Jerry Jeudy is headed back to Denver soaring.
The former Denver Broncos receiver has seen his production skyrocket since Jameis Winston took over under center for the Cleveland Browns. In the past four contests, Jeudy has averaged 94.8 receiving yards per game, fourth-most in the NFL since Week 8.
The Browns acquired Jeudy in an offseason trade with the Broncos and inked him to a contract extension, believing he could be a dynamic threat in Kevin Stefanski's offense. It took half the season and a QB change, but Jeudy is starting to live up to those expectations. He's led the Browns in receiving yards each of the last two games, earning 142 in Week 11 at New Orleans and 85 in the snowy win over Pittsburgh.
Jeudy's former teammates in Denver know the type of playmaker they'll face.
"He's different," safety P.J. Locke said of Jeudy, via the Denver Post. "A lot of receivers pace themselves, but (Jeudy) is full speed and super tough to guard."
Added Locke: "I don't know if you ever (saw) the video of a gazelle that changed direction real quick. ... That's my image of him."
A first-round pick in 2020, Jeudy spent four years in Denver, but never truly broke out. He earned a career-high 67 catches for 972 yards and 6 TDs in 2022. He was subject of trade rumors after Sean Payton was hired in 2023 and took a step backward last season before the Broncos ultimately moved on.
Despite never seeming to fit in Payton's offense, the coach praised Jeudy's talent ahead of Sunday's matchup.
"From a talent standpoint, (Jeudy) has great hips, great transition, and he has great football IQ," Payton said.
Payton coached Winston for two seasons in New Orleans and believes his confidence in Jeudy warrants the Broncos' attention in Week 13.
"(Winston will) tell somebody, 'Hey, go get open, and I'm going to find you.' So that's what a receiver wants," Payton said. "Those guys have had a good connection. You see it just in the limited games that Jameis has played."
After knocking off Pittsburgh last week, the 3-8 Browns can continue to try and play spoilers against the 7-5 Broncos, who sit in the AFC's No. 7 seed. Denver has a two-game lead over Indianapolis and Miami.
