With six weeks in the books, the NFL still feels unsettled almost everywhere you look. The Browns are sitting in a spot that invites questions of their own - can they protect the top of the AFC North, or are they the league’s most suspicious good team? But around them, plenty of clubs have already drifted into a different kind of reality, the one where the season is slipping toward draft position instead of contention.
That matters for Cleveland. If Andrew Berry wants to push in, this could be the moment to start shopping with purpose.
A number of teams are already in rough shape: the Chargers are winless, the Eagles have lost Jalen Hurts for the season because of blood clots, the Colts have fired their general manager, the Buccaneers and Commanders each have one win despite preseason expectations, and the Rams are currently closer to a top-five pick than a playoff chase. The Dolphins are also winless, though that was expected, and they have already moved on from much of their veteran core.
That kind of landscape can create opportunity. The Browns may have a chance to go “big-game hunting” as the trade deadline draws closer next month, especially with Berry sitting on a stockpile of draft picks. Week 6 may have made Jerry Jeudy look less attainable than some teams might have hoped, but Cleveland’s recent win could still push the front office toward a more aggressive approach.
If the Browns do take swings, there are several names that could be in play.
Saquon Barkley is one. The Eagles are no longer competitive, and Quinshon Judkins has struggled this season.
Barkley remains one of the league’s premier all-purpose backs when healthy, but he is nearing 30, has taken a heavy workload, and has dealt with a long list of health concerns. With only $2.5 million guaranteed left on his deal, Philadelphia could decide to move him a year early.
Khalil Mack is another name that keeps coming up. The idea of a deal for Mack has already been floated multiple times, and it still looks like the kind of move that might cost no more than a Day 3 pick.
From Indianapolis, Jonathan Taylor is another marquee running back option, while Deforest Buckner would give Cleveland more versatility up front on the defensive line. Quinton Nelson has also been mentioned as a possible trade candidate from the Colts, though Cleveland does not appear likely to go after a guard right now.
Dorance Armstrong offers a less flashy path to an edge-rushing upgrade. His numbers this season are not jumping off the page, but he has been a steady pass rusher, posting five or more sacks in each of the last five seasons. Washington looks headed nowhere, though the weak NFC East makes it hard to imagine the Commanders moving pieces this early.
Then there is Tuli Tuipulotu, who may wind up as the priciest name on the board. He is in the final year of his rookie contract after recording 13 sacks last season and 8.5 the year before.
If the Chargers decide to tear things down completely - or if Cleveland is willing to pay up - Tuipulotu would be near the top of plenty of wish lists. A trade-and-sign approach could make sense if the Browns want a young pass rusher with upside.
The sexy names will drive the conversation, and that part is unavoidable. But the quieter move might end up mattering more for Cleveland right now: a really good blocking tight end could have a bigger impact on this season than any headline-grabbing splash.
In Other News...
Browns Keep Winning With A Formula The AFC North Should Fear
The Browns keep finding ways to win games that look anything but comfortable early, and Sunday in Baltimore fit that script again. Clevelands offense started slowly, but the defense kept the team afloat long enough for a 13-10 win over the Ravens, with linebacker Carson Schwesinger forcing a fumble that helped tilt the game back in the Browns favor.
Andre Szmyt finished it off with the game-winning field goal, and the result was even more impressive considering Cleveland had to work through injuries to several starters. At 4-2, the Browns are not just hanging around in the AFC North race, theyre sitting atop it, and the rest of the division has to take notice of how hard they are becoming to put away. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Let A Familiar Corner Slip Away At The Worst Time
Martin Emerson Jr. turned a brief opening into a notable opportunity in Week 6, stepping into a starting role for the New Orleans Saints and making the most of it against the New York Giants. The former Browns cornerback picked off two passes in the win and finished with the kind of disruptive day that reminded everyone why he once looked like a promising piece in Clevelands secondary.
For the Browns, it is another familiar reminder of how quickly a player can move on and find his footing elsewhere when the right chance arrives. Emerson had seen limited action earlier this season before getting the nod because of another players absence, and his performance now leaves Cleveland looking back at a defender who was already gone after injuries and uneven play derailed his time with the team. [Read more 🡒]
Deshaun Watson Just Took A Different Tone With Browns Fans
Deshaun Watsons relationship with Browns fans has been bumpy from the start, from the public friction before the season to the boos that followed in the opening weeks. But after earning the Week 1 job and guiding Cleveland to a 4-2 record, the quarterback has settled into a very different place with the people in the stands, at least publicly, as the results have given the season a steadier footing.
Watsons latest comments came after a rough first half performance, and the tone was noticeably softer. Instead of pushing back on the criticism, he acknowledged the need to play better and made a point to appreciate the fan bases support, a small but meaningful shift for a player whose reception in Cleveland has been under a microscope from the beginning. [Read more 🡒]