It’s been said over and over again, ad nauseam. On social media, by the fans, pundits, on this site, and multiple times by this author: The Cleveland Browns are in a win-now mode and need to hone in on a trade target or two.
Yet, the team has opened 2-2 and appeared wildly inconsistent while doing it. After their top offensive weapon was lost in Week 2, the team rallied and put together their most complete game to date against the Tennessee Titans. But they followed that up with an epic disaster against the Baltimore Ravens in which the coaches and players seemed wildly unprepared.
The Cleveland Browns will likely need to win 11 games in a highly competitive AFC to make the playoffs. That means a 9-5 record over the last 14 games. That kind of consistency will require a significant step up from where they are now. The coaching staff clearly needs some work. But there may also be a way to make a significant personnel upgrade.
A Sorely Needed Cleveland Browns Trade Target
With the trade deadline at the end of the month and their bye week already behind them, the Cleveland Browns have little time left to bring in any new talent and get them up to speed to make any significant impact.
Considering the timeframe, there is a potential Cleveland Browns trade target that the pundits return to repeatedly. The team is still short their first-round pick next year from the Deshaun Watson trade. They also no longer have a fourth. This leaves little capital with which to upgrade the team.
They do have wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones coming into a contract year, and he is unlikely to be retained by the team. Peoples-Jones is just 24 and coming into the prime of his career. While he’s unlikely to be an elite No. 1 option, he would be an immediate upgrade for a lot of teams. Including him could help offset the lack of draft capital.
Potential for Immediate Impact from a Browns Trade Target
It’s no secret that the weakest link on the Cleveland Browns offensive line is its left tackle Jedrick Wills. Wills is having a horrific season, with his efficiency grades down across the board. He looks slow and unmotivated on nearly every play.
There is one scenario in which the Browns can take Wills off the field without bringing in any additional personnel. But doing so would move former All-Pro guard Joel Bitonio to tackle. While that would help protect the blindside, it weakens the line’s interior. Instead, the Cleveland Browns should move to acquire Denver Broncos LT Garrett Bolles.
Bolles’ name has been subject to trade rumors for the last several months. Denver’s poor start has brought his name back to the forefront. Gas was thrown on the fire after Denver’s 50-point loss to the Miami Dolphins when he said “I’m tired of losing man. I’ve been here for seven years and all I’ve done is lost.”
Bolles is 31, and unless Denver has a massive turnaround, they’ll likely be kicking off a youth movement and rebuilding. Bolles grades out nearly 30 points higher than Wills and is near the top of the league in pass blocking, a sore point for the Browns. With the Browns’ quarter-billion dollar man taking snaps from center, it makes sense for Cleveland to invest in protecting that investment.
The Effect of a Garett Bolles Trade
Without Chubb, the Cleveland Browns running game lacks excitement. Many would point out that simply adding another back, like Jonathan Taylor before he signed his extension, would be an immediate fix. But adding Bolles and helping lock down the line’s left side could also help that.
Bolles takes the pressure off Bitonio and center Ethan Pocic, which has been added from Wills’ complacency. That improves both the running game and pass protection. That’s not to say that Bolles is a cure-all. Watson still hasn’t reached his ceiling, and the playcalling is questionable. In addition, what Browns pundits and fans really want is for Chubb to come back. For 2023 at least, he’s not. But for a team needing to win nine of its last 14 games, adding Bolles a necessary start.
Main Photo: Ron Chenoy – USA Today Sports
