Cleveland Browns may regret lack of trade deadline action

The Cleveland Browns might regret a quiet deadline

It’s been a fantastic season thus far for the Cleveland Browns, with the team exceeding expectations and rolling to their best record through 13 games since they returned to the league in 1999. But even with their numerous successes and all the growth they’ve demonstrated this season, Cleveland might be held back come playoff time by their inability to improve at the trade deadline.

Cleveland’s defense was gashed by the Baltimore Ravens on Monday Night Football, giving up 47 points and a season-high 231 rushing yards. As the offense continually found ways to pick the team up and give them chances to win, the defense was unable to come up big in the clutch moments and secure a victory for the Browns.

Even despite the rough outing versus Baltimore, it’s easy to understand why GM Andrew Berry and the Browns front office decided against spending draft capital to bring in a player who wasn’t considered to be a long-term answer. This team’s championship window was expected to begin next season at the earliest, and this is a football team that is being built and molded for long-term success. The Browns don’t want this year to simply be a flash in the pan, and so even with the hot start to the season it seemed that the wise move was to continue onward with the roster they had in place.

No one could have expected that QB Baker Mayfield would put all the pieces together as quickly as he has, taking his game from erratic and unpredictable to refined and consistent. Coupled with a strong run game and a stellar offensive line, Mayfield’s improvements at the quarterback position has vaulted Cleveland’s offense to the top of the pack in the AFC.

There is no team in the NFL who can score or play offense like the Kansas City Chiefs, but the Browns 42-point output on Monday night on the heels of a 41-point performance in Tennessee is extremely encouraging. Cleveland’s ability to put points on the board and go blow-for-blow with any team is a sign that perhaps that ability to contend for a championship may be arriving sooner than expected.

The only caveat is that the defense hasn’t played anywhere near the level of the offense, giving up 82 points in the last two games compared to the 83 scored by the Browns. No matter how good your offense is, it’s tough to win when you’re giving up more than 40 points a game on average.

And that brings us back to the trade deadline inaction. It’s true that many of the Browns recent struggles have been exacerbated by injuries to key players, but battling attrition at this point of the season is no surprise to anyone who’s been paying attention to the NFL in recent years. Baltimore and Pittsburgh both made moves at the deadline to bolster their defense, and both of those units were significantly stronger than the Browns defense to begin with.

There were several low-cost options available at the deadline that made sense, most notably Los Angeles Chargers CB Desmond King who was traded to the Tennessee Titans for a sixth-round draft pick. King’s contract will expire at the end of the season, but a sixth-round pick for a player who can impact your defense for a playoff run seems like a measly price to pay.

Even if it was a defensive lineman to help the Browns get more consistent pressure or a linebacker to bring some stability to that position, it would have been encouraging to see the Browns do something. This team is built for the postseason on offense and it’s a shame that a flimsy defense could derail what has the potential to be a remarkably special playoff run.

When you look at the big picture, it’s easy to rationalize why Cleveland decided to stand pat and not make a move. They’re set to get two big-time playmakers back in the secondary next season, provided that CB Greedy Williams and S Grant Delpit both recover from their respective injuries. And with a solid slate of free agents and a talented draft class ahead, Cleveland likely felt good about their chances to build a strong defense in the offseason to compliment their juggernaut offense.

And while that approach is measured and logical, it remains disappointing that the inability (or refusal) to make a move of any kind could come back to bite the Browns come playoff time. I’m still holding out hope that Joe Woods will be able to get more out of his guys in the coming weeks, especially with the return of CB Denzel Ward and S Ronnie Harrison on the horizon.

But for some twisted reason I can’t help but think of what a tough pill it will be to swallow if the Browns put up 35 points in a playoff game and wind up on the losing end due to a leaky defense. And there’s no promise that any player added at the deadline would be the one to plug those holes, but it would be much easier to process if the Browns had at least tried something in hopes of making their defense more formidable.