Jerry Jeudy’s improvements are starting to come through on the field
Jun 2, 2021, 6:40 AM
The Denver Broncos got the best receiver (in my eyes) in the best wide receiver draft class in NFL history when they selected Jerry Jeudy out of Alabama with the No. 15 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. It was an exciting pick, and many thought he could come into the league and star from day one.
That didn’t happen.
Instead, Jeudy struggled with drops and was a player fans began to turn on quickly. His rookie season was okay statistically – 52 catches, 856 yards, three touchdowns – but he did not produce the way fellow rookie first-round pick Justin Jefferson did (88 catches, 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns).
That’s the standard many thought Jeudy could get from day one. He didn’t, but perhaps in his second year we could see Jeudy take that next step. Broncos head coach Vic Fangio commented on Jeudy’s progress from last year to this year.
“He’s in a far better place than he was last year at this time. A big that happened with Jerry — like I told you guys back when it happened in the 15th game last year when he had some drops in that game – I thought it was going to be a defining moment in his career how he played the following week. Then in our last game, he had a very good game and caught a bunch of balls for a bunch of yards. I think that was a very defining moment in his career. I see a more focused and more diligent receiver on the details. He knows he can’t slack. I see a much more mature guy right now,” Fangio said.
Jeudy’s improvements are coming through on the football field. It’s early – and still OTAs – but there is marked improvements we’re seeing from the second-year receiver. Let’s go over the progress this potential superstar is showing.
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Connection with Teddy
I wrote about the potential connection we could see between Jeudy and quarterback Teddy Bridgewater last week on DenverFan.com. It wouldn’t take long for these two to “wow” the media members in attendance with their play. That’s what happened on Tuesday as the Broncos resumed OTAs.
As I’ve previously noted, both of these players rely on precision as hallmarks of their games. Jeudy is a precise route-runner, and Bridgewater is a precise passer who hits his targets regularly in stride. On two big throws downfield, including at 40-plus yard touchdown bomb, you could see how Bridgewater leading Jeudy to the ball could make magic.
File this under things we love to see: @jerryjeudy making plays. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/AxA3e7xS30
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) June 1, 2021
After practice, Jeudy gave his opinion on the new Broncos quarterback.
“I feel like he’s a great quarterback. He knows how to anticipate. I feel like he’s good at anticipating where players are going to be. I feel like that’s a good thing he does,” Jeudy said.
Jeudy never seemed to establish great chemistry with Drew Lock. Perhaps that changes this year, and only time will tell. However, we’ve already seen that Jeudy and Bridgewater have a strong connection which should continue through mandatory minicamp, training camp and the preseason.
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Defenders Taking Notice
You can always tell if a guy is truly impressing on the field (and not just impressing the media in attendance) when his teammates/opponents on the other side of the field talk about his game. During OTAs, that’s what Jeudy has done.
The Broncos made multiple moves to improve their secondary this offseason. They’ve done so much to revamp that position the argument could be made that they’ll have a top-five secondary this year. There is no doubt that the Broncos could have the best defense in the league led by Fangio, so when defenders from this defense talk you should listen.
Bryce Callahan is arguably the best slot corner in the league. When healthy, Callahan can go stride-for-stride with some of the best receivers out there. Callahan is a seasoned veteran who has gone up against the best the NFL has to offer. He knows wide receiver talent, and he’s seen that talent come through for the second year wideout.
“He’s just adding on from last year. His releases are looking great, and his routes are looking crispy. He’s catching the ball. It’s all looking good,” Callahan said.
With crisp routes, speed and improved concentration, we could see Jeudy not only impress his own defenders but also the defenders he goes up against in the regular season. In fact, Jeudy has the potential to give opponents nightmares in preparation for his well-rounded game.
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Improved Timing
Jeudy is not going to back down from the struggles he had last year as a rookie. Unlike other players on the Broncos roster, Jeudy doesn’t blame the media or the fans for the backlash he faced in 2020. He did not play up to his standard, and he’s working to change that for the 2021 season.
He knows his drops were a problem and he’s taken responsibility for improving his game this offseason. Jeudy is not what I’d call a “bad ball” receiver. That means he’s not the type of player (like Courtland Sutton) who can bail his quarterback out if the pass is wildly off the mark. Instead, Jeudy’s game is about precision. He’s going to work hard to get open and he sets up his routes to maximize yards after the catch – if his quarterback can get him the ball in a proper place.
Jeudy needs to improve his concentration in 2021. Last year, you could tell that he was trying to do too much after the catch. It largely came from frustration in my opinion. Jeudy was frustrated because he would work hard to get open and Lock would either not see him or not get him the ball cleanly and on point.
In addition to improved concentration, Jeudy had an interesting comment about how he can play better in his second season.
“The biggest thing for me is the timing of plays. That’s the biggest thing for me. You want to get a certain spot or a certain place at that exact timing. Knowing how to make the defender move to where you want him to be and getting to that spot at that timing of the play—that’s the biggest thing. That’s what I learned the most,” Jeudy said.
The timing of a passing game is the heartbeat of attacking a defense through the air. Jeudy sets up his routes perfectly, and if his quarterback is on the same page, we could see a drastic improvement in production.
Whether that quarterback is going to be Lock or Bridgewater remains to be seen. However, the early returns show that Jeudy is a player we can project for even better stats in 2021.
