Can Jordan Cameron become elite for Browns in Josh Gordon’s absence?

With Josh Gordon out, is Jordan Cameron in? Things are rarely so simple in the NFL, especially in Cleveland. And when a tight end is stepping in for arguably the most explosive wide receiver in the NFL last year, the substitution is bound to get messy.

The Browns tooled up their offense this offseason at skill position by adding Ben Tate and Nate Burleson, and both will likely play a big role in the offense. The fast fluctuating situation at quarterback, however, makes for incumbent starters like Cameron essential. He could be a stabilizing force at the center of the offense, and if Johnny Manziel takes over the starting role — well, we know how much rookie quarterbacks like their tight ends.

Cameron may be stepping into a new system under coach Mike Pettine, but Cameron’s 917 yards and 7 touchdowns from 2013 indicate that the Browns will feed him the ball in 2014. He’s a big, consistent target in an offense that will need a workhorse in the passing game.

Josh Gordon leaves and absurdly large hole to fill. There’s no way Cameron can account for Gordon’s 1,646 yards and nine touchdowns. But if no one does, the Browns have a problem. It leaves a great deal of targets unaccounted for in the offense. The Browns don’t have a standout number two receiver, so most of those unaccounted receptions should go to Cameron.

It’s a perfect situation for Cameron to step into the upper echelon of pass catching tight ends. The Cleveland quarterback(s) will likely make Cameron the most prolific receiver on the 2014 Browns.