As the trade deadline creeps closer, the Browns don’t need to swing for the fences just to make noise. That much is clear. The real question is whether Cleveland can find a deal that helps now and still makes sense after this season - and that’s where a few younger names start to stand out.
That’s the lane Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay pointed to, and it’s the only one worth serious attention for Cleveland: cost-controlled players at positions of need, not expensive veterans with a lot of wear on them. The Browns should be wary of paying up for older backs like Saquon Barkley, who is soon-to-be 30, or Jonathan Taylor, soon-to-be 28. The same goes for older defenders such as Khalil Mack, 35, and Josh Sweat, 29.
If Cleveland is going to get involved, the target should be someone who can matter beyond 2026.
One name that fits is EDGE Tuli Tuipulotu of the Los Angeles Chargers. The Browns already have the sixth-most sacks in the NFL with 20, but only four of those have come from their EDGE rushers.
Isaiah McGuire has 3.0, Sam Williams has 1.0, and Jared Verse is stuck with a donut-hole. Tuipulotu would give that pass rush another real weapon.
He’s coming off a Pro Bowl season in 2025 and already has 2.0 sacks this year, along with two tackles for loss and nine quarterback hits. Over his career, he’s posted 28.0 sacks, 41 tackles for loss, and 61 quarterback hits. At 24, he’s still young enough to matter for the long haul, and pairing him with Verse could give Cleveland one of the most feared duos in the league, provided Verse gets back to his Los Angeles Rams ways.
The Browns could also look at cornerback Riq Woolen. Denzel Ward has been outstanding this season, and Tyson Campbell has held his own on the other side.
But Myles Harden has struggled some, and the reserves haven’t been much better. Woolen would give Mike Rutenberg more flexibility and provide insurance if either of the top two corners misses time.
At 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, Woolen brings a rare frame to the position. He was a big part of the Seattle Seahawks’ Super Bowl run last year, and he’s still only 27.
If he fits Cleveland’s scheme, he could stick around. And because he’s in Philadelphia on a sinking ship, he might come cheap.
An early move would also give the Browns an exclusive negotiating window before free agency gets messy.
Another edge option is K’Lavon Chaisson of the Washington Commanders. He’s not quite the same ceiling play as Tuipulotu, but the age and production line up. Chaisson just turned 27 and has put together back-to-back solid seasons: 5.0 sacks with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2024, then 7.5 with the Patriots, and 2.5 through six games this season.
His career totals - 20.0 sacks, 31 tackles for loss, and 56 quarterback hits - suggest a player who can help right away. At minimum, he’d jump into the Browns’ group of secondary edge rushers, and a rotation that includes McGuire, Williams, Derek Barnett, and Chaisson would give opposing coordinators plenty to think about.
Like Tuipulotu and Woolen, Chaisson also carries long-term upside. He looks like a late bloomer finding his footing, and that’s exactly the kind of player Cleveland should be watching before the price climbs any higher.
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