The Cleveland Browns are heading into their biggest game of the year, a division game on the road against the rival Steelers, a team that is also 5-2 at the top of the AFC North, only behind the Browns because of the tiebreaker. Few expected Cleveland to be in this situation this late in the year, and if they can keep pace with what the rest of the North is showing, it might make sense for what’s been a rebuilding franchise to turn its attention to assuring it can go as far as possible here in 2026, even if its focus is still on the future.
With that in mind, it is entirely possible that the Browns could get active on the NFL trade market, with the deadline for deals looming less than two weeks away. That’s not been the franchise’s stance in the past–they’re almost always sellers at the deadline–but the grit and determination of this bunch could be enough to push Andrew Berry to dip into his store of draft picks (11 in the 2027 draft) to bring in a helpful piece for the stretch run.
Yaya Diaby Needs a Contract
On Wednesday, ESPN put up a list of 25 players who are most likely to be moved at the deadline, and in a reflection of how far the team has come this season, they’re more buyers than sellers. Yes, Browns receiver Jerry Jeudy is on the list, but some of the site’s own insiders have acknowledged Jeudy is not likely to be traded. The Browns have shown no inkling of letting him go.
The most interesting guy the Browns could buy: Yaya Diaby, the star Buccaneers pass rusher who could slot right into a defensive front that badly needs depth. Diaby had three sacks on Sunday, and the Bucs could move him because they don’t want to pay him as a free agent in the offseason.
From ESPN: “Diaby, 27, is still on the radar, because Tampa is not poised to pay the 2027 free agent, and the emergence of second-year rusher David Walker (four sacks) gives the Bucs a natural replacement. Diaby needs a new contract, but an acquiring team could get a compensatory pick for him if he signs a substantial deal with another team in free agency.
Browns Could Use a ‘Physical’ Edge
The Browns could have competition for Diaby, if they sought a trade for him, as the folks at ESPN also see Dallas and Seattle in the mix for him. He is certainly a player who could help nearly every team.
More from ESPN: “Diaby is a powerful and physical edge rusher with the temperament to set the edge against the run. He has three sacks and six tackles for loss in 2026, and he had 40 or more pressures in each of his past two seasons (with 11.5 total sacks over that time). He should be viewed as a quality starter.”
Browns Tabbed as Trade Suitor for ‘Powerful’ 270-Pound Star