Tuesday, Oct. 31 is the NFL Trade Deadline this year and while the Cleveland Browns have been quiet thus far, they could look to make a move before then. Most of the rumors surrounding them involve adding talent such as Derrick Henry or maybe a backup quarterback who could challenge P.J. Walker for the No. 2 spot.
There's another possibility for them to get involved in the deadline as well, which could be to trade away players on expiring contracts. With a talented roster that was capable of beating the 49ers and Colts without their star quarterback, Cleveland might be tempted to add draft capital rather than simply allow these players to walk and get nothing in return.
With that being said, here are three players they should be willing to deal if asked, and two they should hang onto and hang up no matter who calls.
Browns should listen to offers for Marquise Goodwin
Marquise Goodwin was added in the offseason as a potential deep threat to replace Anthony Schwartz. His tenure started with a rough patch as he was sidelined due to blood clots in his lungs and leg. Once he returned, the Browns felt confident enough to release Schwartz and Goodwin was active right away.
Now six games into their partnership, it's clear that Goodwin isn't an ideal fit. He's been targeted nine times has just three receptions for 10 yards and was on the wrong end of Deshaun Watson's pick against Indianapolis. He does have 38 yards on three rushing attempts but he hasn't provided the spark they hoped for.
Perhaps some team in need of receiver help might be willing to add the speedy veteran and if so, the Browns would be wise to take a fair offer and try to utilize more of their younger wideouts.
Browns should listen to offers for Jordan Elliott
Heading into this season, it felt as though Jordan Elliott would be looking for a new home. A former third-round pick from Missouri, Elliott started all 17 games in 2022 and had 36 tackles with two sacks — but was a major liability, especially in the run game.
He was given another shot by Jim Schwartz but it appeared he was in danger when he was the lone starter on the field in the Hall of Fame Game against the New York Jets to kick off the preseason. He failed to impress in that game and stayed on the field much longer than anyone expected.
Throughout the rest of the preseason, he continued to struggle but was still on the roster in Week 1. Not only that, he was a starter against the Bengals. Now heading into Week 8, Elliott remains a starter as he's been on the field for the first defensive snap of every game.
Even with that being the case, his snap count has declined as he's played in 44 percent of the defensive snaps compared to 65 the prior season. That's helped him perform at a higher level as Elliott has put together the best season of his young career.
While that's been a positive for the Browns, they're still unlikely to re-sign Elliott in the offseason. And they have plenty of talent at the position with Dalvin Tomlinson, Shelby Harris, and Maurice Hurst. They also have rookie Siaki Ika on the bench and Tommy Togiai on the practice squad. That's why it would make sense to see what any team would offer should they call about Elliott.
Browns should listen to offers for Donovan Peoples-Jones
Cleveland wanted to remake their receiving corps and began the process in 2022 when they traded for Amari Cooper and used a third-round pick on David Bell. This year, the overhaul continued as they traded the 42nd overall selection in the NFL Draft for Elijah More and the 74th pick. They then used that pick — which was their first — on wideout Cedric Tillman from Tennessee.
As if that wasn't enough, the Browns also went for Marquise Goodwin in free agency. That gave them a whole new group of wideouts coming into the year.
After six games, their passing attack continues to be a work in progress but most of that doesn't fall on the shoulders of the wideouts, but instead on the issues they've had at quarterback. With Deshaun Watson dealing with a shoulder injury, Cleveland has fallen to 31st in the NFL in passing yards with just 1,030. They're also 29th with only four touchdowns.
Even with the offense struggling, it's been easy to see that Donovan Peoples-Jones is no longer a huge part of the offense. The fourth-year wideout has just eight receptions on 18 targets for 97 yards. That has him on pace for just 275 yards which is a far cry from the 839 he had in 2022.
With DPJ set for free agency in the offseason, he's likely going to look for a team that will feed him the ball more. That's why it might not be a bad idea to listen to any trade offers, especially since they can slide Bell and Tillman up the depth chart as potential replacements.
Browns should hang up if someone asks about Maurice Hurst
A former standout with the University of Michigan, Maurice Hurst was expected to be an early pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. He wound up sliding into the fifth round when it was discovered he had an irregular heartbeat. He landed with the Oakland Raiders and was able to use the draft slide as motivation for a quick start in the league.
After two solid seasons in 2018 and 2019, Hurst started dealing with injuries (unrelated to the previous concern), and that slowed down his growth as a player. He wound up with the San Francisco 49ers in 2021 after missing five games in 2020. With the Niners, Hurst played in just two games and then sat out the entire 2022 campaign.
Cleveland then brought him in this year as a low-risk signing with a potential high reward. Through six games, they've been thrilled with the results.
Hurst has 13 tackles and a half-sack and is enjoying the highest PFF grade of his career. Right now, he's ranked 13th overall at the position with a 78.5 overall grade. That's impressive on its own but what stands out is how well he's played against the run.
Known for his ability to get after the quarterback as a 3-tech, Hurst has been even more impactful this year when it comes to stopping the run. Cleveland's defense as a whole is vastly improved in this area and Hurst is one of the primary reasons. That's why Andrew Berry and the Browns shouldn't listen to any offers for him at the deadline.
Browns should hang up if someone asks about Grant Delpit
A former second-round pick in 2020 out of LSU, Grant Delpit entered the league with a lot of hype. Cleveland's new general manager, Andrew Berry, was able to land him with a second-round pick after moving up and expected Delpit to be a game-changer in the secondary.
Unfortunately, his debut had to wait since he suffered an Achilles injury in training camp and had to sit out his entire rookie campaign. Delpit returned in 2021 and played in a rotation with seven starts in 15 games. In that role, he had 66 tackles with one interception and three pass defenses.
Then in 2022, he started to look like himself again. Delpit was a full-time starter and with a full year separating him from his injury, he had 105 tackles, 10 pass defenses, and four interceptions. That made him one of the more impactful players on this roster and with Jim Schwartz now calling defensive plays, Delpit looks even better in 2023.
Through six games he has 37 tackles and an interception but those numbers don't truly show his impact. Delpit has been all over the field this year and is playing with pure instincts rather than having to overthink anything.
He's been playing closer to the line of scrimmage thanks to the presence of Juan Thornhill and Rodney McLeod and it's helped him tremendously.
With his contract expiring after 2023, the Browns need to be worried about how to keep him in town for the foreseeable future. And if anyone calls to ask about his availability, the best response would be to decline. Politely or not.