It's become pretty obvious that the Cleveland Browns don't have much going for themselves as far as an offense goes. Those struggles were highlighted by tight end Harold Fannin Jr. and wideout Jerry Jeudy dropping back-to-back passes right before the team fell apart against the Detroit Lions on Sunday. The squad became deflated, and it became obvious that the Browns knew they didn't have the talent to win. The wind was gone from their sails, and the team got rolled up in the fourth, completing the 34-10 blowout loss.
If the Browns want quarterback Joe Flacco to remain the starter, they must get him someone to throw to. TE David Njoku looks washed up and hasn't been a factor for far too long, while Jeudy can't catch anything but a penalty at this point in his career. Fannin has potential, but he's far from a reliable option in crunch time, and it'd be foolish for Cleveland to expect the rookie to carry the aerial attack.
It really doesn't look like the Browns have the talent to compete. So, they need to either make some moves to bolster the receiving corps or trade Flacco to properly start the rebuild.
Browns Must Find Help for Joe Flacco or Trade Him
If Cleveland wants to salvage the offense before it's too late, adding another competent wideout — either via free agency or the trade market — is a must.
The Browns are watching in real time why the Denver Broncos gave up on Jeudy. Sure, he had a 1,000-yard season last year, but that was last year. This year, all Jeudy has proven is that he can drop easy-to-catch passes. He's become a liability, but since Cedric Tillman is the only other threat in the room, yet looks even worse than Jeudy, there's nothing to be done. Jeudy has to play.
The Browns need to make moves if they hope to bounce back from 1-3. Convince Amari Cooper to come out of retirement. Make a trade with the Tennessee Titans, New York Jets, or New Orleans Saints for one of their receivers. Even kicking the tires on someone like Odell Beckham Jr. could be worth it.
These are bottom-of-the-barrel options, absolutely, but with how bad the wide receivers have been through four games, it's safe to say that the Browns can't do much worse.
If Cleveland is fine with the WR room's status quo, the front office may as well trade Flacco away. His arm still has enough juice to help out a playoff contender, and it makes sense for the Browns to let him try for another Super Bowl ring rather than wasting away in what could be his final NFL season.
Besides, there are already some QB-needy teams that could use help. The Cincinnati Bengals have lost Joe Burrow for the foreseeable future, while the New York Giants have already pulled the plug on the Russell Wilson experiment. The Baltimore Ravens, with whom Flacco began his career, might be in the market for another arm following Lamar Jackson's hamstring injury on Sunday.
Either way, the Browns need to figure out what their plan is for Flacco before the season further spirals out of control.