The Cleveland Browns are well-positioned to address their glaring need for a No. 1 wide receiver this offseason. Holding two first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, they could simply use one of them on one of the top prospects in what looks like a talented class.
They could also get a bit more creative and use that draft capital to engineer a trade for an established veteran. Garrett Wilson of the New York Jets is a name that springs to mind.
That’s why analyst Max Loeb is urging the Browns to make a move for the former first-round wide receiver.
“Garrett Wilson’s a different level of receiver than a Jerry Jeudy or, dare I say, even a Carnell Tate. I think he’s a borderline top-10 receiver in the league. He’s talented. I’m pretty sure the first thing this new Jets regime did was extend Garrett Wilson. I don’t know how much that matters after the Sauce Gardner trade. If the haul is too good, I don’t know how you say no,” Loeb said.
What would you be willing to part with to make Garrett Wilson a Cleveland Brown? #DawgPound@loebsleads calls Wilson a "borderline Top 10" receiver and @chefzae23 is ready to send some picks. 👀
presented by @FanDuel https://t.co/MOO6UCXg9w pic.twitter.com/RkiDnDn9Pl
— Honor The Land (@honortheland) January 18, 2026
Whether the Jets would say yes to a trade like that remains to be seen, especially after giving Wilson a four-year, $130 million contract extension last offseason. After dealing away All-Pro defense players Quinnen Williams and Gardner at this season’s trade deadline for a stockpile of draft picks, and with running back Breece Hall possibly on his way out as a free agent, New York may not want to part with its best remaining player.
But if Wilson is available, he is definitely worth pursuing. This season, despite dealing with multiple injuries that limited him to seven games, he was on track to possibly reach 1,000 receiving yards for a fourth straight season since being the No. 10 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Jeudy looked to be that potential top receiver for Cleveland after he was acquired in a trade with the Denver Broncos before the 2024 season. However, after posting a career-high 1,229 receiving yards, boosted by Jameis Winston at quarterback, that first year, his production dropped by more than half to just 602 yards with Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel, and Shedeur Sanders getting him the ball this season.
The Browns could find an answer in the upcoming draft, with Tate, like Wilson, an Ohio State product, and Jordyn Tyson of Arizona State potentially available at No. 6 overall. They also could use the No. 24 overall pick they acquired in a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars on a less-heralded prospect.
No matter how they do it, the Browns have to leave this offseason with a top-notch wide receiver.
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