and Jordan Cameron -- combined for 91 catches during the 2011 season. They gained 898 yards, scored seven touchdowns and averaged nearly a first down every reception.

The tight ends averaged 9.87 yards-per-reception.

Player to Watch:

Cameron.

Cameron was a rookie with limited football experience at the collegiate level when the Browns chose him during the 2011 NFL Draft. Still learning the West Coast offense at the beginning of the season, Cameron was inactive for the first give games. He played against the Seattle Seahawks and at the San Francisco 49ers and collected his first reception at Houston on Nov. 6.

Cameron finished the year with 33 yards receiving on six catches.

From what Cameron showed on tape during the 2011 season, as well as through organized team activities and minicamps, the Browns are “expecting him to” make a big jump.

“I think he’s flashed out here in a way that we didn’t see him flash last year in training camp,” Shurmur said. “I feel like based on what he’s done here in the offseason, he’s positioning himself to make an impact for us.”