The NFL trade deadline came and went Tuesday, and for the Cleveland Browns, it amounted to almost nothing.
General manager Andrew Berry was reportedly working the phones, but the Browns did not make a trade before the 4 p.m. deadline. Whether Berry tried to land help to keep the team’s playoff hopes alive is unknown.
There had been some speculation that the Minnesota Vikings might reach out about the greatest backup quarterback in NFL history, but that never materialized. Instead, Minnesota chose to reunite with Kirk Cousins after three years apart.
That move sends Cousins back to a Vikings team that has already cycled through eight different starting quarterbacks since the beginning of the 2024 season. If he starts this week against Green Bay, it will be the 15th time Minnesota has changed its starting quarterback from the previous week since moving on from Cousins.
Those numbers are a reminder that the Browns are hardly alone when it comes to quarterback chaos. Cleveland gets plenty of heat for its own struggles at the position, but the rest of the league has plenty of messes of its own.
And on the Browns’ side, maybe today is the day head coach Todd Monken stops playing silly games and lets everyone know who will start at quarterback this week against the Houston Texans.
Even without a deadline splash, Cleveland did make a couple of roster moves. The Browns signed tight end Zaire Mitchell-Paden and punter Wes Pahl to the practice squad.
Around the team, the chatter kept rolling. Browns QB Shedeur Sanders was again floated as a trade target to solve a contender’s quarterback problem, while the Browns roster has also shifted since the initial 53-man group took the field in Jacksonville back in Week 1.
There was also plenty of discussion about the Browns’ recent losses, with the Saints game drawing the harshest review because, as one piece put it, that was a team the Browns should have beaten.
And one bright spot has been hiding in plain sight: punter Corey Bojorquez is quietly putting together a Pro Bowl year. For a team that has had to deal with enough headaches, special teams has been one area that has not been part of the problem.
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Browns Just Sent A Clear Message About Deshaun Watson
The Browns did not make a quarterback move at the NFL trade deadline, and that decision says plenty about how they are handling the position as Deshaun Watson works his way back from a concussion. Cleveland still has Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel on the roster, with rookie Taylen Green around as a developmental option, but the immediate plan appears to remain centered on Watson.
For a team already dealing with the salary cap weight of Watsons contract, the approach looks less like a fresh reset and more like an extended evaluation. Cleveland seems willing to keep its options open for a future franchise quarterback, but for now the organization is signaling that Watson will be the one under center once he is cleared. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Are Already Feeling One Harsh Reality Of The Myles Garrett Trade
The Browns still sit among the NFLs top 10 in sacks and pressure rate, which is why the pass rush has not looked like a unit in free fall even after the Myles Garrett trade. But the broader picture is starting to sharpen into something less flattering for Cleveland: the team is projected to finish with fewer sacks and a lower pressure rate than it managed last season, a reminder of how much disruptive force walked out the door when Garrett was dealt to the Rams.
Jared Verse has brought the kind of leadership that teams value in a young edge rusher, but the production gap is already hard to ignore. Garrett has generated more sacks and pressures in fewer snaps, while Verse has yet to record a sack this season. For a Browns defense that has long leaned on pass-rush impact to set the tone, the trade is beginning to look less like a simple roster reshuffle and more like a reality check. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Just Sent A Clear Message About What This Season Is
The Browns spent deadline day looking like a team more interested in the long view than a quick fix. General manager Andrew Berry reportedly explored options, but Cleveland ultimately stood pat, choosing to keep its draft picks and leave the roster intact rather than chase a short-term upgrade.
For a team still trying to sort out its identity, that decision says plenty about where the organization believes it is headed. It also leaves the coaching staff to keep developing the group it already has, with younger players such as Harold Fannin Jr. and Dillon Gabriel still in the spotlight as the Browns lean into patience over a deadline splash. [Read more 🡒]