Browns Passing on Jaylen Waddle Trade Hints at Cleveland’s NFL Draft Plans

Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry has an affinity towards trading for veteran wide receivers.

But the Browns weren’t the team to trade for Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, who is heading to the Denver Broncos in a blockbuster trade.

Berry diligently worked towards fixing Cleveland’s offensive line in free agency. The Browns traded a fifth-round draft pick to the Houston Texans for starting right tackle Tytus Howard before adding starters Zion Johnson and Elgton Jenkins in free agency.

However, the Browns have yet to add anybody at wide receiver, despite having arguably the worst position group in the NFL.

What could the Waddle trade tell us about the Browns plans at wide receiver?

With Waddle off the table, and the Browns not showing much interest in trading for A.J. Brown from the Philadelphia Eagles, what’s Cleveland planning for their wide receiver position group?

The Dolphins now have two first-round selections and a clear need for a premium wide receiver. Miami’s first selection is No. 11 overall, followed by No. 30 overall that the Dolphins just acquired from the Broncos in exchange for Waddle.

Since Miami finds themselves just five draft slots behind the Browns, perhaps Berry should plan to select a wide receiver with Cleveland’s first selection.

Before free agency opened, the Browns got a head start on their top 30 NFL Draft visits in Berea. The Browns met with Ohio State receiver Carnell Tate and Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson.

While Berry always looks to add talent at positions of need regardless of NFL Draft plans, perhaps one of those prospects won the Browns over in their pre-draft meetings. Instead of trading away multiple draft picks for a veteran receiver like Waddle or Brown or paying big money for an average wideout like Romeo Doubs in free agency, maybe the Browns already know that their future WR1 is waiting for them in the NFL Draft.

Leading up to the draft, there will be plenty of arguments about whether the Browns should prioritize wide receiver or left tackle with the No. 6 overall selection. Of course, Berry could also look to make another small trade back, especially if it means adding a 2027 first or second-round selection.

But Cleveland’s lack of activity on the wide receiver market feels telling. This class has three premier wide receivers – Tate, Tyson and USC’s Makai Lemon, who met with the Browns in Indianapolis at the NFL Combine.

The next tier of wide receivers consists of Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr. or Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion, who could slip a bit further due to a recent knee procedure.

Berry has already found three starters on the offensive line ahead of the NFL Draft. But there’s no way that the Browns could go into next season with Jerry Jeudy, Cedric Tillman and Isaiah Bond as their top passcatching options.

Drafting Tate at No. 6 overall would give the Browns a wide receiver who has been compared to Mike Evans, who is heading to the Pro Football Hall of Fame once he retires. If Berry wants to execute a small trade back, Tyson or Lemon would be great consolation prizes.

Left tackle is just as big of a hole that needs to be filled, but Cleveland’s lack of activity on the receiver market feels pretty telling.