The Browns’ path to making a real push before the trade deadline runs straight through the offensive line.
With the 2026 NFL trade deadline set for Tuesday, November 10th at 4:00 p.m., Cleveland’s biggest issue has been impossible to miss. The front five has struggled, and the numbers back it up: Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders have been sacked an NFL-worst 38 times.
That pressure has shown up in every part of the offense. Blocking breaks down, runs go nowhere, and both quarterbacks are left fighting to get the ball out before the pocket collapses.
The deeper issue, though, appears to be tied to one specific lineman. Looking at PFF numbers for the starters, the overall grades are:
Other than Howard being pretty low for a starter, the rankings are right around average across the line.
So if Cleveland is serious about making a playoff push or even chasing its first AFC North title, it needs to find help up front. The ideal target would be a quality lineman from a team that’s underachieving, and Landon Dickerson of the Philadelphia Eagles fits that idea.
Dickerson would not come cheap, but Philadelphia is sitting at 2-7, and if the Eagles are willing to move the 28-year-old for draft picks, the Browns have those to offer.
A deal like that would also force some shuffling on Cleveland’s line. Austin Barber could slide back to tackle, where he played mostly in college.
Tytus Howard could become either a trade chip or a “6th man” lineman. From there, Dickerson and Johnson could sort out the left and right guard spots.
Cleveland also has plenty of draft capital to work with. The Browns own 11 picks in the 2027 NFL Draft, including two first-round selections. Keeping both would be the dream, but if there’s a chance to make a major upgrade, using one of those picks would not be out of the question.
As for who might be moved to create that kind of deal, some have mentioned Shedeur Sanders or Jared Verse, while other names like Jerry Jeudy could come first.
However it plays out, the message is clear: the Browns need help on the offensive line, and they need it now.
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