The Cleveland Browns didn’t do much at the NFL trade deadline, sending Za’Darius Smith to the Detroit Lions and then calling it quits.
But do they have anything else in store for the offseason?
The Browns will be one of the more interesting teams to watch this spring, as they have a lot of tradeable pieces on their team.
However, some trade candidates are more surprising than others.
Here are three shocking Browns players who could be moved this offseason.
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah was recently placed on injured reserve due to a neck injury he suffered in Week 9. Luckily, it’s not too serious, but we won’t see him again until a moment.
The question is: Could the Browns actually trade him in March?
Owusu-Koramoah’s name was bandied about in trade speculation before the deadline, even though Cleveland likely never seriously considered moving him.
But with the Browns needing capital to help them rebuild their roster, they could consider jettisoning the star linebacker in March.
Cleveland has some interesting young linebackers in Winston Reid and Mohamoud Diabate, and let’s be honest: the linebacker position has been marginalized anyway, with things moving more toward edge rushers in the modern NFL.
Still, Owusu-Koramoah could fetch an attractive return, especially considering he has a very affordable contract.
That brings us to the Browns’ longest-tenured player: offensive lineman Joel Bitonio.
Bitonio has been with Cleveland since 2014 and has made six consecutive Pro Bowl appearances. He also earned a few first-team All-Pro selections along the way.
But Bitonio is 33 years old and has only one year left on his contract.
Yes, the Browns need help on the offensive line, so trading their best offensive lineman may not be the way to go. That being said, if Cleveland can land a nice package for the star, it would be worth considering before he really starts to decline.
Everyone assumes the Browns will likely try to move Greg Newsome II this offseason, but could they shock everyone and attempt to trade Denzel Ward instead?
Ward is certainly the bigger name, and for good reason: he’s the far superior player and appears to be on his way to a fourth Pro Bowl appearance.
The 27-year-old is under contract until 2027 and is one of the best cornerbacks in football, so he would have substantial value on the trade market.
Cleveland might be able to get multiple draft picks for Ward, which is certainly more than they could get in exchange for Newsome.
The Browns could always extend Newsome, and remember: They also have Martin Emerson Jr..
Neither player is Ward, but the king’s ransom that Ward could potentially bring to a Cleveland team heading toward an inevitable rebuild could prove too much to get around.
