3 trade targets to push Cleveland Browns over the top in 2022

1. Daron Payne, Defensive Tackle, Washington Commanders

The Browns have playmakers all over the defensive side of the ball. Clowney and Garrett give them two of the most dominant pass rushers in the game — and they’re both great at setting the edge against the run as well. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah is a heat-seeking missile at linebacker and while losing Walker stings, Jacob Phillips stepped up on Thursday night after he went down.

In the secondary, they’ve got a lot of talent even if Denzel Ward and Grant Delpit haven’t had ideal starts. Both should be able to turn it around and when they do, it will be hard to pass the ball since Greg Newsome, John Johnson III, and Martin Emerson have all been playing well.

As good as all of those players are, there continues to be a hole, which is at defensive tackle. Jordan Elliott, Taven Bryan, and Tommy Togiai have been getting the majority of the snaps and while none have been bad, they also haven’t been great.

That’s why it would make sense to see what it would take to get Daron Payne from the Washington Commanders. A 6-foot-3, 320-pounder from Alabama, Payne has been a force since entering the NFL in 2018.

Even so, there are whispers that Washington is listening to offers as Payne is due for a new contract in 2023.

Cleveland likely wouldn’t pay him long-term but if the price wasn’t too steep, it could be worth it to bring him in as a one-year rental. Adding a run-stuffer who can also rush the passer is exactly what this defense needs to go from good to great.