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The Cleveland Browns will play their first regular season game on September 8 against the Dallas Cowboys. Despite the regular season being right around the corner, the Browns and other teams could still look to make trades to better their roster.
The Browns did just that on August 11, trading with the Seattle Seahawks for Nick Harris. Luke Wypler broke his ankle, and Cleveland went out to replace him for depth reasonings.
They could look to do something similar, but in a deal that’d send one of their depth pieces to another team. Bleacher Report’s NFL scouting department looked at “add now” pieces for each NFL team. For the Miami Dolphins, they listed Maurice Hurst Jr. as their player, proposing the trade idea between the Browns and the Dolphins.
“Losing Christian Wilkins was one of the worst things to happen to the Dolphins this offseason. Not only was he a dominant run-stuffer but he broke out as a pass-rusher in 2023,” Bleacher Report wrote on August 12. “Defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver could have used Wilkins pass-rushing to open things up for Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips on the outside.
“The Dolphins aren’t replacing Wilkins outright, but they could still use some help on the interior. Maurice Hurst Jr. would be a logical trade candidate as the Browns look to trim down their roster and have a lot of depth on the defensive line.”
Who the Dolphins Could Trade to the Browns for Hurst
The Miami Dolphins, similar to the Cleveland Browns, have a lot of talent on their roster. Depending on what the Browns are looking for in a deal if they decide to move Hurst, the Dolphins could likely help them fill that hole.
A wide receiver seems to be something the Browns are looking for after putting together a package for Brandon Aiyuk. The Dolphins clearly wouldn’t move Jaylen Waddle or Tyreek Hill in a deal for Hurst, but they have some wide receiver depth that could interest them.
If the Browns want a running back in return as they deal with some injuries in their running back room, the Dolphins have Jeff Wilson Jr. and Salvon Ahmed who’ve been named cut candidates over the past two months.
Wilson and Ahmed are serviceable professionals who could help the Browns while Chubb and others get healthy. There’s also the scenario where the Dolphins would only move a pick in a trade.
Will Hurst Play a Lot for the Browns?
Hurst didn’t start in any game for the Cleveland Browns in 2023, and he’s expected to be a backup again this season. He’s currently behind Dalvin Tomlinson on the Browns depth chart, but he could still be a valuable piece to the team.
He appeared in 13 games last year, finishing with 22 combined tackles and 1.5 sacks.
Trading him wouldn’t be due to his lack of production but rather the need for someone else. Hurst could also have a chance to see big playing time for the Miami Dolphins as they’re dealing with injuries to their defense.
