Jerry Jeudy claps back at Browns haters over latest contract extension

The Cleveland Browns acquired wide receiver Jerry Jeudy in a trade with the Denver Broncos. Cleveland sent Denver a fifth-round pick and a sixth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

The Browns pursued a trade for Jeudy for over a year. After finally negotiating the trade, they made sure they'd be able to keep him in Cleveland for the foreseeable future. Cleveland signed Jeudy to a three-year, $58 million contract extension, which includes $41 million in guaranteed money.

The massive contract received criticism from many armchair analysts. Jeudy's fully guaranteed money, which is the fifth-highest among wide receivers, was considered to be too costly for a wideout who was unable to recorded a 1,000-yard season during his four-year stint with the Broncos.

Jeudy took notice and responded to the criticism on social media.

Jerry Jeudy responds to critics about his massive contract

Jeudy pointed critics to his 2022 season, when he had his best season and set career highs with 67 receptions, 972 yards, and six touchdowns. Jeudy suggested that he missed six games and still came just 28 yards shy of the 1,000-yard mark.

"972 [yards] missed 6 games there go ur 1,000," Jeudy posted.

The rebuttal isn't exactly accurate, however, as Jeudy was inactive for two games that season. He's likely thinking of the 2021 season, when he missed seven games, but he compiled just 467 receiving yards that season.

His point, nevertheless, is still valid. He would've likely had his first 1,000-yard season in 2021 if he had played in those two missed games. Then again, injuries only add more reason to be skeptical about the guaranteed money. Availability is a big part of being great — that's why Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans has become one the league's most consistent receivers in NFL history.

Most importantly, Jeudy needs to realize that it doesn't matter. An additional 28 receiving yards in 2021 wouldn't have made him more or less deserving of the contract he received, and there were plenty of other factors that played a role in his lackluster statistical output. Jeudy is developing a reputation for being sensitive to criticism, and it would be wise to let his play do the talking.

Jeudy was highly-touted as a route technician when he was selected with the No. 15 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. He had his best season in 2022, setting career highs with 67 receptions, 972 yards, and six touchdowns. In 2023, he finished with 54 receptions for 758 yards and two touchdowns.

Although he has failed to live up to the billing, he wasn't put in a great situation to succeed. Denver's locker room had deteriorated, and poor quarterback play hampered the entire offense. Jeudy is only 24 years old and has room to develop.

"When we acquired Jerry via trade this spring, it was with the vision that he would become a core member of our offense in 2024 and beyond," Browns general manager Andrew Berry said in a statement. "He is a scheme-versatile receiver with high-level ability to separate against man coverage and a diverse number of ways to produce on the perimeter or in the slot."