Cleveland Browns: 5 trade targets in the event of a Lions fire sale

5 Lions trade targets for the Cleveland Browns

The Detroit Lions will be trading quarterback Matthew Stafford this offseason, and while the Cleveland Browns won’t be in trade discussions for a signal-caller (they’ll begin extension talks with Baker Mayfield instead), they could still look to deal for a Detroit player. Here are five potential targets to provide defensive help.

5. DT Danny Shelton

The 12th overall pick in 2015, Danny Shelton spent the first three seasons of his career with the Browns before being shipped to the New England Patriots for a third-round pick, which was actually pretty good compensation for the player that Shelton was. He’s gigantic at 6-2 and 345 pounds and demands a double-team and plays the run well. The problem is he doesn’t offer anything as a pass-rusher in a passing league.

Larry Ogunjobi is unlikely to return, and Sheldon Richardson could be a cap casualty as his $13 million salary is awfully high for a player of his caliber. That leaves Andrew Billings and Jordan Elliott as the team’s only defensive tackles under contract for next season. Shelton would cost $4 million against the cap in 2021, which is $500K more than Billings will make.

There are players who make more sense for Cleveland, but a space-eating 1-tech would be useful, even if Shelton is backing up Billings. The two could play together in obvious run situations as well as at the goal line. The Browns were terrible at stopping opponents on fourth down, so adding more size in the middle could help with that next season.