As S Grant Delpit answered questions from the media, he was asked if the defensive backs had a challenge within the position group for training camp.
Jokingly, he pointed at WR Jerry Jeudy and said that they had a contest trying to lock Jeudy up on the field.
"Every time he comes across the field, I've got it on my mind to let him know what's up," Delpit said.
That challenge is bound to be on the minds of NFL defensive backs after Jeudy's career year in 2024. Across 17 games last season, Jeudy set career-highs with 90 receptions and 1,229 receiving yards – the sixth-most in the NFL – and added four touchdowns.
"I just want to be better than I was last year, and I just want to win while doing it," Jeudy said. "Every year, I'm going to always think and believe that I can always be better than the year prior. I worked hard towards that during the offseason and even during the season. So hopefully that happens, and I have extreme confidence that it will happen."
Jeudy's best year of his five-year career came on the back of being traded to Cleveland from Denver in March 2024. Shortly after the trade, he signed a three-year extension to stay a Brown for the next few years.
His season earned him recognition from the media and his peers, being selected for his first career Pro Bowl and being ranked No. 82 on the NFL's Top 100 list, which is voted on by the players.
"It means a lot, being able to be ranked amongst your peers," Jeudy said. "The people that actually watch the film, watch the tape and that you are practicing and playing against. It means a lot to be able to be recognized as one of the top guys in the league. Yeah, I'm very thankful for it."
Jeudy's confidence that he will be able to improve from last season is shared by head coach Kevin Stefanski, who praised the wide receiver for the skill set that he brings to the Cleveland offense.
"He's had a very good offseason. He was healthy, practicing, and has a very good understanding now of our system, our scheme, how he fits in," Stefanski said. "I've mentioned this before, Jerry is very intelligent. So, there's no shortage of where you can line him up, what you can move him around to do. So, I've been really pleased with all the things that Jerry's (Jeudy) doing."
Stefanski also brought up the leadership of Jeudy, leading what he called a younger receiving room. While the room has veterans like WR DeAndre Carter and WR Diontae Johnson, the main pass catchers returning from last season are young guys like WR Cedric Tillman, WR Jamari Thrash and WR Michael Woods II.
Jeudy doesn't feel the pressure of having to be a leader, noting that he is someone who just likes to help guys out, giving them little tips like how to create separation.
"He's not a very vocal guy, so he really goes and leads by example," wide receivers coach and pass game coordinator Chad O'Shea said. "If he works hard and he's at the front of the pack, then everybody flies in the receiver room. So again, very positive on all the things I'm going to say about Jerry Jeudy and he's deserving of that."
What Jeudy has been able to do on the field has helped him inside the wide receivers' room to teach. Despite not being a vocal leader, he's proving through how he goes about his craft on the tape to show the younger players in the room how to thrive in the NFL.
"He has put a product on tape that has been very good at a high level," O'Shea said. "He has played at a high level, and that has allowed him to go out there and show the way. He has done it through his actions, and I've been really excited about Jerry (Jeudy) and where he is."
Going into his second season in Cleveland, Jeudy is ready to outdo his output from last season, with both him and Stefanski saying that he has done the necessary work to be able to. However, he is more interested in the team's season and what's going on inside of CrossCountry Mortgage Campus rather than anything outside of it.
"I'll just focus on the season. I'll just focus on me and this team on getting better each and every day," Jeudy said. "You can't really focus too much on the outsiders. You just have to focus inside the building and focus on what we have to do to be the best team this year."
