New Browns coach Rob Chudzinski likes to use tight ends. And with a pair of the team’s 2012 tight ends now gone, 2011 draft pick Jordan Cameron has a chance to shine.
“I know it’s a big opportunity,” Cameron recently told the team’s official website. “There’s a lot of opportunities to make plays, and I just want to get out there, show what I can do, and showcase my athleticism. I’ve always been looking for this opportunity, and so far, getting to meet the coaches and some of the new guys has been good so far.
“It pushes me harder. You come into the NFL, and you want to be a starter, you want to push for that job. Right now, I’m doing that. I haven’t earned anything. I’m not the starter. I haven’t done anything to prove that. Right now, I’m working my butt off to get to that position and show them that I’m ready and capable of being the guy.”
Cameron, who played in eight games as a rookie, appeared in 14 games with six starts in 2012. And while he caught only 20 passes, those numbers could go up this year in Chudzinki’s system.
Of course, Cameron’s status as the potential starter could take a hit if the Browns emerge from the draft with one of the top tight ends, either by trading down in round one and taking Tyler Eifert, nabbing the best guy left in round three (possibly Ohio native Travis Kelce), or trading up into round two, where they don’t currently have a pick, and nabbing Zach Ertz.
Either way, the fourth-round pick in the 2011 draft will have plenty of chances to make a positive impact for the new-look Browns.