Cleveland Browns: Randall trade more impactful than Jarvis Landry deal

The Cleveland Browns had two of the most impactful trades of the NFL season, but one trade was more impactful than the other.

ESPN’s Bill Barnwell reviewed what he through were the 30 most impactful trades of the season, and the Cleveland Browns were on his list multiple times.

The longtime scribe listed the Browns trade trade for Jarvis Landry, as well as the acquisition of Damarious Randall, as two of the most influential swaps of the 2018 season.

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Interestingly though, the deal that sent DeShone Kizer (along with mid-round draft picks) to the Packers for Randall was more impactful that the pact with the Dolphins that brought Landy to Cleveland.

Barnwell gave the Randall trade an impact grade of “B,” while the Landry deal received an impact grade of “C.”

The Dolphins used the fourth-rounder Cleveland sent their way on tight end Durham Smythe, who had six catches.

The Browns receiving corps seemed to be the strongest its been in years, but Barnwell was critical of how Cleveland used Landry as more of a mid-to-deep threat. He listed his deal as the 23rd most impactful trade of the season.

Barnwell wrote the following as to how Landry was less productive in Cleveland, than he was in Miami.

":Landry wasn’t used as a source of cheap yards in his new home; his average target traveled 10.8 yards in the air, way up from the almost comically low 6.6-yard average Landry worked with during his three years in Miami. Simultaneously, though, Landry went from catching nearly 69 percent of his passes from 2015 to 2017 in Miami to just 54.4 percent in Cleveland last season. The changes weren’t for the better, as Landry finished 79th in individual receiving DVOA, suggesting that the Browns might need to return Landry to his specialized role to get the sort of return they were hoping to garner from their top wideout.”"

Landry finished with 474 yards and four touchdown grabs.

Something Barnwell doesn’t point out is Landry’s impact on the aforementioned improved receiving corps.

The Browns were strong on depth at the end of the season, but it wasn’t trending this way halfway through the season. Rashard Higgins was injured and Antonio Callaway was too inconsistent. Breshad Perriman hadn’t stepped up yet and Browns’ fans were letting wondering if trading Josh Gordon was s such a good idea, after all.

Landry was there there through it all. Try to imagine the receiving corps without him. His experience and professionalism to the corps dramatically affected the Browns.

As far as Randall’s impact, Barnwell pointed out that the Browns had the fourth-best passer rating in the league against deep passes. He listed this deal as the 11th most impactful trade of the season.

Plus, Randall’s presence afforded Jabrill Peppers the chance to move to strong safety, instead of playing out of position at free safety.

Barnwell had it right in the impact this trade had, and its why the Browns should consider extending Randall this offseason.

•ªThe Tyrod Taylor was also briefly re-visited in his column, quickly noting the impact of the trade was minimal after Baker Mayfield took over the starting job.

• The trade of Josh Gordon also made the list, coming in at No. 22 overall. The deal received an impact grade of C.

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Had to find fault with that grade, here. The Browns were weary of Gordon and the Patriots took a chance. Now they’re in the Super Bowl and Gordon is unable to help.

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