Free agency profile: WR Parris Campbell

Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry has several roster holes to fill this offseason, and while the wide receiver group is not exactly flush, it is probably not a top priority.

Amari Cooper is the club’s clear No. 1 wide receiver, and Donovan Peoples-Jones is a nice complementary player after a solid season that saw him set highs in receptions and receiving yards.

Things get dodgy after Cooper and DPJ, however, as the rest of last year’s receiving group combined for just 33 receptions and 310 yards.

The 2023 NFL Draft is expected to be a good one for wide receivers, so even if Berry believes he can address the position in the draft, he still might want to also take a look at who is available in free agency.

With that in mind, here is a look at a player who reportedly is “open to the idea” of coming to the Browns if the team comes calling.

Name: Parris Campbell

Position: Wide Receiver

Height/Weight: 6-foot, 208 pounds

2022 Team: Indianapolis Colts

Stats: 2022: 17 games, 16 starts, 91 targets, 63 receptions, 623 yards, 3 touchdowns, 32 first-down catches, 9.9 yards per reception

Career: 32 games, 24 starts, 144 targets, 97 receptions, 983 yards, 5 touchdowns, 49 first-down catches, 10.1 yards per reception

PFF Grade: 60.8 overall, 61.2 receiving

2022 Contract: Final year of rookie contract, $1.1 million

Fit with the Browns

Parris Campbell could move right into the slot position for the Browns, a role he filled nicely with the Colts last season. After three seasons of injuries that limited him to just 15 total games, Campbell was finally able to stay healthy in 2022 and put together a solid campaign that saw him catch 74 percent of his targets and record just three drops, according to Pro Football Focus.

Campbell is likely never going to be a No. 1 wide receiver, but the Browns would not need him to fill that role, and his speed is an asset that the club is lacking at the position. The biggest question is whether he can stay healthy or if last season was an aberration and he will spend more time on the injury list than on the field.

Browns Player Signing Could Impact

The first name that comes to mind is wide receiver Anthony Schwartz (overall grade of 50.8 and a receiving grade of 47.3 from PFF), who has struggled to turn his raw athleticism into on-field production in his first two seasons. Having Campbell in the mix as the slot receiver would also take snaps away from David Bell (52.5 overall, 52.1 receiving per PFF), but he would appear to be less likely to lose a roster spot than Schwartz.

How Signing Could Impact the NFL Draft

Wide receiver is only one of the position groups that the Browns need to address in the offseason, with defensive tackle and linebacker being on the list as well. If Berry decides to dip into what is expected to be a shallow pool of free-agent wide receivers, then defensive tackle would certainly put a lock on the top priority in the draft.

Priority

Medium - The Browns can use some additional help at wide receiver, but the free-agent market at the position is expected to be a weak one. Still, Campbell flashed enough ability last season and is only turning 26 this summer, so a one-year or similar low-risk contract could be worth considering by Berry to see if Campbell can show that last season was not an outlier when it comes to staying healthy. Pro Football Focus projects that Campbell will receive a three-year deal that averages $7.75 million a year and comes with $13.25 million in guaranteed money.