NFL Trade Deadline: Are the Browns listening to offers for Jadeveon Clowney?
By Randy Gurzi
The Cleveland Browns are reportedly listening to offers for Kareem Hunt and Greedy Williams, but could they also be willing to trade Jadeveon Clowney?
With the 2022 NFL trade deadline approaching, the Cleveland Browns are expected to make a move — or maybe more. At 2-5, thanks to four losses in a row, the Browns are reportedly listening to calls for a couple of players who are in the final year of their contracts.
Kareem Hunt and Greedy Williams are the names that have been mentioned and each move would make sense. Hunt hasn’t been a difference-maker this season and could net them a mid-round pick to help rebuild their roster. Williams, a former second-round pick, has struggled with injuries and won’t be re-signed. That means the front office will likely take whatever they can get to move on early.
While those two moves are the most logical, former Cleveland CEO Joe Banner says the Browns should also look to move Jadeveon Clowney. Banner spoke with Matt Lombardo on “The Matt Lombardo Show” saying a move to get something for No. 90 would be wise. Lombardo added that he still has value and identified the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a potential landing spot.
"“Clowney has produced a 79.0 pass rush grade from Pro Football Focus while logging 12 quarterback pressures to go with a pair of sacks. If Cleveland decides to trim salary, take the long view of building a roster capable of sustained success in the hyper-competitive AFC North, Clowney could be a candidate to be moved.” —Lombardo, Heavy"
Clowney, a former No. 1 overall pick for the Houston Texans, is in his second season with the Browns after signing in 2021 as a free agent. That year, he had 37 tackles and nine sacks but missed three games due to injury.
So far in 2022, he has just 10 tackles and 1.5 sacks and has already missed three games once again. Like the aforementioned Williams, durability has been a major concern for Clowney. The fact that he’s continued to miss time could lead to them moving on when he hits the open market this offseason.
If that’s the plan, then it would make sense to see what type of value he has on the trade block. Doing so would guarantee some type of return for his services while also allowing Alex Wright to get more meaningful snaps which would help speed up his development.
