The Cleveland Browns and every other NFL team will need to make the final decisions on which players will make the 53-man roster ahead of Tuesday afternoon's league-wide deadline to make final cuts.
Browns fans will see some of the remaining position battles play out this weekend when Cleveland squares off against the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday afternoon. One Browns selection from the 2024 NFL Draft will not have that opportunity, though, as the franchise reportedly sent him packing via trade on Wednesday afternoon.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Cleveland has agreed to trade reserve DT Jowon Briggs and a seventh-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to the New York Jets in exchange for New York's sixth-round pick in next year's draft.
Trade: Browns agreed to trade DT Jowon Briggs and a 2026 7th-round pick to the Jets in exchange for a 2026 6th-round pick.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 20, 2025
Browns Trade Reserve DT Jowon Briggs Before Deadline for Final Cuts
For Cleveland, this seems like an opportunity for the Browns to add an asset for a player they did not anticipate making their 53-man roster but were not confident that they would be able to stash him on the practice squad for the second straight season.
With the addition of Mason Graham in the draft and Maliek Collins in free agency, the deck was already stacked against Briggs when it came to making the team out of camp. Given the fact that veteran Shelby Brown has performed well for Cleveland during camp, and Mike Hall Jr. seems likely to return at some point during the 2025 campaign, there was not going to be a spot for Briggs.
By sending him to the Jets, Briggs can have an opportunity to find a better fit for himself as he continues his career, while the Browns add draft capital. The opportunity the former draft pick was hoping for in Cleveland just wasn't going to come to fruition, and this allows both sides to move on.
Briggs appeared in six games for the Browns during the 2024 campaign after being elevated from the practice squad. In those appearances, he recorded 13 tackles, 2.5 stuffs, and one fumble recovery. Before being traded on Wednesday, the former Cincinnati Bearcats standout had three total tackles during the 2025 preseason.