The Browns’ playoff push took a real blow in Pittsburgh, but the path forward may still run through a move that looks small on paper and could matter a lot on the field.
Cleveland dropped to third in the AFC North and out of the AFC playoff field after the loss. The Browns are now eighth in the conference, and with only three games left against teams over .500, they have to start stacking wins quickly to stay in the mix.
The biggest issue has been the offense, especially in the first three quarters. The unit has struggled to run the ball, protect the quarterback and stay on schedule. Watson leads the entire NFL in getting sacked, and Quinshon Judkins is on pace for fewer yards than he had in his injury-shortened season last year.
That’s why a trade for help on offense could be the kind of move that keeps the season alive. The offensive line has had trouble both run blocking and pass blocking, and that has forced Harold Fannin Jr. to spend more time near the line of scrimmage to help in protection.
The tradeoff has been fewer touches for him. In Pittsburgh, he posted his best receiving game of the season and looked unstoppable as a pass catcher, but Watson was still sacked eight times and the run game never got going.
One possible fix is a tight end who can block, allowing Fannin to be used more freely as a receiver. On passing downs, he could line up outside and operate as a pure pass catcher while the new tight end handles the dirty work closer to the line. That kind of player appears to be available in Indianapolis.
The fit centers on the 6’5, 260-pound Ogletree, who could be on the trade block after the Colts already moved two major pieces and were thrashed in Jacksonville last week. He is Indianapolis’ best blocking tight end and is in the final year of his contract. For Cleveland, the cost would not require any meaningful assets, and the adjustment should be straightforward because his main job would be blocking.
Ogletree was drafted in the sixth round out of Youngstown State. He has only three catches this season and 25 in his career. In Indianapolis, he has served as the blocking tight end for star running back Jonathan Taylor, and Daniel Jones has been sacked 11 fewer times than Watson.
The Browns have already tried using running backs for extra protection when Fannin has been deployed downfield, but that approach has not worked. They need a bigger body to handle that role, and Ogletree would give them that option.
Fannin remains a major part of the offense because he can turn a short gain into something bigger with his tackle-breaking ability. He is too fast and elusive for linebackers and too strong for a slot corner. Any other defender assigned to him would benefit KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston.
Ogletree could also be used as a receiver out of the backfield on obvious passing downs. Cleveland already showed how that can work on its game-winning drive against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, when Blake Whiteheart slipped out for an uncontested touchdown after the defense assumed he was only there to block.
Even after the rough loss in Pittsburgh, the Browns’ offense is still close enough to believe a turnaround is possible. The second half of the schedule gives them a chance to string together wins and keep their playoff hopes intact, and a low-cost trade for Ogletree could help patch the biggest holes.
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Truss is the familiar name in the group for Browns fans who follow college football closely, since he played at Georgia before getting NFL looks with multiple teams. For Cleveland, the addition gives the team another offensive line option to evaluate as it sorts through depth and development on the practice squad, even if the bigger question is how quickly any of these moves can translate into real value down the stretch. [Read more 🡒]
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For the Browns, the appeal is obvious enough to understand even if the logistics are daunting. Herbert would represent a major swing at a franchise-changing quarterback, but the cost would be steep and the optics would be messy given the investment already made in Deshaun Watson. For now, it remains only speculation, but it is the kind of speculation that can linger around Cleveland whenever a big-name passer suddenly becomes available in the rumor mill. [Read more 🡒]
Deshaun Watsons Status Just Put Browns-Saints In A Different Light
Deshaun Watsons status has quickly become the biggest variable hanging over the Browns Week 9 trip to New Orleans. After experiencing symptoms following a hit in a recent game, the Cleveland quarterback was placed in concussion protocol, and his availability against the Saints now depends on whether he can be cleared in time.
For a Browns team trying to keep its footing, the timing matters as much as the opponent. The betting market has already nudged in response to the uncertainty, a small but telling sign of how much Watsons presence changes the outlook for Cleveland as it heads into a game that suddenly looks different than it did just a few days ago. [Read more 🡒]