Taywan

Taylor

Not a good look for 26-year-old Taylor not being able to crack the league’s worst roster. The 2017 third-rounder of the Titans hasn’t caught a pass in the regular season since 2018 and is probably running out of chances.

On and off the Browns’ roster this season, Taylor played just 22 snaps. The 2017 third-round journeyman turns 26 in March.

Taylor is a healthy scratch. Also inactive are RB Dontrell Hilliard, CB Robert Jackson, DB Jovante Moffatt, LB Tae Davis, and DE Joe Jackson. Porter Gustin will start for Myles Garrett (reserve/COVID-19).

The Browns need another receiver with KhaDarel Hodge (hamstring) on IR. Taylor will push Donovan Peoples-Jones for snaps in four-wide sets.

They also cut Damion Ratley. Taylor was a healthy scratch for 13-of-16 games last year. The moves are a good sign for KhaDarel Hodge’s roster chances.

As expected, Odell Beckham (hip) and Devaroe Lawrence (shoulder) are both active. Aside from Takitaki, who is out with a hamstring injury, the rest of Cleveland’s inactives are healthy scratches. With Gilbert not dressing, backup quarterback duties will fall with journeyman Drew Stanton.

Taylor was running ahead of Tajae Sharpe earlier in camp, but he ends up the odd man out of the Titans’ revamped receiver corps. Still more hype than production to this point in his three-year career, Taylor did catch 37 balls last season, and made the occasional big play. That’s difficult to do with Marcus Mariota under center. He should slot in as the Browns’ No. 4 receiver during Antonio Callaway’s suspension, operating on the outside. Taylor can play the slot, as well.

Both are listed ahead of second-rounder A.J. Brown, which is surely just a coaching stunt. Taylor and Sharpe are vying for No. 4 duties in the Titans’ receiver corps. Taylor out-produced Sharpe in 2018 despite playing in three fewer games.

Taylor shined in the preseason but took a while to get going early in the season, as he started the year behind Corey Davis, Rishard Matthews, and Tajae Sharpe. Matthews was quickly released, and Sharpe faded away as Taylor came on late in the year, coinciding with the Titans’ win streak. Taylor took over as the starter outside opposite Davis in the final month and had 224 yards Weeks 13-16. Taylor flashed big-play ability at times, but this offense was hamstrung by poor quarterback play and continuous injuries to Marcus Mariota, forcing an overmatched Blaine Gabbert into too many snaps. Taylor has plenty of talent, but the Titans may bring in some extra help at receiver this offseason with Taylor finishing with a 37-466-1 year. Taylor remains a hold in Dynasty.

Corey Davis got more targets than Taylor (5 to 3) on the day, but Taylor proved to be the more explosive of the two as he led the team in receiving yards. While Davis’ production has stayed pedestrian over the past month, Taylor’s surged for 244 yards (and 355 air yards) on a fireworks-like 17.8 average depth of target in that stretch. Unfortunately, neither are projected to return value if Blaine Gabbert stays under center for Marcus Mariota (stinger) in Week 17.