We have yet to see any huge deals completed, but with free agency less than a month away, things are about to get crazy in the NFL. After years of seeing nothing accomplished throughout the summer, the Cleveland Browns will once again be at the center of the action as they strive to become a real Super Bowl contender.
Following the Browns’ amazing run in 2023, which ended in a disheartening playoff loss to the Houston Texans, Andrew Berry and Kevin Stefanski have already taken bold action by removing the great bulk of the offensive staff.
So, assuming Deshaun Watson is finally well by 2024 (and hopefully back to his former self), what’s the huge missing piece? The team’s vulnerability appears to be at wide receiver. This is not a knock on Amari Cooper, who had a terrific season in 2023, but the group around him has struggled to produce consistently.
Elijah Moore had an adequate season, with 640 receiving yards and two touchdowns, but I believe it is safe to say he did not fulfill expectations. In this league, a genuine No. 2 wide receiver in an offense like the Browns should have about 900 or 1,000 yards and at least a handful of touchdowns.
Last season, there were rumors that the San Francisco 49ers might not be able to afford Brandon Aiyuk’s fifth-year option, and it was thought that the Browns would always be a good fit. Aiyuk has been underutilized in the offense alongside Deebo Samuel and Christian McCaffery, and the 49ers are already strapped for cash.
You may wonder why the 49ers would exercise the fifth-year option if they couldn’t keep him. Unlike the Baker Mayfield case, where the Browns wound up eating the majority of his salary cap, the 49ers will still come out ahead. They have a quality squad with a few large contracts, thus draft picks would be more valuable than older players.
The Cleveland Browns aren’t exactly flush with picks, but after this year, they’ll at least get their first-round picks back. Furthermore, Aiyuk appears to be an ideal fit for the Browns. He’s an outstanding route runner with incredible speed for separation and really strong hands.
The Browns might lose Nick Chubb and Wyatt Teller if they deal for Brandon Aiyuk.
So, what’s the bad news about all this? As Jack Duffin of the OBR points out, this trade would most certainly cost the Browns Nick Chubb and/or Wyatt Teller. To complete a trade for Aiyuk, both sides must agree on an expensive extension that will net the Browns an outstanding wide receiver in exchange.
With Chubb coming off a significant injury and entering the final year of his deal with no guarantees, I don’t see how he can make this squad without taking a salary cut. Teller still has time on his contract, but his cap hit and inability of pass protection make him a burden going forward, and he may still have some trade value.
This is a move I would not have anticipated Berry to make even a year ago, but with the pressure to win today given what they gave up for Watson, an Aiyuk deal seems like a real possibility.
