Jerry Jeudy entered the league as a high-ceiling draft prospect, but he flopped in his rookie season with the Denver Broncos. After scoring just three touchdowns in his debut year, his second season was even worse due to injury. He gained some momentum in 2022, his third year, only to get banged up in 2023 again. Throw in a bit of off-field drama, and many started writing him off as a bust.
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But Jeudy surprised us all by coming back to life with a great first season in Cleveland last year. He was traded to the team for a 5th and 6th-round pick before the 2024 season. And initially, almost everyone thought it would be the end of the line for the wideout. After all, Cleveland is where careers go to die.
But that wasn’t at all the case. Jeudy balled out, posting 1,229 receiving yards on 90 catches. Jeudy even earned a Pro Bowl nod. But why couldn’t he do that in Denver? Well, Nightcap host Shannon Sharpe had the same question.
“Why weren’t you able to replicate in Denver what you’re currently doing in Cleveland?” Sharpe asked on his show Nightcap.
“One, I think, just consistency throughout the whole offense. You know, and just a lot of moving pieces and a lot of stuff that I had to deal with when it comes to playing football,” Jeudy responded.
“Such as injuries, different quarterbacks each and every game, different coaching staff. So, that’s something that can really affect a raw receiver,” the wideout added.
The thoughtful response was one that Sharpe’s co-host, Chad Johnson, appreciated. Jeudy later said that because he was finally healthy for a season, he was able to show everyone what he was capable of. Furthermore, he wants to build on the success and continue to be the WR1 in his new home.
That said, one of the things Jeudy mentioned as a drawback of being in Denver is something he’ll have to continue dealing with in Cleveland: the uncertainty at quarterback. Sharpe made sure to ask him about that and the ongoing QB carousel.
“Now, it might be a similar situation. You got Joe Flacco, who’s the veteran. You got Kenny Pickett, they drafted Dillon Gabriel, they drafted Shedeur Sanders. Has anybody stood out to you?” Sharpe asked.
It was a great question that we all want to know the answer to. The quarterback battle between the four Cleveland QBs has been by far the most interesting piece of offseason news for everyone to chew on. We all want to know if it’ll be Shedeur Sanders, Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel, or Kenny Pickett.
But Jeudy wasn’t born yesterday. He knew that if he said his true feelings aloud, it would’ve made national headlines and ruffled some feathers. So, he gave a PR-driven diplomatic answer.
“The biggest thing I’m thankful for is just having 4 great quarterbacks that go out there and compete every day. They’ve been doing their thing,” Jeudy said.
It wasn’t the response that Sharpe, Johnson, or the audience were hoping to hear. But it’s the answer that Jeudy was supposed to give. Pinpointing one of the names would’ve been foolish.
All in all, it was interesting to hear insight as to why Jeudy didn’t pan out right away in the NFL. It also sheds light on the fact that this happens to other players all the time. Ted Ginn Jr. was viewed as a laughingstock for years before putting together a respectable career down the stretch.
Jimmy Smith, too, didn’t have a reception until he was 26, then put together a borderline Hall of Fame career. Some players are late bloomers for all sorts of reasons, but it doesn’t mean they aren’t talented.
