Tuesday's NFL trade deadline was one of the wildest ones for the league possibly ever. Players involved in rumors for weeks ended up moving, such as receivers Jakobi Meyers and Rashid Shaheed, along with edge rusher Jaelan Phillips.
On top of that, the Jets decided to blow up their defense and look ahead to the future. First, they shipped All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Colts for two first-round picks and receiver Adonai Mitchell. Shortly after, they sent All-Pro defensive tackle Quinnen Williams to the Cowboys for a first-round pick, a second-round pick, and defensive tackle Mazi Smith.
Dillon Gabriel has to make strides versus Jets in Week 10 after their defensive departures
The Browns opened up as 2.5-point underdogs for the Week 10 contest against the Jets in East Rutherford, but that line has shifted in a hurry after today's events. Now, the Browns sit as 2.5-point favorites since the Jets were a few guys away from a full-on fire sale.
While Dillon Gabriel hasn't been anything incredible through his first four games, his only game as a favorite came in conditions where throwing the ball was next to impossible. Cleveland will get a makeshift one-win defense without their two centerpieces, so Gabriel has to make strides to inspire some confidence that he can have any sort of long-term success.
When the Pittsburgh and New England games got away from the Browns so quickly, they were put in a tough game script where they had to live in the drop-back game. Now, the Browns should be in spots where they can run the ball all game long against a reeling offense and a blown-up defense. Add in the fact that Tommy Rees taking over offensive playcalling could lead to a shift in aggressiveness that prioritizes putting Gabriel in a rhythm, and he really needs to have a solid game.
All signs point towards the Browns being more focused on the next few years than 2025, but losing to this Jets team in this state would be a tough pill for most fans to swallow. At least taking care of the few teams you're supposed to can instill some confidence that the current regime is still right for the job.