The Cleveland Browns picked up their first win of the season on Sunday, defeating the Green Bay Packers 13-10. It took some dramatic late-game plays from all three units, but the Browns got it done. Unfortunately, Sunday didn’t bring all good news for Cleveland. Starting tackle Dawand Jones sustained a knee injury that will sideline him for the remainder of the season, forcing the Browns to make changes up front.
Cleveland has already signed Ohio native and former Buckeye Thayer Munford Jr. off the New England Patriots practice squad. However, the team isn’t done, at least that’s what NFL insider Jeremy Fowler thinks. In a recent ESPN piece, detailing all the buzz throughout the league right now, Fowler said Cleveland is looking at trade options at the offensive tackle position.
"And Cleveland -- whose general manager, Andrew Berry, is never afraid to put together a deal -- needs offensive tackle help because of a season-ending knee injury to left tackle Dawand Jones. The Browns are looking at options there."Jeremy Fowler (ESPN)
Browns are reportedly looking to trade for an offensive tackle
The NFL trade deadline isn’t until November 4, and that’s usually when most of the action takes place. However, Cleveland can’t wait that long if it isn’t confident in the options it has at tackle now. It will be interesting to see who the Browns target, because teams aren’t just willing to move on from starting-caliber tackles in the middle of the season.
Cleveland will either have to find a team with great depth at the tackle position, or a team that’s punting on the season and becoming a seller ahead of the deadline. Regardless of who the trade partner is, and if the team can even find a trade partner, the fact that the Browns are actively trying to trade for a tackle shows they really believe they can compete this season. Time will tell if that’s the case or not.