After a very quiet day before the Nov. 5 trade deadline, one move came down the pipeline that might pique the interest of Cleveland Browns fans expecting to see Za'Darius Smith gone by the deadline. A trade between the Denver Broncos and Arizona Cardinals involving edge rusher Baron Browning finally broke the dam on the day.
Browning, a rarely utilized rusher by Denver this season, went to the Cardinals in exchange for a sixth round pick. That's fairly typical compensation for a player who might not make an impact right away, but one that could be used as a backup elsewhere to shore up an injured defender room. Arizona has a ton of injuries on their defense, specifically with edge players, so bringing in Browning for insurance makes sense.
But, Za'Darius Smith - the one Browns player that seems to be a sure thing to be on the move from Cleveland - is no average defender. Smith has been elite alongside Myles Garrett on the Browns' defensive line, and he has five sacks on the season. He's been very speedy around the edge and seems to not be showing his 32 year old age for Cleveland so far this season.
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So, if Browning netted a sixth rounder for Denver, perhaps Cleveland can now seek a fourth rounder for Smith who is a much more proven edge rusher than Browning is at this point in his career. There's been zero movement on the trade front from the Browns so far as the deadline is just over 24 hours away. But, major draft compensation is what Cleveland must seek for anyone they ship off. This will offset the high price of still having Deshaun Watson to pay - taking on elite young talent on rookie deals to raise your ceiling without spending over your cap.
Browns may not stop at Smith
Multiple reports from Pro Football Talk and Sports Illustrated seem to indicate that rumors are swirling over Cleveland's trade deadline activity. Specifically, it seems like veterans like David Njoku and Elijah Moore could be on the move as well. Njoku would definitely net a higher pick compared to Moore as he's had a much better season and is a versatile receiving target, whereas Moore has struggled to get going all season.
If the team does go for a full fire sale by the deadline, it will signal a clear vision from the Browns' front office and coaching staff - look ahead to a future without Watson by building through the draft.