The Cleveland Browns should be exploring all their options to save their season from slipping away.
The Cleveland Browns need to find some help. That’s just not a debate anymore. The team is struggling defensively, especially against the run. The best players are either playing poorly or aren’t making an impact, and the young players who should be carrying the future of the club aren’t even capable of carrying their own pads.
We’ve already talked about the five free agents they should sign (yes, all five, not one or the other), and now we’re talking about the players the team should trade for. To be clear, the five free agents suggested are suggested as a group.
That’s not the case here. Now, it could be, Andrew Berry has quickly taken the mentality of “EF those draft picks”, so why bother hanging on to any of them, especially with the cap hell coming in a few years?
Berry has made it clear that the team’s window is the next few years, so why not sell out? It’s not how I would’ve built this team but it’s not my reputation and career on the line. So if Berry is selling out, might as well sell out completely. So trade one, two, or all your draft picks if you need to.
The issue comes down to the fact that the money may not work in all three situations and the Browns may not have all the picks needed to get each player. So unlike the free agents’ list, just getting one from this list is a win.
Also, no Carolina Panthers will be on this list as there’s another article coming out about them specifically, and there’s one important name that’s not on this list due to him being good enough to be featured as his own trade option.
WR Kendrick Bourne
The Cleveland Browns need help at receiver. Sadly, that’s just the truth of the situation. The team is in need of some depth behind Donovan Peoples-Jones and maybe even a guy to push Peoples-Jones to see if he can be a better player. The team ideally could use someone who is a burner of a route runner, a real speedster. Yet, anyone who can get open in the defense is useful, as the Browns really are a three-pony team when it comes to passing the ball.
Kendrick Bourne is a guy who can do just that. He’s not a huge presence but 6’1 is pretty big compared to a lot of receivers. Bourne can add a bit of size to the team and has a pretty good ability to get open. He’s not going to be prime Randy Moss, but he’ll be good enough to give the Browns an upgrade over their third and fourth receivers.
Alternate Option: WR Nelson Agholor
If not Bourne, his New England Patriots teammate Nelson Agholor would be useful as well. Now, the Browns and Patriots are hours from colliding when you’re reading this, so it’s very possible that the Pats ended up winning and therefore may not be looking to trade guys. If they are looking to trade their receivers, the Browns should be pitching trade ideas.
DE Robert Quinn
The Cleveland Browns need help in all facets of defense. While the defensive ends they have are good, they’re versatile and can play inside if they have to. The same goes for Robert Quinn, the Chicago Bears veteran. Quinn can play on the end of a defensive line or as a stand-up linebacker that rushes. He’s older, and even though he’s only 32, he’s been in the league for over a decade. He has mileage on his body. He’s also coming off his second-best season ever.
So even though Quinn is older, if he shows up with the Browns, he could actually bring a whole new presence to the squad as they search for an identity they can hang their helmets on. Quinn won’t come cheap and has a heavy contract to consider, but he’s a body that the Browns can’t afford to look past just because they already have two defensive ends.
Alternate Option: DE Clelin Ferrell
Clelin Ferrell is a younger version of Jadeveon Clowney. In three of his four seasons in the NFL, he’s excelled at stopping the run, even if he isn’t getting sacks. Sacks are largely an overrated stat (even Joe Burrow agrees), but what you do need is a guy who can penetrate an offensive line and get tackles behind the line of scrimmage. Ferrell can do that. He’d be a solid alternate for the team to call on to help limit offenses and their running games.
TE Mike Gesicki
While I’m no fan of David Njoku’s contract, Njoku is a good enough player for the Cleveland Browns to rely on. That said, the Browns have only one tight end worth throwing to. Harrison Bryant hasn’t shown to be the best tight end in the nation like his collegiate award would say. Beyond that, the Browns have just a rotating room of subpar tight ends. Since the Browns are still using two tight end sets a lot, it would make more sense to bring in a veteran who can help give the Browns another option to throw to, as well as a good run blocker.
Dolphins tight end Mike Gesicki has a one-year deal, worth $10 million and is an upgrade over Bryant in almost all ways. He’s a better receiver, a better run blocker, and has a better body of work to lean on. Bryant has proven to be a better pass blocker according to PFF but if that’s all you have Bryant for, then you clearly need a better second option at tight end.
Gesicki to his credit isn’t limited to just playing tight end. He’s 6’6, 250 pounds, and runs a 4.54 40-yard-dash. Move him to receiver and let him play bully ball against opposing cornerbacks.
Alternate Option: TE Albert Okwuegbunam
The Browns need an upgrade at the lower levels of the tight end position and if Gesicki is too rich for some, Albert Okwuegbunam of the Denver Broncos would be a fine consolation prize.