The Colts’ decision to jettison major names on Tuesday, Oct. 27 has opened the trade market wide, and the Browns have every reason to be watching closely.
Indianapolis sent future Hall of Fame offensive lineman Quenton Nelson to the Seattle Seahawks and standout defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to the San Francisco 49ers, a clear sign the franchise is shifting into a rebuild and chasing draft capital. That kind of move changes the temperature around the league fast. Suddenly, teams looking to bolster a playoff push can start dialing up Indianapolis.
Cleveland, sitting 5-2 and in the mix for a postseason spot in a few months, fits that category. The Browns already have a strong defensive line, with Mason Graham and Maliek Collins pacing the sack production early in the year.
On the edge, the mix of Jared Verse, Isaiah McGuire, Sam Williams and Derek Barnett has held up well, too. Even so, there’s a case for another addition.
That’s where Stewart comes in.
At 33, he’s nearing the back end of his career, but he would bring experience and another jolt to the Browns’ front. With one year left on his contract, he could be viewed as a playoff rental for a team trying to stay in the hunt in a loaded AFC North.
He’d add depth at a spot that has already taken some hits, and he’d give Cleveland more flexibility if another Graham-type injury pops up. He could also help steer a young room behind the scenes.
There’s also a clean financial exit if the Browns wanted it. When the season ends, they could let him walk and open back up roughly $14 million in cap space, or try to keep him on a cheaper deal.
Because Buckner went relatively cheap, Stewart would probably cost a third- or fourth-round pick. That’s the kind of price Cleveland’s front office should be willing to consider if the payoff is a better line.
The secondary deserves the same kind of attention.
Outside the numbers and downfield, the Browns have been uneven. Denzel Ward has stayed steady as a future Hall of Fame cornerback, but Tyson Campbell, Mekhi Blackmon and Toriano Pride Jr. have all had their ups and downs. With Martin Emerson Jr. gone after the offseason, Cleveland could use another piece to settle the group down.
Charvarius Ward could be that player if Indianapolis decides to move him. He carries a $24 million cap hit for the rest of the season and is set to be a free agent in 2027, so the Colts may prefer to cash out while they’re reshaping the roster.
For Cleveland, a pairing of Ward with Ward and Campbell would go a long way toward rounding out the defensive back room.
The Browns do have the draft capital to make something happen. A fourth- and sixth-round pick could be enough to get a deal done, especially with the market already showing what teams are willing to pay. Just a few weeks ago, the Dallas Cowboys sent a second- and fourth-round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers for Joey Porter Jr.
Ward hasn’t matched the level he showed with the 49ers, but the traits are still there. He’s 6-foot-1, 196 pounds, runs a 4.44 forty and has an 11-foot broad jump. Cleveland may decide to stay put, but if both Ward and Stewart are still available when the deadline arrives, the Browns should at least find out what it would take.
In Other News...
Browns Rookie Receiver Is Becoming A Bigger Part Of This 5-2 Start
Through seven weeks, Clevelands 5-2 start has been built on more than just the usual veteran voices, and one of the quieter reasons for it has been the emergence of rookie receiver Boston. In a league-wide look at first-year players making real impacts, he stands out not just for his raw production, but for the way his role has grown inside a team that has found ways to win while still working through the usual early-season growing pains.
For the Browns, that kind of development matters because every added layer to the passing game makes the whole operation harder to defend. Boston is part of a rookie class around the league that is already shaping games for teams with very different goals, and his steady rise gives Cleveland another element to lean on as the season moves deeper into October and the questions get tougher. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Could Still Add The Missing Piece To A Dangerous Defense
The Browns are still doing what contenders do in October and November: keeping one eye on the standings and another on the trade market. Even with a defensive line that has played well overall, Cleveland knows the edge group could use another piece if it wants to keep pace in the AFC North and squeeze even more out of a unit that has already been a strength.
That is why defensive end has become such a logical area to monitor ahead of the trade deadline, with names like Khalil Mack, Jermaine Johnson and YaYa Diaby surfacing as possible fits depending on performance and contract status. The appeal is straightforward for Cleveland - a stronger outside pass rush and sturdier run defense could make a good front even harder to deal with, and the Browns do not seem ready to let a chance like that pass without exploring every option. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Face One Huge Steelers Week Concern On Defense
The Browns spent part of the week sorting through a familiar mix of injuries and optimism on defense, with defensive end Jared Verse sitting out practice after hurting his knee in the recent game. Head coach Todd Monken sounded hopeful that Verse will be available for the upcoming matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers, which would be a welcome bit of stability for a unit that needs all the help it can get in a divisional game like this.
Verse was not the only concern on the practice report, either, as right tackle Tytus Howard and center Elgton Jenkins also missed work because of injuries. At the same time, some players who had been dealing with ailments were back on the field, leaving Cleveland with a clearer picture of who might be ready and who is still trending the wrong way as Pittsburgh week approaches. [Read more 🡒]