The Cleveland Browns have been linked to a major trade for a star wide receiver to help quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
There is no question that the Cleveland Browns desperately need to upgrade their receiving corps heading into the offseason.
This season, the Browns fielded a wide receiver room led by Jerry Jeudy, who trudged through a miserable campaign in which he caught 50 passes for 602 yards and a couple of touchdowns after making the Pro Bowl the year prior.
Sure, Cleveland's messy quarterback situation played a role in Jeudy's struggles, but it's not like the Browns were stable under center in 2024, either.
Clearly, Cleveland needs to add another piece, and ESPN's Jeremy Fowler has linked the team to a blockbuster trade target: Philadelphia Eagles star A.J. Brown.
"Brown's happy-to-be-here quotient in Philly is miserably low. He's a great player and great players are hard to replace. But the Eagles have never been scared to make a move due to the salary cap implications," Fowler wrote. "The Eagles actually can save $7 million on the cap by designating Brown a post-June 1 trade."
Brown's four drops in the Eagles' Wild Card Round playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers may have sealed his fate in Philadelphia, and it was obvious all season long that the three-time Pro Bowler was not happy.
Philadelphia Eagles receiver A.J. Brown. Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.Given that Philly may just want to rid itself of Brown at this point, the Browns may able to nab the 28-year-old on somewhat of a discount.
That doesn't necessarily mean Cleveland will be able to land him cheaply, but the Browns probably wouldn't have to surrender a first-round pick for him at this point.
And for as much as Brown griped in 2025, he still managed to post his fourth straight 1,000-yard campaign.
Brown signed a three-year, $96 million contract extension with the Eagles in April 2024, a deal that actually does not kick in until next season. So if Cleveland did acquire Brown, it would have him under wraps through 2029.
We know that the Browns are also in need of a quarterback, but they may be content to head into 2026 with Shedeur Sanders to see how he performs. And if they ultimately go that route, they will need to supply him with some weapons.
Brown is a risky proposition because of his questionable attitude, but in terms of skill, he would provide Cleveland with a substantial boost.