5 Browns Still on Thin Ice After Surviving the Trade Deadline

The NFL trade deadline has come and gone, and the Cleveland Browns were ever-so-slightly active. The Browns traded away wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones to the Detroit Lions, but a team that has one of the best defenses in the NFL and a 4-3 record stayed pretty quiet otherwise.

As we look over the Cleveland Browns' depth chart, which players could be considered on "thin ice" even after the deadline passed and they remain on the roster? Although not every player can be traded away at the deadline, the team can certainly still make changes to the depth chart as needed, and I think we can expect the Browns to make some more drastic changes as the stakes become higher.

Let's look at who could still be on thin ice after the passing of the deadline.

1. Deshaun Watson, QB

Something isn't right with the Browns and Deshaun Watson right now, and people are starting to notice. Ultimately, it may just be that Watson is actually dealing with a lingering injury and nothing more, but his lengthy absence is a little alarming at this point.

Although PJ Walker hasn't played at an elite level by any means, I think the Browns have played some pretty good football without Watson in the lineup and what happens if he comes back and is all of a sudden holding the offense back? What happens if Watson gets re-inserted into the lineup and is turning the ball over or becomes a liability?

The Browns may not want to tolerate that for very long. In fact, it may cost them the playoffs if they do tolerate it.

To say Deshaun Watson "survived" the trade deadline is admittedly a bit hyperbolic, because the Browns weren't trading him, but they could have traded for another contingency plan, and they didn't.