The Cleveland Browns signed wide receiver Jaelon Darden to their active 53-man roster on Saturday and also elevated cornerback Mike Ford Jr. and offensive tackle Germain Ifedi to the active roster ahead of their Week 1 showdown in Cleveland against the Dallas Cowboys. The Browns released former third-rounder David Bell earlier this week, so the 25-year-old Darden will essentially replace him on Cleveland's roster as additional receiver depth behind Amari Cooper, Jerry Jeudy and Elijah Moore. Darden will be competing for playing time with Cedric Tillman and rookie Jamari Thrash and is off the fantasy radar everywhere for now. Darden was originally drafted in the fourth round in 2021 out of North Texas by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Last year in 16 games with the Browns, he only served as a kick returner on special teams and wasn't involved in the offense.
Jaelon Darden Listed Behind Amari Cooper On Depth Chart
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jaelon Darden is listed as the second wideout behind Amari Cooper at one of the receiver positions on the team's unofficial depth chart heading into Thursday's Hall of Fame game against the New York Jets. Meanwhile, receiver Jakeem Grant Sr. is listed as the team's top kick and punt returner on special teams. Darden has temporarily jumped both Anthony Schwartz and Marquise Goodwin (illness) on the early training camp depth chart, but fantasy managers shouldn't read too much into this. Cooper, offseason acquisition Elijah Moore and Donovan Peoples-Jones should be Cleveland's clear top-three wideouts as long as they are healthy, leaving little volume for anyone else.
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jaelon Darden has been one of the more noticeable receivers early in training camp. He has taken a handful of snaps with quarterback Deshaun Watson, but the Browns have rotated other non-starting receivers in with Watson as well. Darden is worth monitoring throughout camp because of his speed, which has always intrigued the Browns. It's also worth noting that the team is uncertain when Marquise Goodwin (blood clots) will be able to rejoin the team. Darden also has return experience and has been working as both a kick and punt returner. The 24-year-old former fourth-rounder by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021 has just eight receptions for 69 yards in his two NFL seasons to this point.
The Cleveland Browns claimed wide receiver/kick returner Jaelon Darden off waivers from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Wednesday, according to a source. The Browns scooped up the 23-year-old after he was waived earlier this week. He'll give Cleveland some receiving depth after they played Anthony Schwartz (concussion) on Injured Reserve on Wednesday. Darden played in 12 games for the Bucs this year, catching both of his targets for 26 yards and also carrying the ball once for two yards. He has also returned a league-high 31 punts for 330 yards on special teams. The second-year receiver/returner will be more valuable to the Browns on special teams and will remain well off the fantasy radar.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receivers Russell Gage and Jaelon Darden have looked good so far in training camp. Gage has been as advertised by sporting an array of moves to help him get separation both on the outside and inside in the slot. He's often been the primary receiver in practices with Chris Godwin (knee) missing time. Darden has a much better understanding of the playbook, which includes choice routes that are prevalent in the offense. He's playing faster, running better routes and catching the ball with greater regularity in his second season. Darden also has the inside track for the return-specialist job, which helps his chances of making the final roster. Gage could still be a nice weapon in his first year in Tampa, but the addition of veteran Julio Jones should temper fantasy managers' hopes for a breakout in 2022.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jaelon Darden only caught six passes for 43 yards on 12 targets in nine games in his rookie season in 2021. He displaced Jaydon Mickens in the return game but only managed 19.9 and 7.5 yards on 37 total kick and punt returns, respectively. Darden's roster spot was in jeopardy heading into this offseason, but he was a frequent target of quarterback Tom Brady in minicamp, and head coach Todd Bowles said Darden had a great offseason. The 23-year-old put in work on the playbook "three times per day" in the offseason and is more comfortable in the offense. Darden won't be on the fantasy radar to open the 2022 season, but his versatility could be an important asset for the Bucs' receiving depth with Chris Godwin (knee) unlikely to be ready for Week 1.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie wide receiver Jaelon Darden has certainly impressed head coach Bruce Arians and star quarterback Tom Brady during training camp. The focus and hard work the receiver has shown hasn't gone unnoticed and Brady has even gone as much as to take the receiver under his wing and personally teach him. The 22-year-old certainly doesn't lack talent, as he posted 74 receptions for 1,190 yards and 19 touchdowns in just nine games last year as a senior for North Texas. Unfortunately, Darden enters 2021 buried on the depth chart behind guys like Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Antonio Brown, so he will bring no relevance from a fantasy perspective.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie wide receiver Jaelon Darden has certainly caught the eyes of many during training camp so far. This includes coach Bruce Arians, who claimed the wide receiver is quite effective at getting open. Even more encouraging news is the fact the fourth-round draft pick from this past draft is already catching passes from Tom Brady. The North Texas product is coming off a stellar senior season in which he amassed 74 receptions for 1,190 yards and 19 touchdowns. Unfortunately, Darden will enter the season far down the depth chart due to the Bucs' large amount of talent at WR, meaning he's not fantasy-relevant at all.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie wide receiver Jaelon Darden missed some of minicamp with a tweaked hamstring, but the fourth-rounder runs a 4.46-second 40-yard dash at 5-foot-8, 173 pounds and looked very explosive during offseason practices. Darden drew comparisons to Emmanuel Sanders and John Brown from head coach Bruce Arians. "He's super quick and fast," Arians said. "He's a little thicker than I thought he was going to be when I watched him. He catches punts very easily and catches the football extremely easily. He can be very explosive." Darden will compete with Jaydon Mickens for the punt and kick return jobs. The fact that quarterback Tom Brady had a say in the team drafting Darden says a lot. The North Texas product has blazing speed, but he's in perhaps the deepest wide receiver room in the NFL, which means you can ignore him in single-year fantasy leagues.
With the 129th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have selected North Texas wide receiver Jaelon Darden. One of the most intriguing players in this draft, Darden was a monster for the Mean Green, catching 74 passes last year for 1,190 yards and 19 touchdowns, setting a school record for receiving TDs. He's an undersized receiver, but he's also incredibly fast and could find a quick connection with Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady. Darden won't be much of a fantasy asset early on in a crowded receiving room, but he could grow into a nice role by 2022.
