The Cleveland Browns have just about everything they need to make a serious push for a playoff run. Baker Mayfield is Cleveland’s long-awaited savior, Odell Beckham might be the NFL’s best receiver, and the defense has several young playmakers like Myles Garrett and Denzel Ward. However, the offensive line could use an upgrade. The Browns don’t have a franchise left tackle, but they could get one by trading for Trent Williams.
Williams is holding out from training camp and publicly stated that no amount of money will make him come back to Washington. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Williams is furious with the training staff over the handling of a cancer scare in 2018. If Williams is true to his word, Washington will eventually have to trade him, and the Browns would be a perfect fit.
Trent Williams, Cleveland Browns A Perfect Match
2018’s Offensive Line Woes
If you want to compete for a title, you need to have a quarterback. After spending an eternity searching for their franchise passer, Cleveland finally found their man in Baker Mayfield. Mayfield was nothing short of amazing as a rookie, throwing for 3,725 yards, 27 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions in 14 games. He’s easily the best Browns quarterback since Bernie Kosar, and he should be under center for the foreseeable future.
From a financial standpoint, Mayfield represents one of the biggest competitive advantages in football. The Oklahoma product is already playing like a franchise quarterback, yet he’s still making a rookie’s salary. Once Mayfield hits the open market, he will easily command over $30 million a year. He’s indisputably worth the money, but Cleveland should do everything they can to capitalize on Mayfield’s cheap years.
In a cruel twist of fate, the Browns had one of the best offensive tackles in football from 2007 to 2017. Joe Thomas was a light in the darkness for Cleveland, appearing in 167 games and playing at an All-Pro level. Thomas was the ideal blindside protector, but the Browns never had anyone worth protecting. Now that Mayfield’s in town, Thomas is in retirement. Williams isn’t as good as prime Joe Thomas, but he’s the next best thing.
How Trent Williams Fits With the 2019 Browns
If the season started today, Greg Robinson would be the starting left tackle for the 2019 Cleveland Browns. That’s terrible news for Mayfield, as the former second-overall pick has been a massive disappointment since entering the league. Robinson started for the second half of 2018, so it’s not like his presence will singlehandedly ruin the offense. However, the Browns should be actively looking for an upgrade.
Not only is Trent Williams an improvement from Robinson, but he’d turn the position from a weakness into a major strength. Williams is one of the best left tackles in the league and is still playing at an elite level. He’s made seven consecutive trips to the Pro Bowl and should have a few more years left in his tank
According to Over the Cap, Williams would carry an $11.2 million cap hit if traded to the Browns. Cleveland could easily fit this in their budget, as they currently have nearly $30.1 million in free cap space. Money isn’t an issue, and they could easily make a trade work.
Finding a Potential Trade Package
The difficult part comes in determining an actual trade package. The Browns used to be flush with draft picks and could acquire just about anyone they wanted. However, those days are gone and Cleveland now has an average amount of draft capital.
Trading for Williams would probably mean sending away yet another first-round pick. The Browns obviously sent their 2019 first-round pick to the Giants for Odell Beckham, and they’d do that again in a heartbeat. However, there comes a point where you need to stock up on elite cost-controlled talent. Trading too many picks for veterans leads to unsustainable success and short-term windows for winning.
That said, the Browns haven’t reached that point quite yet. Sashi Brown gave Cleveland an abundance of high draft picks, and John Dorsey has done a fantastic job at maximizing the value. This roster is talented enough that they can forfeit another early pick to get an established veteran at a high salary. Sending over a 2020 first-round pick should be enough to get Williams and give Mayfield some much-needed security along the offensive line.
