Contenders rarely find their missing piece in free agency. By late October, the best way to add proven talent is through trades, and the most realistic targets often come from teams whose seasons have gone off the rails. Connections between front offices can help those deals come together. One national analyst has found a target that checks both boxes for the Browns.
Ben Arthur of FOX Sports named Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert as the player Cleveland should go after before the November 10 trade deadline.
“Outside of Harold Fannin, Cleveland doesn’t have a dependable tight end option. Dallas Goedert’s presence would open up two tight end sets for the Browns, which could make coach Todd Monken’s scheme more versatile. Browns GM Andrew Berry was also the Eagles’ vice president of football operations in 2019, so there is a connection to the front office in Philadelphia, which could be a seller ahead of the NFL trade deadline with a 2-5 record,” Arthur wrote.
Arthur’s point about the depth chart is backed up by the numbers. Fannin is averaging 36.7 receiving yards per game and just set the franchise record for catches by a tight end in his first 2 seasons, but no other Browns tight end is averaging even 6 yards per game.
Goedert would change that. The 6-foot-5, 256-pound veteran has 431 career catches for 4,904 yards and 37 touchdowns. He scored 11 times last season and has 22 catches for 228 yards and 2 touchdowns in 5 games this year.
His scoring ability could help in the area where Cleveland has struggled most. The Browns have often settled for field goals in the red zone, and a big, experienced target would give Deshaun Watson another option near the goal line.
Goedert’s blocking adds value, too. This would let Monken use 2-tight-end sets without tipping his hand.
Philadelphia’s situation could make a deal possible. The Eagles are 2-5 and are expected to play the rest of the season without Jalen Hurts. They already sent center Cam Jurgens to the Baltimore Ravens, and guard Landon Dickerson has been linked to the Browns as another possible trade target.
There are some questions. Goedert is 31, and the Browns have built around youth, with the 2nd-youngest roster in the league. A trade for him would be about winning now rather than building for later.
That may be exactly the point. Adding a Super Bowl-winning tight end could give a young offense the veteran piece it needs.
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