Travis Benjamin

Travis Benjamin was the only real big-play threat for the Browns at wide receiver in 2015.

(Joshua Gunter, Cleveland.com)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The whole point of playing football is to score touchdowns. Obvious, right? Not for the Cleveland Browns, at least over the last two seasons, especially in the passing game.

Pep Hamilton, the team's new associate head coach on offense, knows it has been an issue.

"Ultimately, we just want (receivers) that can score touchdowns," Hamilton said last Thursday in response to a question about adding size at wide receiver. "If you look at just some of the defensive trends over the past few years, teams are starting to play a lot more man coverage. Having guys that are elusive, quick, fast, regardless of their size, that can create separation and can score the ball is what's most important for us in this offense."

Much of the talk about the Browns wide receivers the last two seasons has rightly been about the lack of size. Size, though, isn't everything in the NFL. Antonio Brown has dominated at 5-foot-10. DeAndre Hopkins racked up 1,500 receiving yards at 6-foot-1. Odell Beckham is 5-foot-11.

One of the biggest issue the Browns face in the receiving game -- and one that emphasizes the importance of keeping Travis Benjamin -- is that, in a game turning more and more to passing and big plays, they are behind the rest of the league when it comes to quick strike scores. The new coaching staff's history and a more analytical approach -- one that emphasizes efficiency to minimize mistakes -- point to an increased importance on creating big plays.

Overall over the last two seasons, the Browns have registered just 32 passing touchdowns combined. Only Minnesota and St. Louis have fewer in that span and they have thrown the ball significantly less than the Browns. The Browns have attempted 1,111 passes in those two years, while Minnesota and St. Louis have thrown 971 and 988 respectively. Minnesota ran the ball 49 percent of the time in 2015, St. Louis 47 percent of the time and the Browns just 36 percent of the time.

More concerning than the lack of scoring in the passing game is the lack of big scoring plays. Over the last two seasons combined, the Browns are tied with Kansas City with the fewest touchdown passes of 20 or more yards with 11. Of those 11 scoring plays, only six were throws to wide receivers. Four of those six were to Travis Benjamin, two of which came in the same game.

The Browns not only trail the rest of the league, single receivers in their own division are matching or beating them. Brown has seven such plays for the Steelers in the last two seasons. Steve Smith has six -- and he's played in just 23 games. A.J. Green has six on his own, too.

Looking at the Browns receiving corps and simply saying, "They need size" is easy. Obviously they need size. What they also lack is the downfield threat at receiver who can score from anywhere at any time, and that ability goes beyond height.

Perhaps Josh Gordon fill that void. In 2012 and 2013, Gordon had 13 touchdown receptions of 20 or more yards. We all know how shaky counting on Gordon can be, though.

Finding players who can score touchdowns is an oft-used platitude that offensive coaches and talking heads love to toss out. It is the point of the game after all. The Browns, unfortunately, have been missing that point for two seasons.

Free agent wide receiver touchdown catches of 20+ yards last two seasons combined

Alshon Jeffrey (Bears) -- 6

James Jones (Raiders, Packers) -- 6

Rueben Randle (Giants) -- 5

Travis Benjamin (Browns) -- 4

Anquan Boldin (49ers) -- 4

Rishard Matthews (Dolphins) -- 4

Top 5 teams in touchdown passes of 20+ yards last two seasons combined

Green Bay -- 25

Seattle -- 25

Buffalo -- 24

Philadelphia -- 24

Arizona -- 23

Bottom 5 teams in touchdown passes of 20+ yards last two seasons combined

Kansas City -- 11

Cleveland -- 11

Miami -- 12

Tennessee -- 13

Minnesota -- 13