Browns Players Who Should be on the Trade Block After Week 3
The Cleveland Browns enter Week 4 with a 2-1 record, but they could quickly end up with a losing record.
Cleveland plays the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers on opposite ends of its Week 5 bye. Two losses could put the Browns in a precarious spot ahead of a stretch in which they play five of seven games on the road.
The AFC North side could shift from having playoff aspirations to being a seller around the trade deadline.
Cleveland has a handful of players who are out of contract at the end of 2023 who could be intriguing pieces for contenders to add in late October.
The Browns could erase any potential of trades with wins in their next few games, but if things go south, they have some intriguing pieces they could offload.
Donovan Peoples-Jones
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Donovan Peoples-Jones sits in a weird spot in his career.
The 24-year-old has had mixed results when the Browns are at full strength at wide receiver and he is in a contract year.
The Michigan product only has five catches on 10 targets in the season after he set career highs in receptions and receiving yards.
Peoples-Jones is the clear No. 3 on the depth chart right now behind Amari Cooper and Elijah Moore. His totals may not significantly increase as the season goes on.
Cleveland should hold on to the 2020 draft pick if it improves and makes a push toward the playoff positions, but if not, it could dangle Peoples-Jones on the trade market.
Peoples-Jones could provide a contender with an extra young pass-catcher who can make an impact through one or two explosive plays.
Cleveland will not receive much back in return because of Peoples-Jones' contract status, but getting something in a trade would be better than losing him for nothing in the offseason.
Rodney McLeod
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Rodney McLeod joined the Browns due to his connection with defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz from their time together in Philadelphia.
McLeod is a far different situation, though, than he was in two years ago with the Eagles.
McLeod sits behind Grant Delpit and Juan Thornhill on the safety depth chart and he recorded just six tackles in his first three games with the Browns.
The 33-year-old is on the roster as a veteran backup, and he could serve that purpose in a greater role with a contending team.
Cleveland is not in dire straits with its secondary situation, and it may be more inclined to keep Delpit, who will become a free agent in the offseason, to see if he will agree to a new contract.
The Browns probably will not go through a full fire sale before the trade deadline, so it may make sense to trade away veteran players on expiring contracts than younger players who can make an impact in the future years.
Za'Darius Smith
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Za'Darius Smith is probably the most intriguing trade candidate on the Browns roster.
The 31-year-old edge-rusher had three double-digit sack totals in his last four seasons before joining the Browns in the offseason.
Smith's production has yet to show up on the stat sheet in 2023, but he still affects every play with the pressure he gets on offensive linemen.
Smith's explosiveness off the edge could be valuable to a handful of contenders on a rental basis if Cleveland struggles in the next month.
The top contenders in each conference are led by a dominant pass rusher. Players at that position could be in high demand from other contenders to match what the San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs currently have on their rosters.
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