The Browns’ 4-2 start has changed the conversation in Cleveland, but it hasn’t changed one basic truth: the run game still isn’t where it needs to be. They rank 24th in the NFL in rushing yards per game, and that number is padded by Deshaun Watson’s 32-yard average. So when Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor surfaced as a possible trade candidate before the November 10 deadline, it was easy to see why some would view him as the answer.
Taylor has put up 492 rushing yards, good for sixth in the NFL, while averaging four yards per carry. With Quinshon Judkins and Reheim Sanders injured, he would clearly strengthen a depleted backfield. Last week, the Browns were forced to use running backs who weren’t even on the roster at the start of the season.
Still, Cleveland may be better off resisting the obvious move. The Colts are expected to ask for a first- or second-round pick, along with a late pick swap, and the Browns have two first-rounders they should be careful with. The bigger value may be in keeping those selections and using them to maneuver for a quarterback they want later on.
That’s the crux of it: the Browns have enough talent around the quarterback to keep building, but they also need to think long term. Right now, they’re winning too many games to rely on their own pick for a quarterback, and the Los Angeles Rams could recover enough for that selection to end up too low anyway.
There are also cheaper paths to help the backfield. Good running backs can be found in the middle rounds, and Cleveland has enough draft capital there to find one on a rookie deal.
That matters because Watson’s contract, even as it starts to shrink, still limits what the Browns can do when it comes to adding proven players. This roster has been pushed into a spot where contributors on rookie contracts matter.
Judkins has shown promise as a rookie, but this season hasn’t looked the same. The adjustment to running out of the shotgun has been part of that, and the expectation is that he’ll improve with more experience.
Dylan Sampson started the year as the backup, but he got hurt early in the first game and is expected to return. The Browns may be wiser to let that group get healthy before making a major move.
Taylor also wouldn’t be bringing his offensive line with him. That matters in Cleveland, where the blocking has not consistently opened lanes for the backs.
The Browns’ offensive line has only played six games together under a new head coach, offensive coordinator and line coach, and the rushing attack still feels like a work in progress. There’s time for that to improve without Cleveland draining resources in a trade.
If the Browns decide they need another back, they may have less expensive options. Saquon Barkley could be available from the Philadelphia Eagles, and the cost would be lower. Even then, it would still take a valuable pick, and he has dealt with injuries while logging only 36 carries this season.
The 4-2 start has been a surprise, but the roster remains young and Watson still hasn’t put together a consistent game. A deep playoff run looks unlikely, and running back health is always fragile from year to year.
For now, Cleveland is better off standing pat or adding someone who can share the load. The ceiling for this backfield hasn’t been reached yet, and the offense should improve once the group is whole again.
In Other News...
Browns Winning Streak Could Force Todd Monken Into A Brutal Decision
The Browns have found enough ways to win that a 4-2 start has kept them right in the thick of things, but it has not solved the bigger offensive questions hanging over the team. Cleveland has been fighting through issues in both the run game and the passing game, and while Todd Monken has praised the groups fight, he has also been clear that the offense still has room to grow.
That leaves the quarterback conversation getting harder by the week. Deshaun Watson has given Cleveland strong fourth-quarter play, but the early-game inconsistency is still part of the equation, and the idea of turning to backup Shedeur Sanders keeps hovering over the situation. If the Browns keep winning, Monken may be forced to weigh whether changing quarterbacks is worth the risk of disrupting a streak that has already bought the team some breathing room. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Offense Is Creating A Harold Fannin Jr. Debate
Harold Fannin Jr. was one of the Browns most productive pass catchers in 2025, leading Cleveland in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns and quickly establishing himself as a central part of the offense. Through the first six games of 2026, though, his role has looked a little different. The Browns have added more weapons around him, and the passing game has been more dispersed, which has naturally led to a slowdown in his yards per catch and target volume.
Deshaun Watson and Todd Monken have both framed that shift as a matter of matchups and game situations rather than a sign of concern, with the offense spreading the ball around as opponents try to take away different options. Fannin has kept the focus on helping the Browns win, even if the individual numbers are quieter than they were a year ago, and that makes his place in the offense a little more intriguing as the season moves along. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Still Have One Clear Trade Deadline Need Up Front
The Browns have tried to patch together the front with offseason additions like Tytus Howard, Zion Johnson and Elgton Jenkins, and the results have been better in spots, but the offensive line still looks like the clearest place where help is needed before the trade deadline. Pass protection and run blocking have both lagged in the numbers, and the issues in the ground game have been especially hard to ignore for a team that wants more balance on offense.
A proven interior lineman would give Cleveland something it has not consistently had this season, and the trade market could offer a few interesting names if the Browns decide to act. Quenton Nelson, Landon Dickerson and Ben Bredeson are among the possibilities being floated, and each would fit the profile of a move aimed at stabilizing the middle of the line rather than chasing a more cosmetic fix. [Read more 🡒]