Todd Haley advises Corey Coleman it's a 'make or break year' for him

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Todd Haley has come down hard on Corey Coleman a few times this offseason, and has warned him that it's prove-it time in 2018.

"He's been out here working,'' Haley said when asked to assess Coleman's play. "I've seen him every day. He understands this is a big, big year in his career. Year three is usually the make-or-break year of what kind of you're going to be. I've made that clear to him. He understands it, and he's working hard accordingly to try to be the best that he can be."

Coleman, the 2016 No. 15 overall pick, has lined up on the outside opposite Josh Gordon in three wides, with Jarvis Landry moving into the slot. In two wides, it's been Gordon and Landry. But Coleman has gotten somewhat of a reprieve because fourth-rounder receiver Antonio Callaway suffered a groin injury two weeks ago in OTAs and has been idle ever since. If the rookie were healthy, he'd undoubtedly be stealing some of those reps from Coleman with the ones.

"He's just got to keep working at it and that's the biggest thing that he does,'' said new receivers coach Adam Henry, formerly with the Giants. "He comes in early, he works hard, he's taking notes. He's doing the little things, learning the route techniques, things of that nature, just doing the things that he does well and expound on that and tweaking some things. But mentally just being in there. He's champing at the bit. He wants more, so it's just progression each and every day.''

Henry still believes Coleman has big-play ability. His first two seasons were marred by broken hands, and he's been limited to 56 catches for 718 yard and five TDs combined. The last time Browns fans and Haley saw him in a game, he was dropping the potential gamewinning pass against the Steelers in the finale that would've prevented 0-16.

What's more, the analytics site ranked him 102 out of 116 qualifying receivers.      

"The skillset is he's a guy who can make plays down the field, and so you have to utilize that so right now, just installing the offense, that's the thing,'' said Henry. "With the new coordinator, new quarterbacks, things of that nature, it's not like we're out there scheming or gameplanning for a particular opponent, so we're just trying to make sure that the guys have the install in, so there's a progression to it. He's doing the things we want him to do, he's coming along.''

Henry also believes that Coleman can benefit from being around Landry, a three-time Pro Bowler.

"Whenever you have a guy who's done some things, and goes out works hard each and every day and being a leader, not as far as just motivational, an emotional leader but also a guy who goes and works hard and prepares (it helps).''