The NFL trade deadline hits on November 10 this season, and it is unlikely Cleveland Browns fans will be watching wide receiver Jerry Jeudy catch passes from whoever is under center by the time Thanksgiving Day prep rolls around.
Zac Jackson of The Athletic was the most recent team insider to project that Jeudy and the Browns part ways sooner than later, doing so on Tuesday, September 8.
“Jerry Jeudy’s NFL future is almost certainly not with the Browns,” Jackson wrote.
Tony Grossi of “The Land on Demand” made similar comments in early August.
“I’m a fan of Jerry Jeudy. Despite some bad optics last season, I think he’s an elite route-runner, an above-average pass-catcher and a good teammate,” Grossi said. “His drops need to be reduced, of course. Now, from what I’ve seen of [Denzel] Boston and [KC] Concepcion, Jeudy could be a real trade chip played by GM Andrew Berry at the November 10 deadline, if not earlier.”
Browns’ QB Roster, Decisions Don’t Indicate Team Attempting to Win as Much as Possible in 2026
Jeudy’s salary, which is north of $50 million across a three-year deal that runs through 2027, doesn’t make a ton of sense in Cleveland given the team’s timeline.
The Browns are starting the year with Deshaun Watson under center, after which they will likely turn to Shedeur Sanders if a quarterback change is necessary. Neither signal-caller has done enough during their respective tenures with the franchise to inspire the notion that the Browns will surprise in 2026.
And doing so, while the ultimate goal of the locker room, probably isn’t the imperative of the front office. If Berry wanted to win as much as possible, he would have added more to the QB room than just a sixth-round rookie in Taylen Green.
There weren’t/aren’t great options on the trade market or in free agency, but Cleveland certainly could have upgraded from both talent and experience perspectives if the team had wanted to do so. It did not, so here we all are.
Trading Jerry Jeudy What’s Best for Young Group of Pass-Catchers in Cleveland
Even though Green might be the only current QB still on the roster when the Browns announce their initial 53 in late August 2027, there remains value in getting the young corps of pass-catchers as much experience with this group as possible.
Rookie wide receivers Concepcion and Boston have both displayed impressive levels of promise, while catch-first tight end Harold Fannin Jr. proved an elite Day 2 draft pick in 2025 and is on an upward trajectory as one of the most talented young prospects at the position.
Jeudy, a Pro Bowler in 2025, is probably bringing back an early Day 3 draft asset. But shedding his salary and scoring another pick in the process while opening up opportunities for the playmakers who are the future of this developing offense is a win-win-win scenario if ever one existed.
The market for Jeudy may not be bullish heading into Week 1, but with two months of attrition ahead before the trade deadline arrives, opportunities to move him are certain to open up.
Browns Expected to Part Ways With $50 Million Pro Bowler Before Deadline