Every contender eventually has to separate sentiment from strategy. A veteran who once carried the offense can become a luxury once younger players take over his role, and the trade deadline forces teams to decide what that veteran is really worth. Those decisions are harder when the player is still making plays. The Browns are facing that situation with less than 3 weeks until the deadline.
Ben Arthur of FOX Sports named Jerry Jeudy as Cleveland’s top trade candidate.
“Jeudy had a career-high 1,229 receiving yards in his first season with the Browns in 2024, but his production has been on a downward trajectory since. His receiving total dropped by more than half in 2025 (602) and he’s currently averaging a career-low 16.2 yards per game in 2026, pacing for a career-low. Rookies Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion also represent the Browns’ future at wide receiver, so Jeudy doesn’t appear to be in the team’s long-term plans anyway,” Arthur wrote.
Arthur’s numbers predate Jeudy’s best game of the season. He caught all 4 of his targets for 69 yards in Sunday’s 13-10 win over the Baltimore Ravens, including a 33-yard catch that helped set up Andre Szmyt’s game-winning field goal. That raised his season totals to 12 catches for 150 yards, or 25 yards per game.
Even with that boost, Arthur’s broader point stands. Jeudy is still on pace for the lowest receiving total of his career, and the passing game now runs through Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion. Boston leads all rookies in receiving yards, while Concepcion has become a focal point on quick throws.
The timing is what makes this decision difficult. Todd Monken gave Jeudy a game ball after the win and said the offense is better when he gets the ball. With Concepcion now limited in practice with calf and quad injuries, a veteran who can produce late in games has real value for a team leading the AFC North.
Jeudy’s market has been building for weeks. The San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles have all been named as possible suitors.
An acquiring team would owe Jeudy only about $1 million in guaranteed money this season, and his 2027 salary is not guaranteed. The Browns, however, would take on $9.3 million in dead money this year and $25.4 million next year if they move him.
Arthur is probably right that Jeudy is not part of Cleveland’s long-term plan. The more pressing question is whether he is worth more to a first-place team than the pick Andrew Berry could get for him. Another big game against the Titans could raise his price or convince the Browns to keep him for the stretch run.
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