Cleveland Browns Linked to Blockbuster Trade for A.J. Brown

It’s the worst kept secret in the NFL that the Cleveland Browns need to upgrade their wide receiver position this offseason.

The Browns need to work on their offensive line as well, as all five starters are set to hit free agency. But Jerry Jeudy can’t be the top wide receiver in Cleveland next year.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler has linked the Browns as a team to watch for a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles for superstar wide receiver A.J. Brown. ESPN’s Dan Graziano linked Brown to the Buffalo Bills, Ben Solak linked him to the Baltimore Ravens and Seth Walder connected the 28-year-old to the New England Patriots.

Fowler’s mock trade would include the Browns trading the 24th overall pick from the Jacksonville Jaguars to the Eagles to get Brown to Cleveland for his eighth year in the NFL. It’s a steep price to pay, but the Browns are desperate. Even in a down year, Brown is coming off of his fourth-straight season of at least 1,000 receiving yards and third straight season of hauling in seven touchdowns.

Would Brown be a fit on the Browns?

The Browns could use help at receiver because the only thing worse than Jeudy’s attitude last season was his production on the field.

After career-best marks in 2024, Jeudy regressed to his mean, catching only 50 passes for 602 yards and two touchdowns. He showcased that he’s not a No. 1 wide receiver and is really the same player that the Denver Broncos couldn’t get rid of fast enough.

Brown brings some of those same attitude concerns. When the Eagles had started the season 4-0 after winning the Super Bowl a few months prior, Brown was disgruntled with his role in Nick Sirriani’s offense. The team was winning, but Brown still found reasons to gripe.

Under Kevin Stefanski, the Browns had their troubles with high-profile receivers. Jeudy was unhappy during Stefanski’s final season as coach, but the breakup with Amari Cooper was awkward and so was Odell Beckham Jr.’s split from town. Hopefully new Browns coach Todd Monken’s philosophy of valuing players over plays will bear fruit for wide receivers in Cleveland.

The Browns need talent. And Brown is talented. That alone would make him a fit on the Browns.

Would the Browns really consider this trade?

But Browns general manager Andrew Berry must realize that his team is more than a veteran wide receiver away from contending, especially without a consensus answer on quarterback moving forward.

Neither Berry nor Monken committed to Shedeur Sanders or Deshaun Watson as the team’s starting quarterback. Maybe the Browns will get in the mix for free agent quarterback Malik Willis, but that’d be a gamble as well.

The Browns will need to use some of their 10 draft picks on rebuilding their offensive line and receiver position groups. Trading for a veteran like Brown would take some heat off of Berry, who has struggled identifying talented receivers in the NFL Draft. Berry's wide receiver trades typically work better than his draft picks.

Berry wants significant roster churn on the offensive side of the football after the team had one of the worst offenses in the league over the last two seasons. Adding Brown would give Cleveland a proven No. 1 option before they’ve established their franchise quarterback while reducing pressure on other receivers like Jeudy and Isaiah Bond.