The Continuing Evolution of Cleveland Browns Wide Receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones

On Monday after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ additional time win, during which Donovan Peoples-Jones returned 5 punts for 75 complete yards, the Cleveland Browns large receiver answered a query about whether or not he felt he was on the verge of conceding one break, and mentioned, “I did it. “I really feel like I’m getting higher. I really feel like I’m getting higher. The lads actually helped me yesterday with the blocks and the lanes I used to be capable of minimize by. It positively helped my confidence within the second leg contributed yesterday too.”

DPJ took only a week to interrupt one, rushed 76 yards in opposition to the Houston Texans and scored the primary punt return landing for the Browns since week two of the 2015 season by the hands of Travis Benjamin. Jones would have been a junior in highschool on the time.

Like the returns in opposition to the Bucs, the 76-yard landing performed an important position in serving to the Browns safe the Houston win. Trailing 5-0 halfway by the second quarter whereas quarterback Deshaun Watson struggled to maintain his place, the Browns settled for 4th and 1st. Normally, the Browns would not hesitate to attempt, however between the plain unease Watson displayed and comprehensible upfront considerations because the crew had simply given up a security of earlier possession, they opted for a punt to show the sector .

The protection compelled a 3 and performed their half in capitalizing on the nice discipline place. The Browns had been primed to get the ball again with a brief discipline, however DPJ selected to streamline the method by scoring it himself.

As he lined up the ball at his personal 24-yard line, Jones acknowledged the lane to his proper. Missing the primary man and shaking off the second, he hesitated at first after which made a bounce minimize to the appropriate earlier than attacking the open lane. He was capable of hold his steadiness when an opponent tried to journey him together with his foot. After that, he accelerated to the tip zone.

DPJ wanted simply 13 seconds to succeed in the tip zone, giving the Browns a lead they weren’t about to surrender. His meteoric rise as a punt returner has offered the Browns with one other means of attacking the opposition.

Prior to final week’s efficiency in opposition to the Bucs, Jones had threw 35 punts in his NFL profession, averaging simply 5.8 yards per return. A superb common is 10 yards and DPJ solely bought half of that.

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In the previous two weeks, he has returned eight punts for a complete of 161 yards and a landing. He averages 12.1 yards per return, not counting the 76-yard landing. The final punt return landing for Jones was in opposition to Nebraska throughout his sophomore 12 months at Michigan. There, the Wolverines used each excuse to take the ball to DPJ to see if it may make a distinction.

The transfer to the NFL was a clunky one. During his rookie 12 months, it typically appeared like he’d by no means fielded a punt earlier than. He ended up misjudging the ball and awkwardly reaching for it to catch it exterior of his body. Even when he set it up neatly, he was typically hesitant to return.

In the final two video games, DPJ appears assured. He sees a lot extra of the sector. The sport has slowed down for him. So a lot of that consolation appears to be associated to his improvement as a large receiver.

Outside of the events when DPJ had open discipline in entrance of him, he largely caught passes in his first two seasons and was tackled nearly instantly. Some of that could be a product of separation, which he did not actually create, however he additionally had a behavior of taking regardless of the protection gave him with the ball in his arms.

In his sophomore season, DPJ initially tried to be aggressive with the ball and tried to develop in his position. Unfortunately, he fumbled twice. That doubtless led to his renewed give attention to defending the ball and taking what the protection gave him to keep away from pricey errors that would put him on the bench.

Now in its third 12 months, DPJ is extra daring. He wasn’t discouraged by a misplaced fumble in opposition to the Baltimore Ravens. He was extra prepared to try to play with the ball in his arms, which particularly was passing a Cincinnati Bengals defender in a one-sided win in Halloween prime time.

Whether that sport was a revelation or only a product of elevated confidence, DPJ is rising as a playmaker for the Browns. Though it got here in a sport the offense would fairly overlook, DPJ was additionally the crew’s main receiver in opposition to the Texans, catching three passes for 44 yards, together with a 27-yard smash that was simply Deshaun Watson’s greatest throw of the day was.