Cleveland Browns: Trade for Khalil Mack? Yes, please

With the Oakland Raiders and defensive end Khalil Mack unable to agree upon a contract extension, trade rumors are starting. The Cleveland Browns should get in on that.

Suddenly things don’t seem so easy for defensive end Khalil Mack and the Oakland Raiders. While their contract dispute never really was easy, it always seemed like it would at least get done, but now that he’s missing camp it seems less than likely.  With that being the case, trade rumors are starting to swirl and the Cleveland Browns would be wise to get involved with those rumors.

While it would be simple to say the Browns make sense because they have the cap space to pay him, that’s not where it all ends. It also would be a wise move because this team is dangerously close to having a dominant defense and Mack could put them over the top.

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While in the past I was against drafting Bradley Chubb due to the presence of Emmanuel Ogbah, this becomes a different animal when discussing the 2016 NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

Instead of drafting a rookie and hoping to groom him, you get one of the best edge defenders in all of football and make the entire line better.

Mack has been a beast in not only pass rushing, but he’s been a force against the run as well. On top of that, he plays the left end spot which means Myles Garrett could stay on the right side.

The No. 1 overall pick from 2017 could also pick the brain of Mack as he learns to be even better at his job and Ogbah being a rotational edge suddenly makes this one of the strongest three-man rotations in the entire NFL.

It wouldn’t be cheap, and admittedly the Raiders may not be ready to swing it. But, if it could be done this move would be great as they could put together one of the meanest defenses while still having quarterback Baker Mayfield on his rookie deal for at least four seasons.