Bills snag another former Browns player after Dawuane Smoot goes on IR

The Cleveland Browns were fairly quiet at the trade deadline on Nov. 5. While they were able to get two draft picks for Za'Darius Smith in a move that landed him with the Detroit Lions, those picks were late rounders that might not amount to long lasting talent. But, the Browns need youth and need cheap contracts to take on in 2025 on top of that.

The second transaction from the day was the team releasing DT Quinton Jefferson. Jefferson had been stuck behind a set of really great tackles all season long in Shelby Harris and Dalvin Tomlinson, so he never really got a chance to show anything throughout the season. Jefferson had been a great tackle for the New York Jets last season, collecting 34 tackles, six sacks, and a forced fumble.

Read more: Updated defensive line depth chart for Browns after Za'Darius Smith trade

Jefferson just got left on the bench because the Browns have one of the best defensive lines in the league. So, the team did right by him and cut him by the deadline so he'd be able to sign with another squad. There were several teams that still needed help on their D-line, like the Baltimore Ravens and the Buffalo Bills, and the latter team scooped up Jefferson a day after he was cut by Cleveland.

Buffalo was in the market for a defensive lineman after Dawaune Smoot went on the IR with a wrist injury. It's not shocking that they see Jefferson as a great add to their D-line depth as they make a playoff push and see a path to winning the AFC East. The Bills' pass rush win rate is currently 15th in the league, so if Jefferson can manage to get back to how he played for the Jets - or even how he played for the Bills back in 2020 - they'll have landed a really cheap option to plug a hole on their D-line.

The Bills picking Jefferson up makes for two former Browns that Buffalo sought out and got from Cleveland. The first was through a trade for Amari Cooper earlier in the season that netted the Browns a third round pick in the 2025 draft and landed Cooper with a contender. Buffalo immediately got to work with him and Josh Allen, and he caught for 66 yards and a touchdown in his first game there.

The Browns seem adamant about letting their D-line depth do the talking with the release of Jefferson and trade of Smith, and as they need to look ahead to the draft to see how they can inject some youth into their offensive line and, potentially, their quarterback room.

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