The Cleveland Browns have a lot of work to do to reshape the franchise back to a winner. The failed trade for Deshaun Watson cost them more than just the salary cap and set the team back.

Part of Andrew Berry’s job as general manager is to maximize assets on the existing roster. This is why so many jump to the conclusion that the Browns should trade away Myles Garrett for a draft haul.

What they fail to consider is the salary cap implications based on the contract of the player. The fact that trading Garrett would make the salary cap situation worse is counterproductive to the solution you are attempting to propose.

As fans, it’s easy to identify with player trades in the vacuum of stats and skill sets, but teams don’t trade for players as much as they trade for contracts. From this context, let’s take a look at a few surprises that could be traded away during the offseason.

Alex Wright DE

Wright’s season came to an abrupt end after suffering an early season injury. Prior to that Wright had posted five sacks in his previous eight games played.

Wright will enter 2025 in the last year of his rookie deal. With the emergence of Isaiah McGuire the Browns may be willing to send him to a team looking for young edge talent in exchange for draft capital.

Wyatt Teller OG

Teller recently said that he’s playing for a new contract that would keep him in Cleveland. The market for interior linemen exploded last offseason and the remaining year on his deal now suddenly seems very reasonable.

The evaluation of Teller’s play on the field and getting an indication from Joel Bitonio on whether he plans to return for another season are both crucial. It’s hard to imagine that there will be no changes in personnel on the offensive line after the 3-14 season.

The team drafted Zak Zinter in the third round last year, and while he will surely be called upon to start in the future they could give him another year to develop. Teller could be sought out by contending teams looking to get over the hump.

Martin Emerson Jr.

Now, this is the one you’re probably not thinking about trading from the corner room but should. Fans may want to trade away Greg Newsome, but after picking up his fifth-year option he is set to make close to $14m this upcoming year.

Newsome could be traded but the Browns aren’t likely to see much of a return for him. The better asset is Emerson, who like Wright is also entering the final year of his rookie deal.

The Browns may extend him in the offseason but his play this past year was down from his first two years. In addition, Cleveland may also have the chance to draft Travis Hunter with the number two overall pick.

Emerson would probably return a day-two draft pick to the Browns in exchange for his services.