The Cleveland Browns aren’t just looking to change their team; they are looking to change the entire NFL.
On Wednesday, the team proposed a rule change that would allow NFL franchises to trade draft picks five years into the future instead of three. That is a pretty big move, and Mary Kay Cabot knows why they did it.
Speaking to 92.3 The Fan, Cabot dug into the reasoning behind this suggestion from the Browns.
“Maximizing any opportunity to go out there and wheel and deal. You have seen over the past few years that teams are trading a lot more than they used to. Now, at the trade deadline, you’re seeing a lot of activity. I think they just want to have more options. Andrew [Berry] loves to wheel and deal. He loves to make trades. While they’re in the process of doing this, they see that they can really expand their horizon with something like this,” Cabot said.
"Maximizing any opportunity to go out there and wheel and deal. Teams are trading a lot more than they used to. They just want to have more options."
📞@MaryKayCabot on the Browns' motives behind proposing a rule change for trading draft picks pic.twitter.com/Z7WTvI9utX
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) March 19, 2026
Having the ability to trade picks until five years down the road will expand the horizons for a bunch of teams throughout the league. It’ll give them the chance to enhance their scouting game, keep an eye on players who will be available down the road, and then make the proper adjustments to get them.
This time of year is a prime example of why the Browns want to make this change. The draft is around the corner, and teams all over the league are trying to dream up scenarios where they can trade up or down in the draft.
By comparison, the NBA’s rule states that teams can trade up to seven years in the future.
The Browns are considering how an adjustment to the way things are done could help them in the long run, and they are hoping the rest of the league gets on board. For a team with a big picture in mind, such as a rebuild, this rule change could be a blessing. Any change needs to be approved by 24 of the league’s 32 teams, which isn’t a small feat.
Now that they have proposed the idea, they will likely go around and try to convince other franchises to get on board.
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