Browns hot start could change approach to the trade deadline
Jeff Risdon
3-4 minutes
The Cleveland Browns surprised many around the NFL with an important win over the Dallas Cowboys 49-38 on Sunday. The win makes three in a row for the Browns and marks the first time they have started a season 3-1 since 2001.
The Browns were thought by many to have a good amount of talent on their roster. However, talent alone is not enough to win in the NFL. It takes a combination of talent that fits the team’s identity, coaching that knows how to use that talent effectively, team chemistry, culture, mindset, scheme and still it’s often not enough. So when an organization has the opportunity to compete at the highest level of professional football, it should not be taken lightly.
It is common practice in the NFL for teams to self-scout their own team in search of areas they can improve as the season progresses. One of the best ways teams can improve mid-season is at the trade deadline. This year’s trade deadline is on October 29th, 2020 at 4:00 PM EST.
When looking at what teams will be “sellers” around the deadline, we would look to teams that are out of contention and have salary cap situations.
Things can often get precarious for teams looking to “buy” in these scenarios. Hard internal questions will have to be answered. How long is our winning window? Are we really legitimate Super Bowl contenders? Are we ready to sacrifice our future for a piece needed to win right now?
The Browns aren’t in a one-year window, so they have to engage the deadline with some distinction. They have the most cap space of any team in the NFL with over $32 Million according to Overthecap.com. However, much of that is probably earmarked for extensions needed to keep their core players in Cleveland.
GM Andrew Berry will need to try and improve his team in the secondary and potentially at linebacker. The key will be acquiring players that can not only help in 2020 but also be a part of the solution moving forward. They are not in position to acquire one-year rentals unless they come across a bargain of sorts.
It’s possible that teams on the decline will be looking to move on from younger players approaching the end of their contract and don’t intend to offer an extension. This could present the Browns with an opportunity to bring in a young cornerback or safety that could help now, be worth looking at as part of their future and wouldn’t tie up any future cap space if they decided against investing in said player.
This will be the first chance we get to see how GM Andrew Berry chooses to handle this scenario, so it’s hard to know to what extent he will be willing to go out and help this year’s team. Certainly, the Browns can apply some pressure by continuing to stack up victories.
Unless a real very, very good deal for that LB shows up.....we should pass and get that LB in 2021 draft such as Moses, Alabama or Snowden, W.Va. I think they should focus on finding a deal for a top tier FS of SS if it's there. I watched Cowboys game off and on and I saw two interceptions missed that would have stuck the final blow in the Cowboys by the Browns killing more time of the clock and keeping Prescott off the field but, both chances were blown by the Browns. I think one of cases was the potential interceptor was looking down the field before he had intercepted the ball. Also, most of the Cowboys' passes during their attempted comeback were down the middle of field which is where we need to upgrade and fix. jmho
I feel like this defense is gonna progress through the season as the very strong 4-CB unit gets well and we integrate Mack, Phillips, and Harrison, younger/faster dudes. It'll be very interesting to see what we need, not a huge projection to envision another defensive heavy draft.
We're also likely to still target one or two serious free agents, all good teams do that. But we won't pay a LB what we wouldn't pay Schobert. No clue who we'll see as keepers yet but I'd guess Smith, Wilson, Phillips... and then a high-ish pick.
What's high-ish? I think it's generally unlikely that this team drafts a LB higher than R2... but if we draft like 25th, maybe on a one-shot deal. Would be a blue-chip star.
Seems like safety will be on the agenda. if we made a serious trade, could be there, possibly the Vikings dude we wanted? Anthony Harris? He's not our usual 25 (!) but we're in the window right now and for the next few years, can't really predict beyond 4.
While I like our roster, it could be an opportunity to look at some bad teams and try to pillage their talent.
With the COVID-19 issues, we don't really know what the NFL's off season is going to look like or even college football for that matter. We've already seen some outbreaks in the NFL, and who knows what happens if the same occurs with a college football team. As I've said before, draft picks could be less valuable if teams are in a position in which they are less certain about the incoming talent.
It could be a savvy move to try and pinch up some veteran talent at the expense of some mid-to-late round picks. I doubt we see any blockbuster trades, but we could add some real talent from anyone looking to win the Trevor Lawrence sweepstakes.
Speaking of LBs, has Isiaiah Simmons reinvented defense yet? With his 6 tackles, 0 sacks, and 0 PDs?
Give it time. I see some Aaron Curry in him. Snark aside: Thank god, no top 10 RBs or LBs for this team, not ever.
He's been terrible. I actually just watched a video which showed some of his issues in coverage. He's basically been benched because he was getting out-physical'd and out-maneuvered. He got absolutely annihilated in week one and has basically been benched. He actually looks quite slow and sluggish out there. Not sure what is going on but that's not the elite athlete we expected to see.
With that said, I wouldn't bang the drum yet. Defenses across the league have struggled greatly so far this year and the majority of rookies are playing poorly. It makes it all the more impressive that Jacob Phillips is off to a really nice start, he's not perfect but he looks far more comfortable than a lot of the other rookies.
But, yeah, I wouldn't bet against Simmons right now. Especially when Jed Wills has got his ass handed to him just as many times. At least at this stage, it's more a brutal year for rookies than a sign that Simmons can't play, imo.
EDIT -
Here is the video I mentioned. Should have thought to include it.
I'm really just snarking about OBLBs/safeties who are gonna reinvent the league somehow, hear it every year, never actually happens.