The 2026 Cleveland Browns are an improved team, to be sure, but there's a lot of work still to be done.
While there is plenty of trade discussion in NFL discourse, actual trades seem to get executed far less frequently. Andrew Berry learned from his mentor Howie Roseman to make trades often, even if Berry's batting average pales in comparison.
Pro Football Focus' John Kosko set out to determine each NFL team's most valuable trade asset, and for once the answer wasn't simply Myles Garrett. That horse has been thoroughly beaten to death, and there have been no public signs of acrimony between the two parties this offseason.
While valuable is certainly subjective, Kosko tabbed the Browns' No. 6 overall pick as their most coveted asset.
"Cleveland sits at No. 6 overall with clear needs at wide receiver and along the offensive line. While the Browns could stay put and take the best player available, their offense lacks proven talent. Trading down may be the more effective route, allowing them to accumulate additional draft capital while still adding impact contributors. Holding both a high first-round pick and a late first-round selection gives Cleveland the flexibility to reshape its roster heading into the draft."
PFF says the Browns’ No. 6 pick is their most valuable trade asset
While Kosko raises a fair observation about Cleveland's roster, it comes with a caveat. Many scouts have pegged the 2026 draft class as top-heavy. In fact, draft expert Tony Pauline has first-round grades on only 11 prospects.
Even that shouldn't preclude the Browns from trading back if someone gives them a Jacksonville Jaguars-esque offer in April. That has to be the key, though.
The ideal scenario would be a small trade back that allows the Browns to gather another top-tier pick, while preserving the ability to select a blue-chip prospect. Yes, there is no shortage of trade partners in mock draft simulations, but real-life GMs are much harder to swindle. For a team to give the Browns enough value to come off one of the top options — be it Monroe Freeling, Caleb Downs, Carnell Tate, or one of the EDGEs — the price should be substantial.
One team to consider looking at is the Carolina Panthers. With all due respect, they're chasing a playoff season despite the fact that their 8–9 record was not exactly emblematic of a contender. If they become enamored with one of the top EDGE rushers to pair with their newly-signed Jaelan Phillips, they may be willing to offer No. 19 and a future first-round pick for that privilege. In that case, or a similar one, the trade could be justified. The 2027 NFL Draft class is shaping up to be too special to turn down that opportunity.
Moving down from No. 6 to No. 12 with Jerry Jones throwing in an extra third-round pick and some cowboy boots, however, is not the kind of deal worth taking. Rest assured, Andrew Berry must know this. The ridiculous hypothetical is just an example, but the idea is the same. With a draft class such as this one, the price should be higher, and if a team isn't willing to meet it, that's fine — the Browns should make their pick and be happy with it.
Sometimes the greatest thing a general manager can do is take the best player on their board. When you force predetermined outcomes, disaster usually follows — just look at Browns QBs over the last two and a half decades. The Browns will have plenty of leeway, but trading out of range of a star prospect without getting significant future draft capital in return would be organizational malpractice.
Here's to hoping the Browns avoid another landmine like the ones they've been so adept at finding ever since they came back to the NFL in 1999.