BEREA — The trade deadline falls on Nov. 4. That’s the Tuesday after the Browns’ bye week for those keeping track of such things.
There are two games remaining for Cleveland to play between now and then. It will play host to the 1-5 Miami Dolphins Oct. 19, then go to face a resurgent AFC East-leading New England Patriots team under new coach Mike Vrabel Oct. 26.
After that, the Browns will have a bye. It’s almost certain that by the time they play their first game after that, Nov. 9 at the New York Jets, they will have a different-looking roster. General manager Andrew Berry has already pulled off two in-season trades, sending Joe Flacco to the Cincinnati Bengals and Greg Newsome II to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Who could be next? Here are five potential trade candidates for the Browns, in descending order of likelihood:
Shelby Harris, defensive tackle
This one almost seems too obvious. The Browns continue to wait for second-year defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. to finally be healthy enough to play after offseason knee surgery. Hall hasn’t been active for a game yet. If he does get to that point, Harris would almost assuredly be the kind of player who could help a contender out over the stretch run.
Jerome Ford, running back
It’s clear the Browns favor the two rookie running backs — Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson — over Ford, a fourth-year pro. He’s on the final year of his rookie contract the Browns and Ford renegotiated earlier in the year to make it much more team friendly. Ford hasn’t quite shown the same explosiveness he displayed at times over the two seasons when he was essentially Cleveland’s No. 1 running back because of Nick Chubb’s injuries. However, he can be valuable as a kickoff return guy, as well as a potential pass-catching running back.
Alex Wright, defensive end
Like Ford, Wright is a player on the final year of his rookie contract who could be an intriguing piece to aid a contender’s pass rush. Although Wright started against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 6, it’s been clear since training camp that Isaiah McGuire has become the favored player between the two young defensive ends. McGuire also has another year left on his rookie deal. Wright has played well when he’s been on the field, so it’s not like there isn’t value in the asset. The final year of his deal is what’s likely to make him the one who’s on the market.
Wyatt Teller, guard
You could sub out Teller for center Ethan Pocic or even right tackle Jack Conklin here. All of them are on the final year of their contract, and all of them have played well enough they could be intriguing players for a contender that needs offensive line help. The guess is at least one of them will be moved.
David Njoku, tight end
Njoku would be higher on this list if not for the knee injury he sustained in Pittsburgh. How long he’s sidelined could impact how much value he ends up having on the market. Through six games, Njoku has 23 catches for 223 yard and a touchdown. In the last two games he’s had nine catches for 95 yards and a touchdown, his best two-game stretch of the season. Could a contender find a way to tap into the talent that has teased Cleveland since 2017?
