For months, the trade chatter in Cleveland has circled Grant Delpit, and on the surface it’s easy to see why. The Browns added Emmanuel McNeil-Warren in the draft, which raises the obvious question of how Cleveland would fit McNeil-Warren, Delpit and Ronnie Hickman onto the field together. That’s the kind of roster squeeze that gets the rumor mill moving.
But Delpit is 27, and that matters. He’s also not going to bring back the kind of haul Cleveland got for Myles Garrett.
Garrett turns 31 in December of this season, while a Delpit deal would likely amount to a much smaller return - maybe just an extra Day 3 pick in 2027. For a player who remains one of the Browns’ top leaders, that kind of value gap is hard to get excited about.
If Cleveland is looking for the cleaner trade candidate, Maliek Collins makes a lot more sense.
Collins is 31, he’s coming off a career year in 2025, and he’s in the final year of his contract. On top of that, he missed at least part of Cleveland’s voluntary offseason program. On a rebuilding roster, that checks just about every box for a player who should be available if the price is right.
The Browns already have a healthy stash of ammo for the 2027 NFL Draft, especially on Day 2 and Day 3, so they don’t need to force anything. Still, if a respectable offer comes in for Collins, Cleveland should be ready to act.
This isn’t about what Collins has been for the Browns. It’s about where the team is headed versus where he fits.
Cleveland gave Collins a two-year, $20 million deal before the 2025 season, and he rewarded that move with a strong year even while missing five games. He finished with 25 tackles, including seven for loss, 6.5 sacks and a fumble recovery. That kind of production is exactly why he’d draw interest.
It also explains why his market could be real. NFL analysts noticed the turnaround, and other teams surely did too. Collins is the Browns’ second-oldest player, behind only fullback Michael Burton, and for a team expected to be among the league’s worst in 2026, that’s the sort of veteran asset worth listening on.
The recent defensive tackle market offers at least some guideposts. The Giants landed the 10th overall pick for Dexter Lawrence, though that kind of return is far too rich to expect here.
A more realistic comparison is the Cowboys’ trade of Osa Odighizuwa to the 49ers for a third-round pick. Odighizuwa is younger than Collins, but that deal shows the range Cleveland could be dealing with if the right contender comes calling.
Moving Collins would create a ripple effect on the Browns’ defensive line. Mason Graham’s sophomore season would get tougher, no question.
But it would also open more snaps for Mike Hall Jr., the 2024 second-round pick who is running out of time to prove he was worth that selection. Cleveland also has second-year UDFA Adin Huntington and free agent addition Kalia Davis in the mix.
The Browns don’t have to move anyone. But if the question is which veteran makes the most sense to deal, the answer may not be Delpit at all.
It could be Collins. And if Cleveland can add to its 2027 draft stock in the process, that’s the kind of move a rebuilding team should at least be ready to make.
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