The Browns have sprinted into a 2-1 start and suddenly look like a team that can hang around the AFC North race. But not everybody in Cleveland is riding that wave. Jerry Jeudy, who counts as the fourth-most expensive player in the building, has barely been part of the offense through three weeks, and his role has shrunk to the point where a trade feels worth discussing.
Jeudy has only two catches on the season, and Week 3 was especially telling: he ran 26 routes and never saw a target. He sits sixth on the team in targets and is tied with tight end Blake Whiteheart in receptions. Meanwhile, rookie receivers Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion have pushed themselves into bigger roles, and Harold Fannin Jr. has shown he can be a top option as well.
That’s why a deal makes sense now, especially with the market opening up. Mike Evans is potentially headed for multiple weeks out because of a rib injury, and the San Francisco 49ers suddenly find themselves thin at receiver. Their active roster at the position now includes Deebo Samuel, Jacob Cowing, Khadarel Hodge, and Jordan Watkins, with Brandin Cooks on the practice squad and likely to be moved up.
San Francisco has already taken hits at wideout this season, losing Ricky Pearsall and De'Zhaun Stribling to long-term injuries. If the 49ers still believe they can chase a Super Bowl, they may be willing to part with draft capital to patch the hole.
Cleveland doesn’t have to act like a seller after a 2-1 start, and according to Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com, the Browns aren’t currently considering moving Jeudy. But if Todd Monken doesn’t see him as a meaningful piece going forward, the logic is pretty straightforward.
Boston and Concepcion have already proven they can absorb targets, and Jeudy’s contract won’t scare anyone off. He carries a base salary of $1.5 million in each of the next two seasons.
The price is the real question. Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report believes Jeudy is worth a conditional fourth-round pick, and that’s the kind of number the 49ers could be willing to meet right now. If San Francisco comes calling with a mid-round pick, Cleveland should be ready to listen.
In Other News...
Deshaun Watson Just Raised The Stakes For Clevelands Quarterback Plan
Deshaun Watson is still thinking long term, even as the Browns continue to sort through their quarterback situation. Speaking about his career outlook, Watson said he wants to play in the NFL as long as possible, pointing to Aaron Rodgers as the kind of veteran who has shown how far a quarterback can stretch his runway. He also said his motivation is to keep going until his body no longer allows it.
For Cleveland, that mindset matters because it keeps the conversation about its quarterback future from feeling like a short-term issue. Rodgers has already said this season will be his last, but Watson is taking the opposite view, and that kind of durability ambition can shape how a team plans around its quarterback room. The Browns may still be deciding how best to navigate the position, but Watson is making clear he sees himself as part of the leagues long game. [Read more 🡒]
Jerry Jeudy Reaches A Big Browns Crossroads On Thursday Night
Jerry Jeudys start to the 2026 season has been a quiet one in Cleveland, and the usage tells the story as much as the box scores do. Through three games, he has seen just five targets and turned them into two catches for four yards, a surprising level of involvement for a receiver the Browns still had every reason to imagine as a meaningful part of the passing game.
Instead, the early work has gone more heavily to rookies KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston, who have been involved far more often and have quickly carved out a bigger share of the offense. That leaves Jeudy at an important crossroads, trying to find a way back into a larger role before the gap gets wider, while the Browns have to decide whether his path forward is inside their offense or somewhere else entirely. [Read more 🡒]
Browns May Soon Face A QB Decision Fans Didn't Expect
The Browns have spent much of the season sorting through a crowded quarterback room, and the picture could get even tighter soon. Dillon Gabriel is on short-term injured reserve but could be back before long, giving Cleveland another healthy arm to consider alongside the rest of a four-quarterback roster.
That kind of depth can be useful in October, but it also creates pressure on the front office to make a call before the roster becomes unwieldy. ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler recently pegged Cleveland as one of three teams that could move a backup quarterback for draft capital, and Gabriel looks like the name that fits the conversation best because of the depth chart and the Browns' roster constraints. [Read more 🡒]